{"id":9701,"date":"2016-05-20T07:33:55","date_gmt":"2016-05-20T11:33:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/?p=9701"},"modified":"2016-05-20T07:37:27","modified_gmt":"2016-05-20T11:37:27","slug":"creating-cooperative-learning-spaces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/creating-cooperative-learning-spaces\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating cooperative learning spaces"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>A visualization exercise for changing classrooms<\/h1>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/?s=flexible+classrooms&amp;submit=Search#.Vz35t5MrIo8\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8280\" src=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/flexible_classrooms.jpg\" alt=\"flexible classrooms\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>It&#8217;s not your imagination. It really is the time of year when everyone gets a little <em>wiggly<\/em>. (Or a little more wiggly than usual.)<\/p>\n<p>But how does your classroom layout respond to that energy? Does it honor it or stifle it? Can your students fling their arms wide to express their excitement over an idea, or are they squished into one-size-fits-someone seats with no rollers? The upcoming summer is a great time to plan a bold new layout for your new cooperative learning space.<\/p>\n<p>Unsure where to begin? Let&#8217;s\u00a0through an activity together to\u00a0evaluate the state of your classroom (and other learning spaces), and make concrete steps for transformation.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Guiding Questions:<\/h2>\n<p>First up, consider the following:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How does the functionality of classroom furniture and layout support characteristics of young adolescents and best practices for learning? (form and function)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can the design and layout of open spaces (hallways, lobby, cafeteria, etc.) help create a welcome environment for students\/parents\/teachers\/community?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What role can green space play in supporting the environment as well as curricular interests?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where can shifts in budget allow for a resources to support furniture, display spaces, and green space?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>And by consider, I mean interact with the guiding questions in some way. Write out your answers, record your answers out loud on your phone while you&#8217;re jogging or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/meredith-swallow\/\">make a spreadsheet<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Dance it out.<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/68067435\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Relate\/Think:<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next, review the guiding questions, examples, and resources, and relate them to your classroom and school context.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read: <\/span><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.edutopia.org\/blog\/the-physical-environment-of-classrooms-mark-phillips\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Place for Learning: The Physical Environment of the Classroom<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thejournal.com\/articles\/2013\/02\/13\/designing-collaborative-spaces-for-schools.aspx\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designing Collaborative Spaces for Schools<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look at <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/1VVGZBHUOC_xjnxkbL0U8Gdi8IpmbopRSwVWccp0TfCs\/edit?usp=sharing\">Physical Space In Schools<\/a> &#8211; By Eric McDowell<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Visualize how everyone &#8212; students, teachers, visiting collaborators, administrators and families &#8212; interact with the learning space, then visualize how they <em>could<\/em> interact with it.<\/h3>\n<p>If you can, take all the furniture out of your room (be patient, administrators) and ask students to move through a learning activity as if the furniture they&#8217;d prefer was present.<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5Q9uMb0CG7o\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3>Take the temperature of your learning spaces &#8212; literally<\/h3>\n<p>Do a little science: collect temperature data in your classroom, in the lunchroom, and outside. Record the data in a spreadsheet, and have your students do a performance task like a <a href=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/create-review-games-with-kahoot\/\">Kahoot! quiz<\/a> or a quick spelling bee. Do their scores fluctuate with the temperature?<\/p>\n<p>But don&#8217;t stop there: what does your classroom smell like? Be honest &#8212; or better yet, turn that question right over to the students and stand back &#8212; and make a list of what types of odors exist, and how they can be mediated or \u00a0removed if distracting. What can you hear in your classroom, in the hallways, or out on the grass?<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1tqA6MCbwht3Humw8d-3nftykicDt-EuTe_V1fqhDA60\/edit?usp=sharing\">Take inventory of the physical space<\/a>\u00a0around you.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can include classrooms, hallways, open spaces, outside the school &#8212; go wild! &#8212;\u00a0and document these spaces with\u00a0photos. If you have access to a school map, why not use Thinglink to connect your photos to the map?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.thinglink.com\/card\/589832364276842497\" width=\"750\" height=\"531\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3>Create a list of activities that take place in each space and analyze\u00a0if the space is adequate to support these activities.<\/h3>\n<p>Are there other activities you and your students want to try next year? This librarian took an unexpectedly empty corner of the library and <a href=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/the-story-of-makerspace\/\">used student input to make it a makerspace<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Collaborate and Plan\/Discuss<\/h2>\n<p>Assemble your cooperative learning space team! How many students are on it? (The correct number is\u00a0\u2265 1). Discuss the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the vision for the learning spaces in our school? What do we value?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is it that we want to change? <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What resources can we leverage to support this transformation?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can we tap the collective knowledge of students to help design these spaces? <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the financials resources needed over the next 5 years to support this change?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Reflect and Document<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Possible prompts:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How does the form and function of physical space allow for more collaborative learning?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can we be intentional about creating a warm and welcoming space that celebrates students work?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And then of course, create your accountability piece:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Who will work on this?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What&#8217;s the timeframe for moving forward?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Who needs to have a voice in this process?<\/li>\n<li>Are any of your students interested in presenting on the proposed new learning spaces to the administration, the rest of your team or other interested parties?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Other resources for research:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eschoolnews.com\/2014\/09\/24\/transforming-learning-spaces-034\/2\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transforming Learning with Physical Spaces<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=classrooms&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj4vcqQgNLMAhVsxoMKHXwpBXAQ_AUIBygB&amp;biw=1440&amp;bih=805#tbm=isch&amp;q=collobrative+classrooms&amp;chips=q:collaborative+classrooms,g_1:middle+school\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collaborative Classrooms google search <\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SteelCase<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/smithsystem.com\/learning-dynamics\/collaborative-learning\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smith System<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.edutopia.org\/discussion\/collaboration-wheels-21st-century-classroom-furniture-work\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collaboration on Wheels: 21st Century Classroom Furniture at Work<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/folderview?id=0B2spxhKD_hHgMFFqakJQVHItOTQ&amp;usp=sharing_eid&amp;ts=573460f9\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pictures from Innovative Schools<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>What other steps can you take to redesign cooperative learning spaces with your students?<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A visualization exercise for changing classrooms It&#8217;s not your imagination. It really is the time of year when everyone gets a little wiggly. (Or a little more wiggly than usual.) But how does your classroom layout respond to that energy? Does it honor it or stifle it? Can your students fling their arms wide to &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/creating-cooperative-learning-spaces\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Creating cooperative learning spaces&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[480],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-flexible-classroom-spaces"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9701"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9701\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}