It is fluid and evolves according to our needs. “We’re finding that people are coming to the engineering complex as a destination, as a place they can work, talk with their friends in the atrium in-between or after classes,” says Bill Rosehart, dean of the school. Schools all over the world are being more intentional about how they design physical spaces and learning opportunities for their students. Children can be unpredictable by nature, and every teacher would do well to bear in mind that, when it comes to learning, everything is always in a perpetual state of change. “When students start at Schulich School of Engineering we want them to be able to finish and we’re seeing that the space is helping.”, Dr. Frank Maurer, PhD, computer science professor and head of the Agile Software Engineering (ASE) group at UCalgary, joined the Faculty of Science in 1997. Instead of only sitting in a lecture hall, students can solve problems sitting with teams at tables and using whiteboards, like they’ll do when they graduate. In an era of global changes, flexible thinking is a key competency, necessary for learning in technology-enhanced environments. Flexible learning environments address how physical space is used, how students are grouped during learning and how time is used throughout teaching. While there are no plans to add any stress-busting ping pong tables to the mix, the course will continue in open-space classrooms using the same guiding principles. Read more about Chad, Dr. Linda Duffett-Leger, PhD, assistant professor in UCalgary's Faculty of Nursing, researches how to reduce the economic and human costs associated with chronic illness by developing innovative health promotion and disease prevention strategies and technologies. Complex … Improved learning outcomes resulting from evidence-based and technology-enabled teaching … ASE conducts industry-oriented research on immersive analytics and application engineering for digital surfaces. ... this belated recognition of the importance of effective teachers has had unintended and even pernicious consequences. How do you spur conversation among students to help reconcile a tragic history and make changes to improve the present? Students are meeting at their local coffee shops to study independently or in groups—taking advantage of the free wifi and somehow staying on task as other customers come and go. teachers more easily calibrate their language, and students make overt connections between subject area content and skills. The class, which includes both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students from different professions, also travels to Siksika First Nation, just east of Calgary, to visit a residential school (that’s now a community college), to take part in smudging and other ceremonies, and to spend time with Elders. Think of the benefits of providing a space that is part of that collaborative process—a space that will foster decision-making, creativity, and communicating. "It prompts discussion and opens debate instead of just getting them to fill in the blanks.”, “They click a box that tells them the name of the shape and they can add more bonds or take bonds away,” says Sullivan. Industry-based and community partnership programs are also on the rise. section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and is required for updating your A blended learning approach provides ultimate flexibility in presenting content. “We expect our students to develop these critical thinking skills but often we don’t apply it in a way that’s necessarily meaningful to them or challenges those abilities,” says Duffett-Leger. We’re making sure that it’s not just learning from books, but its real life experiential learning that can be transformative,” says Poitras Pratt. Learning Experience Designer Lynn Marenette uses the following characteristics to define an innovative learning space: A flexible learning space is more than an open space with movable furniture. Blended learning is important because it breaks down the traditional walls of teaching, ones that don’t work for all students and now with access to present-day technologies and resources we can tailor the learning experience for each student. ", "Where you work has a substantial effect on how you work.". Advancements in instructional science and educational technologies call for an updated conceptualization of ‘flexible thinking’ to … Today, continuous learning forms a necessary part in acquiring critical thinking skills … Sullivan doesn’t need to stand at the front of the room and lecture anymore, or even give the students a lot of direction. September 3, 2015. The influx of remodeling and renovation shows has inspired people to redefine how we see the spaces... 2. Under Rosehart’s leadership, the school has launched new programs and opened the new Canadian Natural Resources Limited Engineering Complex. Flexible learning is a method of learning where students are given freedom in how, what, when and where they learn. Groups of students solve problems in all kinds of ways – at specially built collaborative labs, sitting around tables using whiteboards or lounging on cheerful seating in bright atriums. When you wander into the large lounge you’ll see students studying together in one spot, a student association pop-up presentation in another, or a speaker from industry taking about how to get a job. At the end of the first class in 2017, several groups considered commercializing their ideas or working with their teams to come up with fresh ideas in the future. 5 Reasons Your School Needs Flexible Learning Spaces 1. 1. This is a key … They aren’t asking any questions!’” says Sullivan. Are you feeling inspired to create flexible learning spaces in your school? Leila Christenbury. Classrooms and buildings across campus are being transformed to provide more room for peer-to-peer learning and technologies. Students are put into groups at the beginning of the semester and given a list of readings they’re expected to finish before each class. Flexible seating is about more than simply having a variety of different, fun seats in the classroom. You'll get a confirmation email shortly. The Benefits and Flexibility of Learning Online January 2018. "Meanwhile, I was explaining ‘This molecule is called a tetrahedron because it looks like a tetrahedron.' The students, in groups, just start engaging with the screen. email subscription preferences. This allows teachers to continually pinpoint and personalize instruction for each student. Flexible learning can occur anywhere, anyhow, anyway. She has a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Alberta and a BSc in organic chemistry, with honours, from Mount Allison University. Sign up for our newsletters and receive stories of inspiration and discovery, event notifications, breaking news, and more. The students are also graded differently. “In our research, we’ve begun to address this through the use of longitudinal studies that track these impacts over time, often years. “It’s a space where there’s a spot for everybody,” says Rosehart. They have all kinds of places to go on their own or sit with someone,” says Poitras Pratt. As personalized and competency-based learning programs continue to evolve and transform education, we have the opportunity to extend learning outside our classrooms for students ready for new or additional challenges. Sometimes we have to get creative when it comes to grouping and scheduling, especially when the very structures in which we work put limits on our time and space. Open, naturally lit spaces can make it easier to discuss difficult topics. “It’s like asking a child to eat nutritiously but giving them a steady diet of pizza.”. Some of the key aspects of team-based learning were developed by engineers for engineering students, but it’s “catching on” in health disciplines all over the world. To learn more about what myViewBoard can do for you in your teaching or learning click here. It is an... 3. There’s an entire wing devoted to the many different student teams at Schulich, with space for groups building everything from solar cars to concrete toboggans. Well-considered selection and use of resources will contribute importantly to achieving your educational purposes. Our leading-edge faculty look at the ways that spaces can promote learning – through technology, furniture design, teamwork, or even just natural light. Older students need flexibility in their academic schedules for a variety of reasons. There are two important reasons why flexible teaching will benefit you and your pupils: Maintain Control . Calgary Alberta T2N 1N4 “You can’t do it in a silo.”. Students thrive in environments that are easily transformed and allow for movement as they interact, but we need to consider that the ability to collaborate is not innate and needs to be fostered and practiced often. Employees at small startups and large corporations are meeting in flexible office spaces to pitch ideas, troubleshoot, and seal multimillion dollar deals. And, there’s more than a little nostalgic whimsy. Redefine Space. To meet the demands of today, many institutions are now offering online and hybrid learning formats that enable students of all backgrounds to fulfill their dreams and earn a college degree. Since Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, more people are asking this important question and trying to come up with answers. It is an environment that has been thoughtfully designed to promote collaboration on many levels. The modern classroom doesn’t look much like the traditional one. “flexible learning is an alternative to the face-to-face teaching model traditionally associated with higher education” Cybinski & Selvanathan (2005, p. 252) “FlexLearning is a course delivery strategy that allows student to have the option to take course either completely face-to-face, or completely And every year she’d watch as her students struggled to comprehend how to draw and label 3D molecules on paper. “It takes a lot of back and forth to develop a software-based startup,” says Frank Maurer, a computer science professor who co-teaches the course, the first of its kind in Canada. You can’t do it in a silo.”. The Flexible Teacher. Use a high ratio of praise to corrections. Finally the study concludes that flexible learning in classroom helps to promote quality education. The concept of flexible learning applies and extends to how a school employs its staff, physical space, and resources to support personalization. “These are dark topics and they become even more difficult when you’re captured in a really confined learning space.”, Her research into teaching difficult subjects in that type of classroom helped design the graduate classbeing taught in the bright and airy Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. I hated those two lectures.”. So, it only makes sense to incorporate flexible learning spaces into our schools as well. “It’s important to have an appropriate space to honour the difficult work we are doing and to allow those emotions to air.” Working with colleagues,she helped design and teaches a new Masters interdisciplinary program, Indigenous Education: A Call to Action, part of reconciliatory pedagogy in Canada. Flexibility is a conscious choice, a powerful skill, and a valuable approach to the ever-changing, always-evolving world we live in. 20 million students, educators, parents, and admins have. Then came the collaboration carts – 50-inch touch screens loaded with interactive simulations of molecules and a virtual whiteboard to name them all. Read more about Frank, Dr. Chad Saunders, PhD, joined UCalgary's Haskayne School of Business as an assistant professor in 2007 and holds adjunct appointments with the Department of Community Health Sciences and the Department of Medicine at the Cumming School of Medicine, where he is the eHealth Services and Strategy Lead with the healthcare innovation incubator the Ward of the 21st Century. “Students need to be able to step away from what can be emotionally intensive work.”. A flexible learning design customizes learning environments to meet the needs of learners, using both technological and non-technological tools. If you have any questions about the collection or use of this information, Advertisement. “We’re moving our theoretical learning into practice in this class. Personalized learning sets students on the path to success, and flexible learning spaces provide the support they need along the journey. Their marks are divided into three components – individual assessment, team assessment and a peer contribution mark which puts some value on the teamwork and makes students accountable to each other for their attendance and participation in class. It is very important for the employer and employee to be flexible as it creates a streamlined workforce and technology adopted, due to changes in the market. However, control of a classroom is still important. Here are five reasons that will inspire you to consider flexible learning spaces in your school: The influx of remodeling and renovation shows has inspired people to redefine how we see the spaces we inhabit, and our learning spaces should be no different. Our learning spaces should be aesthetically pleasing, well-planned, and equipped with all the materials and resources necessary for active learning to occur. Flexibility. Thank you for subscribing to Schoology Exchange! Success! “There’s a real mix of activity," says Rosehart. Flexible grouping impacts success in the workforce. Read more about Bill. Thanks! They’re the result of intensive analysis of best practices and a commitment to student success and accommodating different learning styles. As well as having abundant natural light, the space is abundantly flexible. The Importance of a Flexible Learning Environment. Open to trend: It also keeps the mind of learner in a pleasant situation that is out of external fear. Our environment has a profound influence on how we perform, at school, at work, or at play. Read more about Yvonne. Once in class, instead of having the readings regurgitated in a lecture, the students discuss real-life scenarios in their groups. These days, a growing number of women are studying engineering in the new Schulich complex. The pandemic has thrown a spotlight on each of these in a unique way and has underlined the importance of considering the physical and virtual spaces we use while learning together. The option to do this is right in line with the concepts of personalized learning and helps us ensure that all our students are college and career ready. Walls are pushed out of the way to open up space and conversation. However flexible learning in itself is complex, and not as simple as this definition implies. The Singapore American School built flexible time and grouping into its middle school program. Spaces that are designed to be welcoming and inclusive encourage learning. Importance of Flexibility in the Workplace: There are various other factors when we talk about the word ‘flexible’ at work and the importance of flexibility. “Students have the freedom to sit and reflect on the stairs or mull things over with peers in the hanging pods. Bill Rosehart is the dean of the Schulich School of Engineering and has recently been inducted as Fellow into the Canadian Academy of Engineering for his commitment to innovation in teaching and learning. Rosehart’s strategic vision is to support student success, foster diversity in engineering and promote research that makes a difference. Collection of personal informationYour personal information is collected under the authority of 2500 University Drive NW With the wide-open spaces and cutting-edge technology at the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning and the brand-new Canadian Natural Resources Limited Engineering Complex, UCalgary is creating spaces that help advance how we teach and learn. Back then it was mostly male students climbing those stairs. “There was a lot of disengagement, students sitting back and saying ‘I don’t understand this or I don’t like this,’" says Sullivan, an instructor in UCalgary's Department of Chemistry. When teachers have the opportunity to meet with colleagues to discuss student performance and share instructional strategies that can be implemented to design personalized learning plans for each student, everyone comes out a winner. What is flexible learning? The faculty includes many experts in designing, adapting and using learning spaces that go beyond textbooks and lecture halls. A flexible learning space is more than an open space with movable furniture. Business. But in the finance sector, it can truly make all the difference. For example, they may watch a video showing nurses dealing with a patient who has a postpartum hemorrhage. “It supports the student experience and culture and creates a more inclusive and welcoming environment. Some students may choose to take online courses or dual enroll at a community college to get ahead or to make up for a poor or failing grade. And three floors of new teaching and learning spaces provide more hands-on and experiential learning opportunities for students. Privacy Policy Yvonne is of Métis ancestry with family in the Fishing Lake Métis Settlement in Alberta. She and her TAs “float through the room” seeing what students are struggling with so they can adjust the activities on the screen. School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, Canadian Natural Resources Limited Engineering Complex. This particular learning approach makes sure that the audience remains engaged and their overall learning experience is productive. That entity includes two floors of state-of-the-art research labs to further foster high-impact research. By giving increased choices for the time, location, style and means by which learners access and undertake learning they are personalising the process to fit with their needs and lifestyle. “Where you work has a substantial effect on how you work,” says Maurer. Designing Learning-oriented Assessment for Flexible Learning and Teaching Professor Mike Keppell Director, The Flexible Learning Institute Charles Sturt Univer… Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. learning design in classroom environment. Because of this, it’s essential to have a flexible approach to teaching. Prior to this, she worked as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at UCalgary and as a Laboratory Instructor at Mount Royal University. Flexibility and adaptability help in improving your problem-solving skills. Read more about Linda, Dr. Yvonne Poitras Pratt, PhD, is an assistant professor in UCalgary's Werklund School of Education, where she teaches courses in Indigenous Education and adult education. It is empowering for students to understand themselves as learners and have control and responsibility over where they learn. “As a group they’re going ‘Oh cool, look, if I press this button I can see what the shape is called.’ It prompts discussion and opens debate instead of just getting them to fill in the blanks.”. CANADA. Collaborative activities require students to use interpersonal and social skills to communicate their ideas and problem-solve as they work. And you can’t do it in a traditional classroom. Online courses, dual enrollment, and community partnerships have changed the landscape of our learning environments as well. But knowing your tetrahedron from a trigonal planar is crucial for students taking any more chemistry or biochemistry courses – they need to know where particular atoms are located inside particular molecules to understand how reactive that molecule is going to be in any given scenario. But a flexible learning space is not a permanent space. This term describes a learning design perspective deeply rooted in the needs of students, with the main objective being to provide them with the most flexibility about the learning content, schedules, access, and learning styles as possible. Aim for 4 praises for every 1 correction. “Consistently more than 95 per cent of students are saying they enjoyed and learned on average three new things from this activity.”. “We need to recognize the impact of this type of experiential learning is not always immediate,” says Saunders. Defining and identifying a variety of learning resources It’s about utilizing student voice, creating buy-in, heightening collaborative learning, and prioritizing students’ needs concerning the environment in which they learn. “With team-based learning we’re getting almost 100 per cent attendance.”. “Two years ago, I’d come into a class with 130 students and maybe 30 were showing up,” says Linda Duffett-Leger, assistant professor in the Faculty of Nursing. Website feedback, University of Calgary Almost everyone knows that convenient and flexible access to learning is one of the key Students taking Principles of Entrepreneurship in UCalgary's Haskayne School of Business and those enrolled in Software Entrepreneurship in the Faculty of Science come together in a “collision course” that mimics real life, where the two disciplines work hand-in-hand to develop and market new software, apps or other technology. It makes it much more fun for everybody. The learning strategy is more popular among individuals who have unique learning styles as this strategy caters to individual needs with more flexibility and convenience. The Impact of Social Media in Education: Student Engagement Tactics, Digital Leadership in Your District and How to Effectively Drive Transformation, Learning Experience Designer Lynn Marenette, personalized and competency-based learning, Flexible space that can be easily adjusted to meet support the learning activities, Allow for hands-on exploring, making, and building, Allow for curriculum integration, including the arts, Support social interaction and development, Provide opportunities for students to learn through examples. Over the course of the semester, students go to separate but nearby classrooms for discipline-specific lectures but they spend the bulk of their time working in open space with giant computer screens and at tables throwing around ideas and plotting how to commercialize their startups. 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