Open Plan Collaborative Learning Environment

Learning Commons
It was my pleasure to spend a day up in Auckland visiting schools that have started down the collaborative learning environment pathway.  I was part of a delegation of 15 DP's from the Hauraki Cluster that travelled north. 

There were several goals for us in our journey...

1. We wanted to see the possible set up of Waihi Colleges new classroom block (scheduled to replace the prefab classrooms P1 to P10).
2. To investigate the idea of 'discovery learning' (autodidactic) - where the student undertakes self directed learning in areas that they are most passionate about - with the teacher linking the curriculum into that learning. 
3. To investigate how staff team teach in a share learning common environment. 
4. To pick up on any innovative, positive, alternative ideas.

The first stop off was at Mission Heights Junior High School.  MHJHS is a new school that has risen from farm land in the east of Auckland.  Predominantly their learners are from immigrant families (around 10% Pakeha or Maori).  The campus was build all in one go.  It may be fair to compare part of their main buildings with what we here at Waihi College will build next year (maybe 2016). 

Here are some of the exciting things that I took away from MHJHS...

Here is a learning common.  It is a larger open space (with ranchslider glass separators).  This one has four classrooms all feeding off the main central location.  In this picture you can see technology is centrally located - staff mingle their way through all rooms and work with all students. 







Here is the front of a typical classroom - there are no teacher desks or chairs - the drawers and cupboards under the whiteboard are the teacher desk.  There are glass doors connecting into the next door classrooms and (from where I took the photo) a large wall of glass into the common area. 
Note the chairs all have wheels and swivel - deliberate as "boys need movement". 







Here is a picture of a science lab - you can see that this too is another open space.














Each of the areas of the school had their own 'cafe' - there was no canteen rather students had access to water, microwave, tea/coffee.  It was all in the open so those that made mess couldn't just slip away.  There was also office space next door - in each of the common area there was office space for a DP - there was no "top corridor" rather the leadership team were located in the commons with the students. 

The computers were all run on these moveable stations - all the data is recorded on the students independent memory card.  These were a very cheap system ($175 each) - there was one computer for every two students.  This meant that MHJHS didn't have intention to go down the BYOD pathway.  To me it seemed that the students just quietly worked in books/pairs or were onto the computers. 





One of the most interesting decisions that MHJHS decided to do was to have a line in the timetable where students get four hours where they can choose their study (with guidance).  Teachers are able to offer 'interest' subjects - we saw lots of specialist sports, competition tuition, Afrikaans language classes, dance classes, skateboard tutor teaching tricks etc.  Every staff member offers their time to do their interest (plus one or two catch up classes).  The *catch up* classes were compulsory (2 out of the 4 periods) for students that are behind in a curriculum.  That way if a student is identified as being "below the level" they're expected to come to some curriculum classes instead of dance/music etc.
  


This post relates to RTC # 7. promote a collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment.  And RTC # 8. demonstrate in practice their knowledge and understanding of how ākonga learn part iii. encourage ākonga to take responsibility for their own learning and behaviour.