Tag: K12 Education

Despite drastic changes in curriculum and educational delivery, many classrooms still resemble classrooms of the early 1900s — rows of desks facing an instructor and blackboard. A movement to better address students’ needs is now at the forefront of educational facility design, paving the way for student-centered learning environments. School facilities must accommodate new curriculum opportunities.

There are a number of options to consider when constructing a school facility. Which option is the right approach depends on a variety of variables. This executive brief discusses the pros and cons for each option, so you can make an informed decision as to which construction delivery method is the best fit for your school district.

Classroom design for the 21st Century learning environment should accommodate a variety of learning skills and needs. The space should be large enough to be reconfigurable to accommodate a number of learning activities. This also includes furniture that provides flexibility to the learning spaces which will accommodate collaboration and interactive work between students and teachers.

The complexity of design in today’s university laboratories requires an innovative project approach. The design team for the new Microbial Sciences Building at the University of Wisconsin – Madison faced a challenging interdisciplinary collaboration: three departments planned to share lab space in a single building. This visionary concept in academia demanded an all-new project approach from the design teams at CO Architects, Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP (PRA), and lab consultant Earl Walls Associates. The project consolidates and enables UW-Madison’s multidisciplinary program in Microbial Sciences.

The response to the question is yes, but only if extra planning and care are taken to nurture a safe environment, free from extremes.

In April 2013, a new set of voluntary, rigorous and internationally benchmarked standards for K-12 science education were released. The standards, known formally as the Next Generation Science Standards, were developed, written and revised by a team of teachers and education leaders from 26 different states across the country.