Tips for new classrooms.

These tips for planning and designing new classroom environments have been developed with the Steelcase Human-Centered Design Research Process, conducted at schools and colleges across the U.S. and Canada. They are intended to provide some guiding tenets to those who plan higher education spaces, assisting in the design of more interactive and flexible learning spaces.

pedagogy

Design to support quick transitions among multiple teaching modes: lecture, team project, discussion, etc.—

from passive to active engagement. Design for peer-to-peer learning. Allow freedom of movement for the instructor, enabling a “visit” with each group to offer quick assessment.

technology

Design for sharing, leveraging both vertical and horizontal surfaces

for display using projection and interactive surfaces. Take advantage of new

media, including personal and in-room technology, and offer equal access to both. Allow for displayed information to be persistent over time.

SPACE3

Design for visual and physical access, giving every student the best seat in the house and allowing the instructor and student access to each other. Design for quick ownership change, so classrooms adapt to changing users and varying class requirements.

Design to support quick reconfiguration among multiple modes: from lecture to project work to discussion and test taking.

Application ideas: classrooms.

These are classrooms outside the traditional box of rows of fixed tablet chairs and a lectern. Here you will find learning spaces that can easily morph from lecture mode to teamwork to group presentation and discussion, and back again. Every seat is the best seat. Access to content, students and instructors— available for all. Smart technology is integrated in smart ways so everyone can use it. These are classrooms that engage and inspire by putting control of the learning space in the hands of students and instructors.

LearnLab

LearnLab integrates furniture, technology, and worktools to support a variety of teaching methods and learning preferences. Multiple stages make it easy for both students and instructors to share content, and a unique X configuration gives everyone clear sight lines to digital and analog content. The LearnLab reclaims and redistributes the classroom real estate, providing democratic access for all.

Projectors and screens in a unique geometry break the traditional classroom hierarchy and give everyone an unobstructed view.

This flexible space supports different learning processeand preferences from one class to the next.

The eno interactive whiteboard acts as a combination dryerase board, magnetic board and interactive whiteboard.

Fixed and portable whiteboards and display screens support the need for information immersion and persistence, allowing students to generate, capture and share their work.

Ergonomic chairs let students huddle quickly, swivel easily, refer to content in any direction and

stay comfortably focused and engaged in class.

LearnLab’s unique geometry ensures that there’s no “front” of the room and that every student has a clear view.

media:scape LearnLab

Combining innovative LearnLab design with unique media:scape technology creates the opportunity for three distinct modes

of sharing of digital content: small team cocreation, group sharing and lecture and discussion with the entire class.

media:scape integrates furniture and technology to let instructors and students share digital information quickly.

LearnLab provides multiple stages where instructors can engage with students.

Small team breakouts occur at the table in the classroom, eliminating the need to move to another location. node’s integrated personal worksurface is large enough for a laptop and textbook, plus paper for taking notes.

Face-to-face seating encourages student engagement and team collaboration.

A media:scape LearnLab supports multiple learning styles and different teaching preferences, and offers unprecedented ease in sharing digital content.

node classroom configuration 1: large-group discussion mode

Keep students more engaged and help instructors conduct whole-class discussions with classroom furniture designed for active learning. node seating is key to this more flexible and comfortable learning environment.

node stool with Airtouch height-adjustable table makes an ideal instructor station.

Lightweight Huddleboards are ideal for small-group content creation and review. Hang on a workrail or easel for presentation to the class.

node’s integrated personal worksurface is large enough for a laptop and textbook, plus paper for taking notes.

Swivel seat, storage base and casters are standard on node. Options include adjustable worksurface, cupholder and glides.

Double up rows to increase class size: node’s swivel seat and mobile casters make it easy for students to have open sight lines to the instructor and other students.