Thursday, December 13, 2012

Milpitas Unified School District

Congratulations to Trevor Croghan on an awesome job with Milpitas Unified School District. More details are to follow, but here is a preview of this innovative and inspiring installation!




Thursday, December 6, 2012

What Schools Will Look Like In The Year 2020

Check out this great infographic posted by Edudemic, summarizing what educators believe schools will look like in the year 2020. What do you think the future of education looks like? Share in the comments!

To view the original, click here.




Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Inspiring the Next Generation of Thinkers

The following post from Edudemic serves as a great starting place to inspire us to think in new ways. Fostering creativity in students is a building block for helping them to develop their minds "outside of the box." Maybe designing a creative and flexible learning environment is the first step to helping students think creatively.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Teaching kids goes beyond textbooks and classroom lessons. It has to include teaching them to open their minds to new things and how to think for themselves. This is how we will encourage them to reach their full potential.

One of the most important things we can teach kids is to believe in themselves. As adults we have an obligation to younger generations to help them gain confidence. We should also help them explore their ability to be creative.

About Self-Confidence
When kids have self confidence, they are more likely to be determined to succeed. This also means having self-esteem. These are building block of a ‘can do’ attitude. Kids that have self-confidence feel capable and empowered.

Parents can promote this by giving support and encouragement as often as is possible. Rather than focusing on imperfections or areas the child may be lacking in it is important to give praise for positives. At the same time parents and other adults should offer support and encouragement for any areas of difficulty.

Developing Creativity
Kids that are creative will become the great thinkers and problem solvers of tomorrow. Creativity is the basis for finding solutions. With that in mind, children should have the freedom to be creative. Rather than forcing children to always ‘follow instructions’ it can be more helpful to allow some freedom in expressing themselves.

The sad fact is, few schools offer this freedom. In a classroom setting there are usually strict guidelines – even in areas like art and music. With that in mind parents should encourage ways of self-expression. Hobbies can be great tools for developing creativity.

Musical activities, art and crafts projects, and even reading can be ideal ways to assist a child in becoming more creative. You can visit californiamusicstudios.com for information about in-home or in-studio music lessons. Developing the skill to play an instrument is a great way to help a child feel more confident. A well-stocked craft box can be enough to inspire a child to create art and craft projects.

Everybody has the ability to be creative. The idea is to tap into the seed of creativity that is hidden within the child.

Children need to be challenged. This helps them work for solutions and at the same time they develop their creativity. This ‘growth’ will boost the child’s self-esteem. When we motivate them and show our enthusiasm children also become enthused. This inspires even greater success.

Giving specific feedback on a child’s work can be more inspiring than general comments. For example, when a child writes a story we should give feedback about what was most interesting in the story. You might mention that you like the descriptions the child used. You can explain that detailed descriptions make stories ‘come to life’ for you.

In this way you are supporting what has been done well, and you are leaving the door open for the child to be creative. This inspires the child to further develop the positive things he or she is already doing" (www.edudemic.com).

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The Children's Manifesto

A newspaper in England asked students across the country what their ideal school would have. Ideas flooded in, ranging from fluffy carpet, to more time with attentive teachers. Take a look at this inspiring list below:

Active – with lots of different sports, including judo, dance, karate, football and abseiling, and a swimming pool with slides. Playgrounds with climbing frames and treehouses where you could learn about nature.
"Rock climbing could help your education because you have to think where to put your hands and feet."
Calm – with a chill-out room; music instead of bells, and a quiet place inside at playtime for drawing, reading and board games.
Comfortable – with beanbags, big enough chairs, small enough chairs, slippers, and somewhere personal to store things. There should be cold drinks in the summer and hot drinks to warm you up in winter.
"Pink fluffy carpet so we can walk around in our socks."
Creative and colourful – with lots of room to make and display art, bright painted walls in corridors and dining rooms, and flowers in the classroom.
"I would like to ban the colours black, brown and grey from our school."
Expert - with teachers who don't just read up about their subjects, but live them, and visiting celebrities to talk about what they do.
"In the classroom we should have Stephen Hawking to teach us science. I would like Gordon Ramsay to cook our lunch, but he would have to promise to zip his mouth. I would like Besse Cooper to teach us history, according to the internet she is the oldest person alive today so she could tell us about her life."
Flexible – with more time for favourite subjects, no compulsory subjects apart from maths and English, and more time for art and sport.
"If we're doing something that needs a lot of thinking, there should be enough time to finish."
Friendly – with kind teachers who speak softly and don't shout, and special members of staff that you can go and talk to. You should be allowed to sit with your friends in class and assembly.
"The cool thing is the friendship bench. If anyone sits on there sad, someone comes up to them and always says what's wrong and they will sort it out with a big cuddle and go off and start playing together."
Listening – with forums for classes to express their views and also chances for pupils to have quiet chats with teachers. Don't just listen, but take children's comments seriously and make changes as a result.
"I like the idea of having a suggestion box because we can share each other's ideas with the school council."
Inclusive –with pupils of all achievement, ability and background learning together. Everybody should learn in one room, with opportunities for small group or private work.
"I think it's unfair that only the people who are good at writing stories have their stories displayed in the school hall. I think everyone should have their work displayed. That way no one feels left out."
International – with food from all over the world on the dinner menu and pupils from all over the world in the classroom; with opportunities to go abroad to learn languages and about other cultures.
"At lunchtime a buffet with Namibian, Chinese, Indian and French food would be served on flower-shaped plates and we would listen to music from that country as we ate."
Outside – fortnightly school trips (without worksheets), animals to look after like chickens, sheep and horses, and greenhouses to grow fruit and vegetables to eat at school and sell to raise funds.
Technological – with iPads to read and work on, MP3 players for relaxing during breaks or to help concentrate while working alone, and usb sticks to take work home (and save paper).
"There should be digital recorders available for lessons, so if you go to the toilet, when you come back you can catch up on what you have missed."
What the perfect school would have
★ No homework (all the work would be finished at school)
★ A flexible timetable
★ An hour-long lunchbreak
★ Pets
★ First-aid lessons
★ A choice of uniform to express your personality
★ After-school clubs in all sorts of subjects
★ Hot dinners
★ An iPad for each pupil
★ A football field
★ Fewer tests (but not no tests at all)

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Education + Technology + Pinterest

By now, everyone has heard of Pinterest - but not everyone may be using it. Turns out, Pinterest is a great resource for finding education technology sources all in one place. Check out this compilation from Edudemic of "The 20 Best Pinterest Boards About Education Technology." This is the perfect starting point to delve into Pinterest - it may even inspire you to start your own Pinterest board that you can share with clients!

  1. Patricia Brown: Patricia showcases a myriad of videos, articles, tutorials, and lots of other resources all about education technology.
  2. Vicki Davis: We love Vicki! The ‘cool cat teacher’ is a rock-star on the blogs but also maintains a wonderful collection of curated resources for anyone looking to enhance their classroom or life.
  3. TeacherVision: A ‘family education network,’ TeacherVision assembles a solid list of resources that are valuable for parents, students, and teachers alike.
  4. Kathy Schrock: Kathy (big fan!) is a big name in edtech. Like Vicki Davis, she’s a wonderful blogger and Pinterest user. She curates helpful tools and supportive information for, in particular, developing top-notch presentations.
  5. Edutopia: The always-helpful Edutopia steps up to the Pinterest plate and hits it out of the park. They update their pinboards every day with a pantload of useful information, infographics, and articles.
  6. Eric Sheninger: Looking to learn about life as a principal? What technology is being used by school admins? Eric has you covered and has built up a solid collection of useful resources.
  7. Edudemic: Might as well share our own stuff on here since we think it’s worthwhile! We like to pin apps, web 2.0 tools, guides, infographics, and interesting edtech news.
  8. TED ED News: From the inspiring videos to the follow-up conversations, TED Ed has you covered here. Their Pinterest boards are worth following simply to try and keep up with everything!
  9. Jennie Hoffmann: Looking for useful web tools for education? Jennie covers the best tools and focuses on activities in particular that can help boost your classroom.
  10. Kristin Brynteson: Kristin loves to pin (judging by the number of pins!) and includes lots of free apps and education resources. We heart free resources!
  11. Samia Wahab: Who knew that Pinterest could be a news outlet? These articles posted by Samia are great reading for anyone interested in edtech news, trends, and more.
  12. Charity Preston: Want a pinboard that focuses on elementary school technology? Charity has an array of pins here that will help you out.
  13. Melissa Alonzo-Dillard: From interactive whiteboards to smart-boards to projectors, this pinboard from Melissa is useful for you. Great for any tech enthusiast too!
  14. Rachel Friedrich: Ever had the Reading Rainbow song in your head? This board has a whole library of tools like that. I dare you not to start singing the theme song now. Double dare.
  15. Education World: Ed world focuses on science and and how it connects with education. In other words, it’s great for any science teacher or student. There are plenty of non-science resources too though!
  16. Shannon Smith: A useful list of resources that is a useful tool for teachers and non-teachers. Focuses on infographics but also lesson plans worth knowing about. Great compilation Shannon!
  17. K S: This board has a focus on Canada thanks to the author (a curriculum consultant) being from there. The pinboard helps promote digital literacy and education technology thanks to many videos and resources.
  18. Debbie Fucoloro: Great for beginners (in edtech), this set of pinboards are useful guides for any teacher looking to amp up their technology!
  19. Shelly Terrell: Like Vicki Davis, Shelly Terrell is a big name in edtech blogging. We’ve even featured her in the Edudemic Magazine! Shelly focuses her boards on digital storytelling which basically gets tech into the hands of students and then makes them find creative uses. What could be better than that?
  20. ISTE: The one and only International Society for Technology in Education (you know, the folks who run the awesome conferences) posts some of their favorite tools and resources here. A great follow and recommendation for all teachers who want to get more tech into their classroom.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

10 Facts About Finland's Schools

I came across this article on Edudemic and found it interesting for a few reasons:
  1. It's easy to assume that there is only one "right" way to do something - obviously there can be more than one!
  2. We need to communicate more with our neighbors - there's a lot we can learn.
  3. We ought to take a step back every now and then to take a look at what we're doing - there might be a simpler way to achieve the same (or better) results.

Finland has the same number of teachers as New York City but nearly half the amount of students. Finland has about 600,000 students while NYC has close to 1.1 million.


Every single teacher in Finland needs to have a master’s degree. That degree is fully subsidized by the state, too.


Students in Finland don’t start school until they’re 7 years old.


Elinag / Shutterstock.com

The only mandatory test is taken when students are 16 years old.


http://snapshotofeurope.blogspot.com

There aren’t any separate classrooms for accelerated learning or special education. All students are taught in the same classroom.

finland classroom
http://ttapmethod.blogspot.com

Compared to the U.S., Finland spends about 30% less per student.

finland money schools

About two-thirds of students in Finland attend college. That’s the highest rate in all of Europe.

Sipoo Upper Secondary School, IT College in Sipoo, Finland
Sipoo Upper Secondary School, IT College in Sipoo, Finland

Only the top 10% of graduates are eligible to become teachers.


The classroom size of science courses is limited to 16 students. This is so students can do actual in-person experiments in the lab.


Elementary school students in the U.S. get about half an hour of recess. Students in Finland get about 75 minutes.

students recess

Thursday, October 18, 2012

What Will Work in New Blended Learning Experiment?

Take a look at the latest entry in the MindShift blog by Katrina Schwartz. It explores the different aspects of blended learning models and how to make teaching more powerful. Read through and let us know what you think in the comments! To read the original post, click here.

As the blended learning movement grows in the U.S., schools will need to experiment with what works best in different types of settings. There’s still a lot to learn about different types of blended learning models, and a new nonprofit called Silicon Schools will raise and invest $25 million toward that effort.

With partial grants from the Bay Area’s Fisher family (owners of Gap), and the advice of board members Michael Horn from the Innosight Institute and Salman Khan of the Khan Academy, the nonprofit, which has raised $12 million so far, aims to fund new and innovative approaches in existing blended learning programs with grants to each school.

The effort is led by Brian Greenberg, who chronicled the successes and challenges of piloting the Khan Academy in Oakland’s Envision Schools on the Blend My Learning blog. During that process Greenberg and his staff were very open about the pros and cons of integrating technology into the classroom, and other educators added their perspectives to what worked and didn’t work on the blog. Greenberg points to the parts of the program that worked well, namely letting the technology do some of the heavy lifting in terms of grading, lesson planning and collecting analytics that free up teacher time to focus on students.

Giving students more responsibility for the learning process was also a significant outcome of the Envision pilot program. “What we’re finding is that if you make the steps clear and make them accountable, the more you put them in charge of the process the more they amaze,” Greenberg said, referring to students. The pilot program also helped move the class toward “proficiency-based learning,” in which a student is responsible for an intended outcome, but not penalized every step along the way.

Greenberg intends to apply one important lesson he learned from the program to the schools funded by the Silicon Valley Fund: Technology in no way replaces the teacher. At some point the usefulness of technology runs out and the educator’s role is crucial. He also says that technology doesn’t preclude the need for a good classroom management systems and positive school culture. Kids can get off track or “fake” work on sophisticated software just as easily as they could in a traditional classroom.

And lastly, Greenberg says it’s hard for schools to navigate the many tools that populate the ed-tech space, especially when each is tailored to a different subject and use. He says the whole field needs to become more integrated, almost like an app store for ed-tech, and one that works across platforms. Schools don’t have access to endless money and as a result, ed-tech entrepreneurs and businesses need to design more precisely with the client in mind.

What’s interesting about the fund’s goal is that very little is proscriptive. Greenberg was clear to recognize that this movement is in its infancy. There is no blended-learning canon that can be taught to teachers. Rather Greenberg says the educators need to write the playbook. They need to be at the table and in the laboratories of innovation. And if all goes according to plan, in five years the various Silicon Schools will be networking with one another, sharing ideas with schools from around the world and thinking about how to scale up and replicate best practices.

The fund sees itself as the infusion of cash that schools need to get these expensive and technology-heavy programs off the ground, but they have no intention of funding them forever. “The schools that we fund, all eventually balance on California public dollars,” Greenberg said. “The hope would be that by finding new models and new ways to meet the needs of each kid that we can still make excellent schools work on California funding rates.”

Greenberg says the fund will focus on schools in Silicon Valley to try and build an “innovation hub” in an area already known for taking risks. The idea is to connect educators interested in integrating technology into the classroom with tech entrepreneurs who can create the software, apps and tools that will be most useful to teachers. “This combination of world class entrepreneurship with front line educational expertise is extremely promising. And if we can’t make that intersection happen here, at the heart of Silicon Valley, then we don’t think it will be easy to make it happen anywhere,” Greenberg said.

HOW IT WILL WORK
Greenberg says the fund is willing to give up to $700,000 to about 25 schools if they can demonstrate a unique idea or way to implement blended learning that pushes the conversation forward. Grantees also must have strong leadership teams, a track record of success and a financially sustainable model. The fund expects schools to be able to offer their innovations on the same budget as a traditional California public school.

The fund isn’t pushing any particular model of blended learning like Rocketship, Khan Academy or the flipped classroom. Rather, they want teachers to evaluate what works and what doesn’t from those “1.0 models” and then collaborate with ed-tech entrepreneurs to develop new tools for the areas that have been neglected or don’t work well. “You start to mix those things together in a real school, with really good educators and really good kids who are bought into this vision and that’s when it starts to get exciting,” said Greenberg.

Blended learning is a relatively new concept with a mixed track record. Integrating certain types of technology into the classroom gives teachers and students real-time feedback so that each student can work at his or her own pace, and can give teachers accurate information that can help them better group students according to comprehension levels on a specific subjects. But educators point out that too often ed-tech focuses on improving test scores rather than on building creative thinking and a passion for learning in students and that schools still need passionate, innovative and dedicated teachers, no matter how kids absorb the content.

Greenberg agrees that it’s too early to expect schools across the country to buy into a blended learning model. But he does hope that some of the strategies that are piloted in schools funded by the Silicon Schools Fund will inspire other teachers and administrators to take elements back to their own schools.

“We see creating new schools that are essentially laboratories of innovation, that are trying many different approaches, all with the idea of making education more powerful for each student and each teacher,” explained Greenberg. In five years, he envisions that the Bay Area will have somewhere close to 25 examples of how blended learning could be done. Some of those schools could be charter schools, others public, some built from the ground up and others a transformed existing schools. He wants to see it all so that lots of new ideas and ways of doing things can be tested.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

USF Academic Advising and Counseling

One Workplace recently completed an installation of DIRTT walls and casework and Steelcase furniture at the USF Academic Advising and Counseling building. This was a beautiful install and a first of its kind! The area is comprised of a student lounge, five private offices, and eleven pods that serve as meeting spaces.

Take a look at the images below and let us know what you think!









Thursday, October 4, 2012

One Workplace and Project Frog


One Workplace and Steelcase are excited to annouce that we are collaborating with Project Frog!  www.projectfrog.com

Frog stands for: Flexible Response to Ongoing Growth. "Project Frog was founded on the notion that there is a smarter way to build. Regular construction, with few exceptions, has remained largely unchanged for centuries. While products may have improved in the last 100 years, the process to deliver a building is nearly identical. Project Frog is changing that.
 
Project Frog's revolutionary approach to building uases an easy to assemble kit-of-parts flexible for a wide range of uses. It’s comprised of a set of proprietary products integrated with best-in-class components from our partners, and results in bright, healthy, and inspiring spaces that are energy efficient, environmentally responsible, faster to build, and cost competitive.

By systematizing the kit, process and product delivery, Frog has introduced a level of precision never before achievable in construction. And this precision unlocks a world of unprecedented possibilities: through advanced performance modeling, we have achieved a level of understanding of how our buildings will perform, in any location. And this in turn allows owners to optimize a building kit to match their desired performance. Through high-tech fabrication of our components, our buildings are easy to install and are delivered on time and on budget" (www.projectfrog.com).

Project Frog has erected a Prototype Classroom Building at Pier 80 in San Francisco. The purpose of this building is to showcase their product and approach to deliver a 21st century learning environment. They asked us to provide our furniture and technology products to support the entire learning/teaching experience.

The products include: Cachet, Node, Groupwork, eno mobile interactive, PolyVision whiteboards and Huddleboards. We are looking forward to adding the new Verb and Vanerum Stelter Opti products in the future.

So far the groups that have been through the space have been extremely excited about  the innovative products that  are showcased!
 

 

Thursday, September 20, 2012

A School With No Classrooms

 

"There’s a whole new classroom model and it’s a sight to behold. The newest school system in Sweden look more like the hallways of Google or Pixar and less like a brick-and-mortar school you’d typically see.
 
There are collaboration zones, houses-within-houses, and a slew of other features that are designed to foster “curiosity and creativity.” That’s according to Vittra, which runs 30 schools in Sweden. Their most recent school, Telefonplan School (see photos below) in Stockholm, could very well be the school of the future.
 
Architect Rosan Bosch designed the school to encourage both independent and collaborative work such as group projects and PBL. Even the furniture is meant to get students learning. Bosch says each piece is meant to “aid students in engaging” while working.
 
The un-schoolness doesn’t stop with the furniture and layout though. The school has no letter grades, students learn in groups based on their level and not age. Most of all, admission to the school is free as long as one of the child’s parents pays taxes in Sweden and the child has a ‘personal number’ which is like a social security number to our U.S. readers (www.edudemic.com)."

Telefonplan School in Sweden
 
Telefonplan School in Sweden
 
Telefonplan School in Sweden
 
Telefonplan School in Sweden
 
Telefonplan School in Sweden
 
Telefonplan School in Sweden
 
Telefonplan School in Sweden
 
Telefonplan School in Sweden

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Back-to-School Technology Checklist

As the new school year starts up, many of your clients and teachers may be wondering how to integrate technology into their classrooms. Below is a great article and comprehensive checklist from Edutopia to identify technology needs and integration. If you have any clients who are exploring tech in the classroom, this could be a great starting point for them. Take a look and share with others who might find it helpful!

"As the school year begins and teachers inventory their supplies, set up and decorate their classrooms, it's important to think not only about how they will use technology in their classroom, but about how they will ready their classrooms and their procedures for using technology. The following checklist will vary depending on the kinds of technology in use, the access teachers have to technological devices and the nature of services (like wifi) available at the school.

Technology in the Room Full Time

Many teachers are lucky enough to have all-day access to computers or other technological devices in the room. As we're kicking off a new school year, here are some things to think about.
  • How will you arrange the room so that all of the students can see the board?
  • How will your students travel through the room to avoid upsetting hardware?
  • Where can you effectively store your netbooks/laptops/tablets to maximize learning space and provide clear pathways?

Limited Access to Technology

For those teachers who are not lucky enough to have the technology housed in their classroom, there are other situations to ponder.
  • If you're signing out a projector to place on a desk from time to time, where should that desk be located? If you'll be sharing a netbook cart, how easily can the cart be navigated through the classroom entrance? Are the desks or tables arranged so that the cart can be placed in a non-intrusive location?
  • If there is a mobile projector with the cart, is there a clean, white place to project an image? Is the lighting on this surface conducive to image projection? Will you still want space on your dry erase board or chalkboard to write? In that case, you'll need a separate wall for projecting.
  • Another big issue is power. Where are the nearest outlets? Will you need an extension cord? Is there wifi or will you need an ethernet cable to reach the wall? Is there an Internet drop close enough?
  • And, finally, what are the procedures for signing out materials and where do you sign them out?

Technology Must-Knows for Back to School

No matter what your access to technology is or the type of technology you are using this year, make sure you are aware of four things:
  1. What technology do I have access to and for how long?
  2. Who are the point people to talk to about my technology needs or issues?
  3. What are the guidelines for teachers? For students?
  4. What is my responsibility for the technology? And what is the students' responsibility?
Getting all of the answers to these questions squared away now will allow you to focus on what really matters: teaching! (www.edutopia.org)."

To view the original article, click here.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Active Learning Spaces by Steelcase

While this has been around for a while, the Active Learning Spaces guide by Steelcase is an awesome tool to share with your customers. Filled with insights, thought starters, research, case studies, images and more, Active Learning Spaces is a great starting point for customers to begin the process of bringing their classrooms into the future.

If you haven't already, share this guide with others or take a look if you haven't seen it in a while.

Click here to view Active Learning Spaces.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Teaching and Learning Experiences in Active Learning Classrooms

In a video from McGill University in Montreal, students and teachers describe their positive experiences in active learning classrooms. Take a look at these powerful end-user insights. Please share with your clients who are looking to create more interactive classrooms of their own!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Steelcase: Design Solutions for Education

Below is a great article from specs+spaces that talks about Steelcase's work with Node and Verb. Take a look and share with your customers. Valuable insights here!

To view the original article, click here.

Steelcase: Design Solutions for Education
08/05/12 Sara McLean | specs+spaces Editor, Dunn-Edwards Corporation, Allied Member ASID, CMG


During NeoCon 2012, North America’s largest design exhibition, Steelcase Education Solutions provided a showcase of collaboration and engagement between student and teacher by introducing a first-of-its-kind table-based collection of classroom furnishings called Verb, and has enhanced its award-winning learning chair, Node. Dr. Lennie Scott-Webber, IIDA, Director of Education Environments at Steelcase, provided more insight into the launches by discussing the need for a more collaborative environment in schools today. “Children need an active learning environment today to be able to get the most out of school. The world has changed but the classroom has fallen behind the times.

This situation has helped inspire Steelcase to form the Education Solutions Group and study trending student behaviors.” Dr Scott-Webber and team found that a traditional classroom environment where there is a typical, rectangular classroom, with students sitting on one side while the teacher presents on the other, creates a culture of passive engagement by the students. On the other hand, the real world is trending toward a collaborative environment where people solve problems and generate new ideas together, driving up innovation.

Verb, the table-based collection of classroom furniture includes table-based learning spaces, each with its own whiteboard. These whiteboards assist in easy-access classroom collaborative settings that also provide students with note-taking surfaces during group projects. Positive aspects of these whiteboards include becoming instant displays for sharing with classmates as well as easy space-dividers during test time. Other furnishings in the Verb collection include instructor stations, which provide adjustable lecterns with storage; student tables, which are chevron-shaped to enhance sight-lines amongst the students and faculty; and board displays, which are easels that display whiteboards.

Node, the award-winning chair from Steelcase, now has even more features including an adjustable-height five-star base with worksurface, a new tablet stand on the worksurface and it comes in nine new signature colors to help schools express their brand. The new signature colors include crimson, purple, green, burgundy, blue, orange, brown, gold and red.



And what about color in classrooms? Steelcase has studied changes in education for years and color is one component that cannot be overlooked. Dr. Scott-Webber, when discussing the classroom environment with me stated that color is coming back into design, “Gone are the days of white walls and dreary setting; children need excitement and one way we added a punch of color into the class room setting is through our Node chair collection. It’s a small dose of color so it’s not overwhelming to the room, and kids are sitting in the chairs most of the time anyway.”
Many studies have been conducted through the years on the best uses of color in the classroom, including research by Dr. Scott-Webber. All concur that color is an important factor in the physical learning environment and impacts student achievement. And though these studies vary somewhat in how much the role of color should play in a class room environment, most recommend a variety of colors within a room to reduce eye strain, boredom and passivity.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The 6 People Needed To Implement E-Learning In Your Classroom

This is a great infographic by Lean Forward for people who are just beginning to integrate e-learning in the classroom. Take a look and see where you can fit in. Can you take on more than one role? This is the perfect starting tool to help you work with clients who are moving into the 21st century classroom. To view the original article, click here.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The Must-Have EdTech Terminology Cheat Sheet

Keeping up with the ever changing technology of the classroom, and the subsequent terminology that comes along with it, can be overwhelming and messy. Check out this great infographic to help you navigate the language of the 21st Century Classroom.

To view original infographic, click here.