Classrooms for the future

[Jeff J]

Hello, I am a student at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI, studying Industrial Design. Currently I am working on my senior thesis project, which is designing a classroom for the future.

I am researching problems with today’s classrooms, if anyone has any suggestions or ideas on how we can improve the classroom environment or problems with existing classroom designs and classroom furniture they would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Sally Olsen]

The design I liked the best for a whole school was one that was built on pods. The main office, gym, theatre, washrooms, library and heating were in a main pod in the center and were designed to be opened to the community as well for community activities. The classrooms were mini-pods around the main one and could connect for all electrical and sewer, water, and heating needs. They added classrooms as the population grew and took them away when the school popluation dropped but the community still had its center.
As a teacher, I would like all desks and chairs to sink into the floor so that I would have room for large activities. No carpets so I could do messy activities in art and not have to worry about clean up. A wall of cupboards for storage with sliding shelves like you have in a kitchen so you can get things out of the back and ladders like they have in old libraries so kids can climb up to get to the top shelves. A jungle gym that came down from the roof with ropes, climbing ladders, etc. that would be useful for hanging scenery for plays and a place in the roof for a curtain for those plays. All the latest technology and places to plug that in so they are flexible including on the desks. Large computer screens on the walls and roof like Bill Gates has in his house or so I have heard. Moveable walls and places to make small sound proof rooms within the classroom for kids who need isolation to work and a place to put them out of the way. A moving shelf that goes from classroom to classroom like the sushi houses in Japan where you could put books or projects so that others could see them or teachers could exchange materials without having to go out of the classroom or the secretary could put on a child's lunch that the parents brought to the office and so on. If the classrooms were close to each other, they could share a wall and be able to rotate that wall to share displays or animals or posters, etc or remove the wall to make a larger space.

[yingyingying]

I think classroom environment is very important. Students can learn easily and naturally if the environment in classroom is comfortable. There are two kinds of environment in classroom: emotional and physical. if students feel comfortable in classroom or they feel unstressed in classroom, they will study easily. That is emotional environment. What is the physical environment in classroom? for example, the arrangemnent of desks and chairs can effect the efficiency of studying. That's physical environment.

[yingyingying]

Hello, I am a student at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI, studying Industrial Design. Currently I am working on my senior thesis project, which is designing a classroom for the future.

I am researching problems with today’s classrooms, if anyone has any suggestions or ideas on how we can improve the classroom environment or problems with existing classroom designs and classroom furniture they would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I have worked in vational school for nearly seven years. I found classroom study is very important for students of any age. The environment in class room is a project that I am exploring. Once upon a time, I brought a living plant to my classroom. My students felt comfortable and something new in my classroom.