What will schools look like post Covd19? The Covid19 crisis has come upon us quite suddenly and most feel ill equipped to deal with it. It’s incredible when backed up against a wall, we can think of ingenious ways of connecting with each other.
Fortunately over the last few years work from home as a concept has gained a lot of traction. Technology in its many different forms has been a key enabler that has led to this shift. So while the situation is bad a lot of work is still possible because of technology.
Moodle, Google Classrooms have been around for a while but now classes are also via Zoom. These technologies were already gaining traction, but now there is more widespread adoption. The digital technology, media and information age that we are part of, had already ensured the presence of these tools.
Instead of the future of work, it is now the present of work, of our social lives and also of schools. Being in lock down, there is uncertainty in the timeline when our normal lives will be possible. Schools have seen that starting with training of teachers, to planning lessons and now conducting classes online. They have begun to deal with the situation.
There will be challenges, as there will be more dependence on the student driven learning, more engagement from the parents in being part of the child’s learning. Private schools are better geared towards these decisions, the government schools and the ones from the economically weaker sections will need to play catch up. But that does not mean we cannot begin to innovate. The teachers can account on greater tools to track, monitor (& analyse) progress of their students. Greater child centered learning.
Project based learning is well suited to this challenge. It will be interesting how teachers are able to channelize student curiosity to greater learning. Perhaps, we are already simulating their future workspaces. Given this scenario one expects pedagogies such as project based learning to become more robust in fulfilling the learning needs of students.
Classrooms need no longer be bound with geographies. It is about collaboration, imagine a child in Chennai collaborating on a project with children in China, US, France and UK. That would mean that there will also be a radical shift in design of our physical spaces – our classrooms, our schools and libraries. Not just open classrooms, small group rooms, large group rooms, conference rooms. Much like a modern day office? I would love to hear from educators and architects on how they envision this space.
In such scenarios it could bring the world closer together in seeking solutions; much like the current scenario where the entire world is trying to confront a global crisis. Sharing of experiences, solutions and project works will not only encourage a greater collaboration worldwide but also build cultural sensitivity and understanding.
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When we speak, we push air from our lungs through the neck via the vocal cords, which in turn vibrate and create sound. The sound continues on via the nasal cavity and oral cavity, creating sound waves that are released into the room. These sound waves are received by someone’s ears via the outer ear to the inner ear, where they are converted into electrical impulses. These continue to the brain, where the receiver hears. What is heard is not just a voice, however, but also what the room does to the voice of the sender. If the speech is interesting, the receiver hopefully starts listening, and if the acoustical conditions around the speaker are good, you are likely to remember more of what is said.
Teachers and students have three wishes in relation to sound and noise in classrooms. They want:
While setting up a new school not enough effort is devoted to the selection of appropriate furniture. One suited to design & function. In a traditional school, it consists of a standard set of desks in a limited set of sizes. Progressive investors, who value open classrooms, understand the value of planned furniture. The lack of choices hampers their decision.
Open classrooms serve as multi use spaces. They are expandable to create larger areas through movable partitions and glass walls. They suit traditional lecture style classrooms and modern group activities. Likewise furniture should also be easily movable. Some of it should be movable by the children themselves. Modular so that you can add more without any aesthetic changes. E.g. it should be possible to arrange the desks for a group discussion or for individual work.
When you have identified land for a school, it is a good idea to conduct a feasibility study. Setting up a school entails significant investments, if these decisions can be informed with professional advice, they should be taken up. As in any business, the school project report investigates the viability of a prospective school venture and alternatives available. It takes into account the pros and cons of undertaking the project, at an early stage.