Putting the Personal into Learning Spaces
By Dave Strudwick, Director – Beautiful Mind Learning Lab
Student-centered approaches, and the customization of learning spaces, are a crucial part of moving away from the approach of rows of desks and passive learning which can hinder creativity and curiosity.
Underneath the old model is control while underpinning meaningful change is the desire for students to take agency in their learning and life. One way to support this is to give students agency over the space they learn in. Research by Dr. Phil Knight demonstrates that the productivity and health of adults was increased by 15% through the addition of artwork and plants compared to a stark office environment.
These benefits doubled when people were empowered to organize the art and plants how they wanted. This experiment highlights the significance of having control over aspects of our lives. By empowering both educators and young people to recreate their learning spaces can we get similar results in schools? So how might we go about this? Here are few, of many possible options:
Co-Design Process
Why not involve young people and educators in the design process? Lene Jensby Lange involves educators and young people in the design process by making their classrooms using a dolls house-style model. They can then imagine how a space can be used for different types of learning and helps everyone involved explore what we all want to try.
Art Work, Photos and Imagery
Incorporating art and imagery into learning spaces provides us with a stimulating environment. When young people and educators curate artwork, motivational quotes, project timelines and learning visuals, it fosters a sense of pride and ownership within the team. It shares a feeling of ‘this is what we do around here’. I have a photo of my children at my desk – why not encourage students to have personal photos or artefacts that matter to them nearby?
BYOP
Stephen Heppell shared about the wonderfully playful bring your own plant approach where students and educators could bring in a plant from home to their classroom. This simple idea supports young people to put the caring and shaping of their environment into action while also lowering CO2 levels to help learning.
Choice in where I work
Some students literally reduce their cognitive capacity by having to sit still at a desk rather than stand. Others naturally lie on the floor or get comfy on a sofa. Why do we believe that one size fits all? Approaches to learning vary widely among students, with some benefiting from quiet spaces for focused reading, while others thrive in collaborative setups that encourage discussion and group work. I know I get easily distracted by visual movement so I benefit from my work desk facing a wall rather than a window with interesting things outside.
When you have shared ownership in a space that considers students’ comfort, personal interests, and varied learning needs, the school is demonstrating a commitment to everyone’s growth and well-being.
