Dive Brief:
- Schools across the country are personalizing student learning using digital technology to tailor instruction to the needs of individuals, and many are paying attention to classroom design in the shift.
- Amy Brown, an education strategist for CDW-G, writes for EdTech: Focus on K-12 that comfortable, well-lit classrooms can help promote personalization, along with furniture placement that offers students flexibility and choice.
- Vallecito Elementary School in suburban San Francisco has standing desks in all of its classrooms, and Principal Tracy Smith says students have enjoyed the opportunity to choose whether to complete projects sitting, standing or even working from the floor.
Dive Insight:
When people talk about personalized learning, many skip straight to the digital tools that can help facilitate the model, but administrators need to think about infrastructure, too. Schools are paying more attention to the bandwidth needs of one-to-one device programs and making sure their IT infrastructure is in place before rolling out new initiatives. Classroom and whole school design is another infrastructure area that could use more attention.
Even without massive renovations, schools can make their classrooms more comfortable, inviting places. Lighter paint colors help, as does placement of existing furniture. Schools can also leverage community partnerships to get donated furniture and create opportunities for stations in classrooms that give students alternatives to traditional desks.