One of the members of the Geography Collective is Juliet Robertson of Creative Star learning...
She has been working in the area of outdoor education for some years. She has a book coming out next year distilling her thoughts on outdoor learning, and this will be packed full of ideas for learning outside the classroom. There is plenty here on learning spaces...
I was reminded of a tweet which I was directed to by Summer Howarth: an educator from Australia who is in my Twitter network.
She linked to a useful post which suggests some alternative ways of organising students so as to create some alternative learning spaces. These could take place within an existing classroom, but the aim is to change the dynamic of learning...
One of the interesting aspects of putting groups of people together is used by the British Schools Expedition Society (BSES)
Their groups are called 'fires'. My niece went on the Peruvian Andes expedition of Summer 2011, and the larger group was arranged into smaller teams. The size was such that it could sit comfortably around a campfire...
What arrangements of students could you create, and what spaces for them to gather in could be developed at your current school ?
What difference could this make to the way that you teach particular topics ?
She has been working in the area of outdoor education for some years. She has a book coming out next year distilling her thoughts on outdoor learning, and this will be packed full of ideas for learning outside the classroom. There is plenty here on learning spaces...
I was reminded of a tweet which I was directed to by Summer Howarth: an educator from Australia who is in my Twitter network.
She linked to a useful post which suggests some alternative ways of organising students so as to create some alternative learning spaces. These could take place within an existing classroom, but the aim is to change the dynamic of learning...
One of the interesting aspects of putting groups of people together is used by the British Schools Expedition Society (BSES)
Their groups are called 'fires'. My niece went on the Peruvian Andes expedition of Summer 2011, and the larger group was arranged into smaller teams. The size was such that it could sit comfortably around a campfire...
What arrangements of students could you create, and what spaces for them to gather in could be developed at your current school ?
What difference could this make to the way that you teach particular topics ?
- Campfire situations are characterised by communication flowing from one to many, requiring a space that can accommodate a certain number of people in a group situation, where everybody can focus on the person talking or presenting.
- The watering hole is a place where people come and go, and a learning environment where you can gather in groups of different sizes. A watering hole is a place of exchanging communication, flowing back and forth. The watering hole areas are typically placed where you naturally would go, and where you maybe bump into somebody or something.
- Show-off situations are situations where one person communicates towards the rest of the world, showing what he or she can do or has done, thus requiring a physical space for display and exhibition.
- In the cave, communication flows within oneself, requiring a physical frame that furthers seclusion and contemplation.
- Lastly, the laboratories are places where the students can acquire hands-on experiences, working physically and practically with projects in a societal and experimental context. The laboratories inspire students and teachers alike, enlarging the learning experience and inspiring teachers to use different tactile approaches.
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