and plenty of standing in the space observing and discussing. They talked to me quite a lot too. The student's weren't asked what they wanted, they were asked to be reflective about what would work.
I've been proud to be a small part of this lovely and effective project. Learner led redesigned learning spaces are just that. In Balle School a very 70s (orange!) space had become just a place to pass through, noisily, for the students. Challenged to design better they did the right thing (of course!) and researched what had been effective elsewhere.
They included some early Skyping to other school students (see below), particularly Juliette Heppell's team at Lampton School in London (read her free iBook about their longitudinal project for a lot more detail),
and plenty of standing in the space observing and discussing. They talked to me quite a lot too. The student's weren't asked what they wanted, they were asked to be reflective about what would work.
Looking at that early picture of the space, it is hard to imagine what they did with it next, together with their teachers and some outside help - the urban grafitti artists for example - and they did it very affordably - the safety glass was probably the most expensive item (grafitti was a lot cheaper than plastering too!):
Click on thumbnail images below to enlarge them:
 light levels high - thanks in part to screens not projectors |
 interesting that some schools are invoking "must run" lanes in corridors! |
 stunning vista affordably transforming lelarning |
 amphitheatre complete with interactive floor |
 school built the stackable tiered seating / theatre staging themsleves |
 raw concrete? Urban grafitti artist brought it to life! |
 there is a learning reason for these edges: |
 and of course, a Skype Bar - interschool links helped make this space |
 school deputy is delighted - the children use this space now - it's engaging |
 even the accessible ramp is decored into the theme |
 there is a young-to-old narrative to the walls - mixed age space |
 close up of the interactive floor's projector - and mirrors - simple and cheap |
 writeable surfaces in a big space? Glass between existing steel pillars |
 lovely little conversational corner - zoned spaces |
 I mean, just look at it! Fab eh? |
 Skype Bar has cool stools too |
 neighbours? double glazed doors protect the silence in the exam room, or silence the noise when it's a sports hall |
 old gloomy plastic skylights changed and the light pours in |
It's not "finished" yet - they already know that better stools are needed in some places for example, and use will evolve and change - but the transformation of the way the students pass through, let alone the way they sit and work and learn, is pretty impressive. And then of course there are the gains from all that meta cognition and reflective practice! An effective touch is the radio / media booth at one end, playing music-for-learning (cue more research and debate!) in the space, but also intended to house the school radio station.
Now the school community together has ambitious plans to build out from this heartspace and create an indoor / outdoor fusion space for learning.
all images © prof stephen heppell 2014 - this gallery set added May 28, 2014, last updated Sunday, May 10, 2015 9:03 PM