Student-Led Innovation

Here are three ways for students to help reinvent learning through participation in the design process.

Design with Students:
For high school students, create a project-based experience that will impact the final design of the school. At the British International School of Houston, older students designed goat pens that are still used as part of the school’s focus on outdoor learning and exploration.

Build Soft Skills:
Students are some of the most eloquent and passionate advocates for reinventing learning. Involve students in the design process and let them take ownership. During the design of the new Booker T. Washington High School for the Engineering Professions in Houston, students made presentations on design concepts to teachers, community members, and their peers.

Think Small:
For elementary school students, art projects are a great way to put their mark on a building. At the new West Muskingum Elementary School in Zanesville, Ohio, elementary school students designed wall tiles that went into the restrooms.

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management October 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • Photo courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

    Minnesota District Completes $49.7M Addition, Renovation Project

    St. Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $49.7-million addition and remodeling project at two district schools, according to a news release.

  • Stanford Online Reveals New Immersive Learning Studio

    Stanford Online recently marked its 30th anniversary with the announcement of a new immersive learning studio, according to a university news release. The studio takes advantage of AI-powered and immersive learning technologies to continue delivering personalized and faculty-led education.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.