The Functional Classroom uses innovative instructional practices paired with a purposefully designed physical environment.

Innovative instruction is based on what we know about how the brain constructs knowledge. In this sense, the only thing innovative about it is that it breaks the mold of 150 years of designing schools around factory principles and groping through trial and error for sound practices. Current research suggests that authentic learning takes place through expert guidance, spaced independent practice and review, social interaction and collaboration for problem solving, and reflection on the learning process. Deep integration of relevant technology ensures maximum engagement and preparation for future work environments.

Think about each of those instructional approaches from the last slide and imagine a classroom with its teacher and student transitioning from one to next over the course of a class period or throughout a unit of study. Each approach will be more effective with clear cues from the physical environment of the classroom.

Direct Instruction - One to Many

Guided Practice (differentiated based on readiness) - One to Few

Collaboration/Problem Solving - Few to Few

Transitions in the classroom must be accomplished quickly and smoothly. Novice teachers often reveal weaknesses in classroom management in transitional moments.

An agile physical environment means more than just movable furniture. Agility communicates an ability to arrange and rearrange quickly within a class period and to reset the room for shared spaces.

Affordance theory in the design world has to do with the idea that we do not perceive our environment only in the sense of objects and spatial relationships but also in terms of potential actions.

Think of this idea as you look at the objects in the picture. We intuitively understand that handles are for holding, knobs are for turning or pulling, spouts are for pouring.

Affordance is a key component of agility and also student ownership of the learning space. Because students see obvious potential action in the space they arrange to fit their needs and without even realizing it are thinking deeply about how they construct knowledge and solve problems.

In the current classroom students see almost no opportunity for movement or worse are both implicitly and explicitly discouraged from manipulating their environment. This is because teachers also see limited opportunity for movement and transition. The qualities of our current physical spaces make movement disruptive and discourage innovative practice and risk-taking by both teachers and students.

The desired classroom space on the other hand is the third actor in the teaching and learning environment. It facilitates meaningful movement and grouping for multiple modalities of instruction and interaction.

Link to Video: https://youtu.be/S61mlKKpoxU?t=2m36s

This is a great way to visualize the diverse environments that learning, tutoring, collaboration, and social interaction take place in. The classroom bears the heaviest load for hosting almost all of these throughout the school year and many times within one school day. For this reason it should be designed for agility and as an attractive visible reminder for potential action for teachers and students.

Modular seating accommodates all environments from testing to collaboration. This can be accomplished through the use of individual student desks as pictured or with two-student tables.

Mobile Whiteboards serve two functions. They serve as spaces for brainstorming, story-boarding, delegating leadership roles, etc. for student groups. They also serve to delineate the physical boundaries between groups of students.

Everything is light-weight but sturdy and on wheels. The desk shape supports multiple grouping configurations. The desks and chairs are separate units so that desks can be pushed to the side for environments that demand discussion and personal empathy.

Examples of Current Research:

On Constructing Knowledge:

http://goo.gl/rbCWX

http://goo.gl/KZzPTd

On Social Interaction
http://goo.gl/IPwMwB

On Physical Environment
http://goo.gl/lgrYTm
http://goo.gl/XZwoC

Investing in these changes and supporting the evolution of innovative teaching practices will pay dividends in student engagement, attendance, and productivity and will help create high profile success stories for the school system.

Working with an established supplier and given a warrantied lifespan of 10-12 years and a thousand or more students passing through the classroom all the product research I've done suggests an investment of $8-15 per student. The variation in price comes from features like integrated power, higher quality design, and longer warranties. It will depend on the companies that we choose to work with.

I believe it is a sound project to invest in. It moves classroom practice forward and away from an old paradigm and is flexible enough to evolve with rapid changes in technology and teaching practice.