Schools In Focus Podcast: 2020 Education Design Trends

Welcome back! Schools In Focus is a Spaces4Learning podcast dedicated to K-12 school design, planning, and management. Each episode will feature a conversation with industry experts, facility managers, architects, and thought leaders on everything from security technologies to best practices for sustainable facilities and so much more!

Thank you for listening to the inaugural episode of Schools In Focus Podcast! We spoke to Andrew Hausmann, an associate principal at Perkins + Will about innovative library design. If you missed the first episode, I invite you to go back to listen to it.

If you have suggestions on topics you would like to hear us cover, feel free to email me.

Schools In Focus, Episode 2: 2020 Education Design Trends

Schools In Focus Podcast logo and Todd Ferking, principal at DLR Group

Today we have an exciting new episode on education design trends to watch in 2020. I spoke to Todd Ferking, a principal at DLR Group. He lives for school design and has become recognized as an expert in forming spaces that enable student-focused learning and that takes advantage of new and emerging technologies in the learning process. 

Pathfinder Kindergarten Center, ©Chris J. Roberts, photo courtesy of DLR Group

Pathfinder Kindergarten Center, ©Chris J. Roberts, photo courtesy of DLR Group

In this episode, we talked about education design that is geared toward the future. Ferking talks about the shift from classrooms being the dominant teaching space to multiple spaces that include collaborative commons and makerspaces. We explore the use of “flipped classrooms,” collaborative technology, and a flexible infrastructure to support emerging technologies. We also talk about going back to the basics of building relationships and how learning environments can support a sense of belonging for teachers and students. 

Where to Listen

Schools In Focus is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Stitcher. Subscribe today, or listen below! Stay tuned for more episodes!

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • illustration of a building renovation

    11 Greater Atlanta Schools to Undergo Renovations

    Eleven schools across DeKalb County School District and Atlanta Public Schools in the Greater Atlanta metropolitan area are undergoing renovations totaling over $120 million. The districts selected construction company Balfour Beatty for the projects, which will tackle a variety of building and system upgrades.

  • California District Opens New K–8 School

    The Chino Valley Unified School District in Chino, Calif., recently announced that construction is complete on the new Legacy Academy K–8 School, according to a news release. The $51-million, 73,000-square-foot facility has the capacity for about 1,250 students.

  • college student sitting at a desk, studying on a glowing laptop with geometric shapes representing technology in the background

    Pearson Introduces New AI-Powered Study Tools

    Digital learning company Pearson has launched several new AI-powered tools to help provide students personalized help from within their e-textbooks or study platforms.

  • Florida State University Selects Architect for Lacrosse Stadium

    Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla., recently announced that it has selected PBK Architects as the designer for its new lacrosse stadium, according to a university news release. The university’s women’s lacrosse team will play its inaugural season in spring 2026 along with the stadium’s completion.

Digital Edition