How A Moveable Space Can Ignite Creativity In The Classroom

May 5th, 2015

Elizabeth Brown
ET, CO

Pfau, P. (2014, November 26). How a moveable space can ignite creativity in the classroom mind shift  
[Web log post] Retrieved from http://www.blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/11/how-a-moveable-space-can-ignite-creativity-in-the-classroom/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=
Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28mindshift%29

Summary: Imagine a classroom with mobile desks and chairs that move with the students. In his KQED blog, Peter Pfau (2014) writes how in some schools, stationary learning environments are now a thing of the past. Instead, "moveable spaces" are being created with an innovative educational technique called "Design Thinking." Pfau explains,"It combines hands on learning (tinkering with independent problem solving methodologies)." That being said, these projects emphasize the importance of group work as well.  To that end, Pfau gives two examples that encourages student team- work: "Create a shared design-thinking space for all students to use" and "Look for spaces in your classroom that can be transformed into a student-driven collaboration classroom." According to Pfau, Design Thinking employs four different steps: "Identify the problem and research to understand the problem better." "Brainstorm possible strategies and identity solutions." "Test these solutions (welcoming failure as a tool)" and "Apply what you learn to evolve best solutions."

Evaluation: With "design thinking" and other maker spaces, the learning environment is of utmost importance. Moreover, students will learn more effectively if they create the space themselves  and make it their own because they will have the self-satisfaction of knowing that they designed their own classroom. They will also be more productive, being able to move around, as opposed to being confined to a small desk and chair. In addition, making mobile learning environments does double-duty in terms of practical learning applications. Not only are the students making their own functional working stations that they can later use, the space itself is the project. In the process, students will become self-directed learners or "designers" whom not only know how to work with other students and solve problems, they will know how to create useful (learning) spaces in the future.