When asked to justify a school renovation or expansion, many K-12 principals say they’re “out of room”—even if enrollment is lower now than it was when the facility was built. On the flip side, there’s a nagging perception that older schools aren’t taking advantage of the space they have, with classrooms and other areas utilized only partially.

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Technology is not the only factor impacting the way education is being approached in the classrooms of today. While it’s true that many classrooms have begun to adapt to the inclusion of technology in the curriculum, there are also several “offline” options which have clearly trickled down from business design. Globally known companies such as Google and Apple have long been getting attention for the offbeat office culture they are cultivating. This trend has been fanning out into the other companies and industries as well. In-house chefs, rock climbing walls, and unconventional meeting spaces are a few of the unusual features popping up in offices all over the globe. Employers are striving to entice potential job candidates and retain their existing employees through unique and engaging environments. It may well be  that the bells have already tolled for the conventional cubicle culture of the past.

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Creating a physical hub of innovation on campus can support creativity, collaboration and entrepreneurship. Here are things to consider before getting too far into the process.

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K–12 thought leader Eric Sheninger offers guidance on how to manage an arsenal of digital tools in the classroom. Digital tools are transforming essential elements of the education space. Understanding how they are affecting teaching and learning will help you figure out which tools are useful and how best to implement them.

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What if what is outside a school’s windows is as critical to learning as what’s inside the building? A fascinating new study of high school students in central Illinois found that students with a view of trees were able to recover their ability to pay attention and bounce back from stress more rapidly than those who looked out on a parking lot or had no windows. The researchers, William Sullivan, ASLA, professor of landscape architecture at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Dongying Li, a PhD student there, reported their findings in the journalLandscape and Urban Planning.

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In January 2016, DLR Group sponsored our third Innovation Challenge, this one held at the Minnesota School Board Association Conference (MSBA), in Minneapolis, Minn. The firm initially introduced this competition at the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Annual Conference in 2015 in Nashville. We use the event to observe how kids learn and interact with professionals in a real-life setting, which ultimately influences our future designs.

Read about the Innovation Challenge on dlrgroup.com >

Although technology is an attractive add to a stale classroom, stuffing schools with high tech tools isn’t the answer to offering dynamic learning experiences. Technology is certainly a part of that solution, but the rest of the environment has to also be considered and curated. To expect any standalone product to change the dynamic of a classroom feels unrealistic.

Read the article on edsurge.com >

With a multitude of education trends coming to light, virtual learning is among the most common, and most effective in American classrooms. Using a blend of resources, virtual learning provides students with an opportunity to immerse themselves in classes taught online. How the class is conducted depends on the preferences of the instructor and the students. In some cases, communication between the instructor and students takes place mainly through email as assignments are completed. This type of virtual classroom does not rely on video communication technology, and is easy to blend with traditional, in-class learning. In a different type of virtual classroom, some instructors may choose to communicate their information by purely employing video communication technology. These courses are usually independent and are not part of a blend with a traditional learning classroom.

Read the blog post at tangraminteriors.com >

How can a school building reinvent the way students are taught? ZAS Architects give us a demonstration with their recently completed design for Toronto’s Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence at York University.

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