Furnishing a High School for Collaborative, Project-based Learning

December 10, 2005December 17, 2009 996 Views Product of the Month, Understanding the Evaluations

Collaboration and project-based learning are often listed as key objectives in the planning of a learning environment; these methods foster creative connections and synthesis, skills that students need to succeed. Research by Susan Wolff, Ed.D., on design features for project-based learning include 32 design features that support collaborative, project-based learning.

* Included among those are:

Variable sized spaces
Individual workspace
Presentation space
Cave space
Spaces with access to food and beverage
Process galleries, studios, and labs
Collaboration incubator
Get away spaces or niches
Display spaces
Access to technology

* See “Design Features for Project-Based Learning,” by Susan J. Wolff, Ed.D., 69 pages, February 2002, www.designshare.com

The furnishing plan for Harbor City International School (HCIS), shown below, illustrates these features.

HCIS, a public charter school in downtown Duluth, Minn., serves grades nine through 12. Located on the third floor of an 1860 industrial building, the school provides a small, learner-directed community that encourages investigative learning, global citizenship, and nurtures a sense of belonging.

HCIS will have a total of 100 seats available this fall, with a projected enrollment of 200 students in 2004; the school expects to expand into the fourth floor as enrollment grows. Encompassing 14,000 square feet, the third-floor-space is small by high school standards-typically, about 140 square feet per student is used, which would equal about 17,000 square feet-however, HCIS is located within walking distance of the public library, YMCA, art museum, and television station, so the school can leverage other facilities for instruction.

A café serves as a social team area, with an adjacent sink, refrigerator, microwave, and juice vending machine. Two couches and comfortable chair clusters near large, arched-top windows with a view of Lake Superior, are located within the café area, allowing for informal learning and “get away” space. Rectangular tables along a wall, with display space above, provide for informal study and eating. Round tables in the center accommodate up to six students. An enclosed warming kitchen is available for catered hot meals.

A media lab, art room, and science lab provide for both hi-tech and messy functions. Vinyl sheet flooring and sinks in the science and art rooms allow for craft and scientific projects. The media lab has a sound control wall enclosure and both theater-type and direct/indirect lighting, allowing it to serve as a recording studio. A double-glazed interior window provides a view from the central café and workstation area into the media lab. Interior windows are used throughout the school to bring light into the interior, as well as to foster connections between adjacent spaces.

HCIS will utilize a wireless network for general communications, word processing, spreadsheets, and Web research. Whiteboards with a medium textured surface double as projection screens. An Ethernet connection with category five wiring supports the whiteboard’s projectors and allows for display of large graphic, video, or music files. Ethernet connections also are located in the media lab, offices, teacher’s room, and library.

A presentation forum includes a raised platform and a 12-foot dedicated projection screen. The chairs are movable so the space can be used in various ways; for example, following a presentation, students can rearrange chairs into breakout groups.

Each student has a homebase comprised of a lockable drawer, a coat hook, and an individual workstation shared with two other students. Depending on the time of day and adjacent activities, the workstation can serve as either “cave space” or a collaboration incubator. Many of the workstations have round conference ends, serving as an informal meeting area. Workstations also include an acoustically absorptive tack board and partial height enclosure.

The library includes a private conference room, study carrels, and two overstuffed armchairs in a niche created by a brick archway.

In contrast to the lively, high volume character of the café, a quite team area is located at the center of the school. Student workstations, bookcases, and couch/comfy chair clusters support individual work and small group meetings.

The design for HCIS was a collaborative effort involving educational planner and principal designer Randall Fielding, AIA, in association with Scalzo Architects and project designer Peter Krieps. Randall Fielding also is the editor and publisher of Design Share. He can be contacted at: fielding@designshare.com.