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Activities
Pupil Competion
In the spring 2001 term, we
held a Classroom of the Future design competition for all Royal
Borough pupils. The following winners were invited to share their
ideas at a workshop with the architects at Studio E, who are helping
us design the building.
Click on any of the thumbnail
images below to take a closer look...
Design
The building we aim to build
will be a learning laboratory – filled with different experiential
learning opportunities for children. We want parts of the building
to be transparent, so that the children can see into the structure
and understand why it was made the way it was. The building will
be a permanent classroom for one group of children, and then it
will have smaller rooms attached to it for other groups to use as
and when they wish to. At this point, this is our wish list of design
features
Materials
A combination of glass and steel, timber and brick. Recycled materials.
Design and function transparency. Photovoltaic, so it is capable
producing a voltage when exposed to radiant energy, especially light.
Possibly use the existing large wall to stabilise the building.
Overall Design
Curved building. Circular main classroom holding 30 children with
4 – 5 ‘pods on the perimeter for smaller groups.
Observatory
A tower to the roof in the centre of the building that will house
the telescope. This machine will have a direct link to the Internet,
onto which the learners will be able to report their astronomical
findings.
Greenhouse
Either on the roof or in one corner of the building we would like
to have a greenhouse. (possibility: link the solar panels with the
greenhouse). Solar Panels We would like to have at least a few solar
panels on the roof of the structure. We would like a traditional
hot water and cold water tap system to include a solar heated water
tap – so there would have to be some sort of water receptacle linked
to the solar heating system.
Ventilation System
We would like to use materials with low-embodied energy, which are
efficient and robust. If at all possible, we would like to keep
the learners in the ventilation loop – in other words, the building
would transmit data to them to indicate that there is too much CO2
in the atmosphere, and they in turn either push a button to start
mechanical ventilation, or they simply open a window.
Network and Internet Connectivity
We would like to have a wireless network in the building, but also
want to ensure that the network has enough bandwidth to accommodate
audio and video streaming. The main consideration is whether to
use satellite technology, or to use a landline to the building and
then have a wireless network within. (We do want to cable the building
as a precaution against a non-functioning wireless network)
Built-in Recycling
Have transparent shoots for each type of recyclable waste leading
from holes that are outside the building (perhaps that are accessible
by ladders) to bins that are within the fabric of the building,
but are easily removed for actual recycling.
Outside Play Space
Outdoor covered play space to shield children from poor weather
(use a ‘space’ motif in this area?).
Others
Water feature Glass floor to give the children bird’s eye perspective
ICT
The Royal Borough Classroom
of the Future will be a technology-rich learning space that recognises
the value of emerging technologies, as well as face-to-face collaboration
among learners. We view ICT as one of many learning tools that schools
of the future will need to make available to their pupils. We are
working hard to help make all of our schools schools of the future,
and to this end, we have the following goals, where ICT is concerned:
- All teachers proficient
in a wide range of ICT tools for use across the curriculum.
- Broadband Internet access
to every computer.
- A personal computing device
for each teacher and pupil that can access the school's network
from anywhere in the building, and from home.
- The use of virtual reality
learning tours (for example, become a red blood cell in the human
body).
- Videobanks of lesson delivery
from virtual teachers via the Internet.
- Videoconferencing between
classes, countries and outer space on demand.
We intend that the technology
in the new space will integrate into existing school and LEA networks,
while also exploring the innovative use of new ICT learning tools.
We are particularly interested in voice recognition software, G3
WAP mobile phone technologies and virtual reality.
Press
The Classroom of the Future project
is a UK-wide initiative that will continue to receive attention
in the press. We are currently looking for film production companies
to work with the Royal Borough to produce a documentary about the
process of designing, building and finally using such an innovative
classroom.
Two newspapers, the Kensington and Chelsea News (21 June) and the
Kensington and Chelsea Times (22 June) both carried stories about
the Classroom. See the Royal Borough's press release
Local
school's journey into outer space in the News section of this
website.
Teaching and
Learning
We intend to
work with the already innovative teachers in the Royal Borough to
further push the boundaries of teaching and learning in the borough.
We intend that the classroom will be a learning laboratory in which
learners can direct much of their own learning. The state-of-the-art
technology which will be housed in the new building will enable
teachers to facilitate projects that otherwise would have been impossible.
Astronomy
The study of astronomy will be made incredibly concrete for the
children in this classroom. The building will have its own high-powered
telescope, as well as access via video conferencing to the massive
Faulkes telescope in Hawaii. Children will be able to participate
in realistic command and control exercises, during which they will
be able to control the Faulkes telescope right here in London.
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