Bringing the wow factor into the classroom environment - SSAT

SSAT and Dulux partnered to create smarter spaces in a variety of schools in differing contexts. After a competitive application process, the 10 ... Menu AboutUsMembership SecondaryMembershipPrimaryMembershipSpecialSchoolsandSENDMembershipiNetGlobalMembershipLeadingEdgeNetwork CPD TeachingandLearningLeadershipProgrammesAccountabilityandDataSchoolImprovementDeliverYourOwnTrainingSubjects,CurriculumandAssessmentStudentandPupilLeadership Events ViewAllEventsMakingStudentLeadershipEffective19January2022SteppingUpToSeniorLeadership19January2022QualityAssuringCurriculumProvision25January2022 Blog AboutUs Membership CPD Events Blog Join Memberlogin Logintothemembersonlyareaforexclusivecontent. SSATservicesuseasinglelogin,pleaseseeguidanceoncreatinganaccount LoginwithSSATID Lostyourpassword?Needtoregister? Searchfor: 24November2017ByMatthewSmitheman JohnKeegan,deputyheadteacher,Upton-by-ChesterHighSchool Brightcolours,cleveruseofspaceandinteractivetechnologyhaveapositiveimpactonstudentlearningandhelpinnovativeteaching,asJohnKeegan,deputyheadteacher,Upton-by-ChesterHighSchool,explainstoSSAT’sMatthewSmitheman SSATandDuluxpartneredtocreatesmarterspacesinavarietyofschoolsindifferingcontexts.Afteracompetitiveapplicationprocess,the10selectedschoolsdesignedtheirsmarterspaces,workingwithstudentsandaDuluxdesignteam.JohnKeeganexplainedwhyUpton-by-Chestertookpart;howtheyimplementedtheproject;theimpactonstaff,students,teachingandlearning;andsomeofthewaystheyhaveusedtheirnewspace. Whycreatea‘smarterspace’forstaffandstudents? ‘Weexpectedthattheprojectwouldchangethisarea,C14,fromanunderusedspaceintoadigitalworkspace.Itwouldalsoimprovethelearningenvironmentwhichwouldinturnimproveteachingandlearning.’ AbenchmarksurveyshowedthatmoststaffmembersfeltC14asitthenexistedwasapoorplacetoteachandlearn.Teacherswerereluctanttousethespaceduetotheroom’scondition,itslayoutwithanawkwardlysitedprojectorscreenandwhiteboards,andthepoorstateoftheequipmentandfurniture. Howdidyoucarryoutthedesignoftheproject? Tokickofftheproject,sevenstaffand132studentsweresurveyedaboutwhattheywouldlikeintheroomandhowtheywouldlikeittochange.‘Thekeydriversfortheproject,’saidJohnKeegan,‘werethee-learningfacilitators(ELFs),whoneededadigitalworkspacefortrainingandmeetings.’Studentswhowouldbeusingtheclassroomweretheninvolved.’ TenELFsandtwomembersofstaffmetwiththeprofessionaldesigner,DebbieLogan,andtheythrashedoutideasaboutthedesignoftheroom.‘Theydiscussedthesurveysandthecommentsmadebystaffandstudents,’Johnrecalled.‘Thestudents’responsesincludedarequestthatthechairsbeblueandgreenratherthanorange.’Differenttypesofpaintwereexplored,aswellastheflooringandfurniture.TheELFsledtheconversationandmadethefinaldecisionsonthedesignoftheroom. Whatwastheimpact? Sincethestartofthisacademicyear,studentshavebeenbusyusingdigitaltechnologyinavarietyofsubjectsinC14.‘Teachershavebeenmakingthemostoftheclassroom’sdesign,whichgivesteachersandstudentsaspacetofeelinspired,getcreativeandengagewithlearningthroughdigitaltechnology,’Johnsaid. ’Theclassroomhasbeenspecificallydesignedtogiveteachersandstudentsaspacetofeelinspired,getcreativeandengagewithlearningthroughdigitaltechnology’ Theimpactoftherevitalisedlearningenvironmenthasbeennotable,witha2.31%improvementinattendanceintheclassestaughtinC14sinceithasbeenredeveloped–anaverageof92.06%comparedwithanaverageof89.75%lastyear.Asurveyfoundmoststafffeelitisnowagreatplacetoteach.Importantly,inaddition,year7groupswhousethisroomaremakinggreaterprogressthanthosegroupswhodonot. Year7groupswhousethisroomaremakinggreaterprogressthanthosewhodonot Innovativeusesofrevitalisedspace Thereisagreenscreenareawherestudentscanproducepresentationssuchastherockcycleingeography.ThewhitewallisusedforstudentstocollaborateandgenerateideassuchashealthyeatinginPSHE.An‘immersivewallpaper’withaforestscene,ascanbeseeninthevideobelow,hasbeenusedformindfulnesstraininginLEEP(LearnerEffectivenessEnhancementProgramme)sessionsandcreativewritinginEnglish.TheTVandAppleTVenablestudentstopresentworkfromtheiriPadsusingAirplay,andstafftodemonstrateskillssuchashowtouseanapp. Staffcanusethisversatilespaceinsteadoftheirtraditionalclassrooms,JohnKeeganexplains.‘Forinstance,theEnglishdepartmenthaveusedittocreatepresentationsonAlcatrazwithlow-abilityboyswhotheyfounddifficulttoengage.Theroundtablesaremoreconduciveforcollaborativelearning.And,becausetheyareoncastors,theycaneasilybemovedtomaketheroomsuitableformoreactivelearning.’ Thiscarefullyconsideredroomdesignhastransformedthespaceintoaninspiringenvironmentforawiderangeoflearningexperiences. JohnKeeganseessomepotentialfinancialbenefitsofdevelopingthespacetoo,‘wearegoingtousetheroomtoprovideiPadtrainingforstafffromotherschoolsandchargethemforthistraining.Wehaveusedtheschoollearninghubinthepast.’ WatchhowthestudentshaverespondedtotheexcitingnewclassroomatUpton-by-Chester:https://youtu.be/8rmel9m3V50. ReadmoreaboutSmarterSpaces–anSSATandDuluxproject. FindoutmorefromanotherSmarterSpacesschoolparticipantattheSSATNationalConference2017.HannahMorganfromWindrushPrimarySchool ispresentingaboutschooldesignattheThursdayafternoonSpotlighton…session. Sharethispost: ShareonTwitter ShareonFacebook ShareonLinkedIn Taggedwith:SmarterSpaces LeaveaReply Clickheretocancelreply. 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