Great Prairie Area Education Agency works as an educational partner with public and accredited, nonpublic schools to help students, school staff, parents and communities. Great Prairie AEA provides professional development and leadership to promote school improvement, a variety of instructional services, special education support services, and technology and media services. See the description of the Classroom 21C Project. There is a brief article here.
Room 21C is the result of re-designed learning efforts to create a learning environment specifically designed to promote both collaborative and personalized learning through the use of technology. GPAEAâs Bright Bytes data suggest that there is a large-scale need to develop the attributes of 21st Century learning. These attributes, known as the 4Câs (communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity) are factors that are linked to improved student achievement and career success.
Recent research about active learning spaces comes under several different names including SCALE-UP, TEAL, TILE and others. But regardless of the name, the conclusions are the same. The classroom must support active learning using digital media and flexible space.
GPAEAâs 21st Century Classrooms offer a two-fold design: a classroom and a learning lounge.
The learning space integrates the three tenets of classroom design:
- The classroom furniture must be mobile and flexible.
- Each collaborative area must have access to a digital display.
- Each collaborative area must have a writeable surface.
The use of digital media is a primary ingredient used to promote understanding and engagement with content. The room also has an interactive table, networked lighting, a two-way audio management system, a theater sized screen with a 3D projector, and all of this is controlled by an iPad!
GPAEAâs Room 21C is only one of several efforts that are underway in Southeastern Iowa to re-design the K-12 classroom into 21st Century Learning Spaces. The Mt. Pleasant Middle School Science classroom has been transformed. Cardinal Community School District has created both a classroom and several learning lounge spaces at the Middle/High School building.
Also visit GPAEA.ORG Contact is Dr. Sally Lindgren.
GPRA Burlington, showing highly flexible table design