Add as a preferred source on Google

Next-Generation Learning Spaces Prepare Students

  • 09/01/17
Witchita Public Schools

Creating a forward-thinking and flexible learning environment was made easier for Witchita Public Schools because of innovative designs from School Specialty.

Driven by the Wichita Public Schools District to create a forward-thinking, flexible and collaborative environment for 21st-century learning, our L’Ouverture Career Explorations and Technology Magnet School in Wichita, Kansas undertook a major classroom renovation project to outfit 18 classrooms (K-5) with innovative furniture and media technology solutions.

The initial project which began in May 2016 was done in partnership with education solutions provider, School Specialty (SSI) and its Projects by Design (PbD) team, to model two classrooms for the second and fifth grades. This encompassed installing flexible and mobile seating that would transform the traditionally fixed environment into an adaptable setting suited for various teaching and learning styles. The new furnishings were well-received by our faculty and students, and the district decided to expand the project to another sixteen K-5 classrooms and the library in 2017.

It is all about giving students the option to sit where it is most conducive for their learning, and this could only be possible with the right furniture and equipment.

Crucial to developing a 21st-century learning environment is the ability to support different teaching approaches. Our team worked with the School Specialty/Projects by Design crew to implement a combination of flexible, mobile and soft seating solutions from its Classroom Select line, including NeoMove and NeoRock furniture, as well as products from vendor partners such as Smith System, MiEN and Media Technologies. In particular, the Neo-Move and NeoRok seating help students to move gently (forward, backward or side-to-side), facilitating a calming effect and increasing their concentration and engagement.

www.schoolspecialty.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • concentric silhouettes of a human head

    How Physical Space Shapes the Mind: Designing for Better Learning Outcomes

    Research in environmental psychology and neuroscience increasingly suggests that the way a room is designed can influence memory, focus, or even a student's sense of belonging.

  • Different Starting Points, Same End Goal

    Higher education campuses can enhance student experience by implementing mobile credentials to streamline building access, on-campus payments, and access to other amenities. This enables students to connect to their campuses through the technology they use most: their mobile devices.

  • sapling sprouting from a cracked stone

    Lessons in Resilience: Disaster Recovery in Our Schools

    Facility managers play a pivotal role in how well a school weathers and recovers from a crisis. Whether it's a hurricane, a flood, a tornado, or a man-made event, preparation determines resilience.

  • Construction Begins on East Austin CTE-Focused High School

    The Del Valle Independent School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new CTE-focused high school in Austin, Texas, according to a news release. Del Valle High School will measure in at 473,338 square feet and have the capacity for 2,400 students.

Digital Edition