EDspaces 2019: Workshops and Marketplace

Below are my notes and takeaways from my learning at EDspaces2019. The conference, held in Milwaukee, WI this year,  "the place where technology, space, and pedagogy converge." It was a great opportunity to see learning environments and hear from expert designers, architects, and educators.

​On Wednesday, I began by hearing from Glen Brook High School on their change process. Their video, “Learning spaces -we are listening” demonstrated the student involvement in the change process.
Perhaps not so ironic, Ryan Bretag, from the district, discussed why is change hard and related it to change's alignment to the grief cycle (Kubler Ross model). A Lott of work was done around he well-being dimensions and pedagogical drivers.
The Why is an Anchor, not an activity

• Many voices
• Check decisions around the why
• Honesty + Awareness + perspective x Purpose = Y it is hard
• Bring community in all the time
• Storage kills other space

Mindset Matters - Culture eats process for breakfast
Think about a space where you think, create, recharge, collaborate = are those all the same space?
When thinking about change, pedagogical and environmental, partnerships matter - Create intersections that move you - who are the people that can help move us

• Google
• Steelcase
• Mindfulness institute
• Measure to improve not to prove - Glenbrooks survey results
• Look at Steelcase education measurement tool.

On Thursday Morning I heard from Steve Olson - Superintendent - Community HS 155. He spoke about Career and Technical Ed: Learning Spaces for future jobs
6000 students in 5nsites (4 HS and 1 Alt) School is focused on real world relevance / partnerships with the community.

• CTE spaces
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• Start with why?
• 4th Industrial Revolution
• Head on a swivel or head in the sand?
• What if we hire based upon skills and not degrees?
• Dual enrollment credits
• District 155 - Swiss automation lab
• CNC and engineering
• Robotics and drone technology
• Made in your own backyard’ - Chamber of Commerce
• Habitat for Humanity and seeds for the community

Business Education -
Incubator space - pitch to business leaders... room flexes for that
Changing the space to match the aesthetics of the work place
Culinary - certifications - serve safe certificate
Sanitation manager training and certification as well
Telling your story is important - adjust the website

Session 2
The Brown Deer Maker Way - inspire - Innovate _ Lead
10 miles north of Milwaukee

• Design thinking classes
• Falcon 3:15 - bring students in
• Purposeful, thoughtful implementation
• Develop partnerships
• WDC Fab Lab Grant with PD
• The what, the why, mad the how -
• Einstein project - Dennis
• Change instruction - purpose statement and mission - Learning Happens Everywhere
• Middle-High school library - branding -
• Movement studio
• Breakout space
• Constraints due to the environment - flexible seating, write on wall, LEGO wall
• The marshmallow incident book
• Breaking the silos - cross curricular
• Mastery connect - standards based grading
• Badging
• 1 professional development day a month

Session 3
Engagement for the multicultural learning community

• Sit-down with folks that look familiar to them 50 year school life cycle
• Incorporate core values
• Master planning process - set the ground rules really early
• Madison - northeast edge of Portland Oregon
• Designed for 1700 students
• Most diverse neighborhood
• ‘Bringing science to the street’
• Using pictures to help in the design process
• Virtual reality engagement
• ‘Be where the students are’ - what do the students value?
• Candy and food... students put up post it’s answering the prompt - “I'm proud to be a student at .... because...”
• Seniors sat in camp chairs in the hallway with their lunch —- loved it
• Engage all voices
• Design Advisory Group - went to other schools that have been renovated and replaced
• Authentic, on-going part of the process —- community outreach
• Students in high poverty areas spend more time at school
• Role play activity - ESL - PPS international youth leadership conference​

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• Put yourself in your students shoes
• Pick: a space, activity, a feeling
• Write: the space will...
• what would you do with this information: report out
• Can be done with magazine cuttings instead of pre made cards ​​

Outdoor Learning in an Early Childhood setting 
Nate Bosch - Landscape architect with GMB 

1. Playing / Learning 
2. Outside / Inside
3. Unstructured / Structured 
4. Natural / Constructed 

Time in nature, whether structured or unstructured, can blur the lines between play and learning 
European Forest schools - in Chicago Illinois as well 
Richard Louv - Pioneer of connecting back to nature 
academic environments becoming treatment spaces 
Little Hawks school - Holland, MI

• robust playground area
• Connect to the water

Strategies to incorporate nature in education:

1. Nature is the primary classroom - connecting people to nature as soon as they arrive; make formal spaces feel informal; building is secondary to the site
2. Maximize outdoor experience by simplifying indoor spaces - simple spaces promote active learning; space conservation / smaller footprint; utility functions can be educational and play space; mud room experience
3. Holistic approach to nature-based education - natural materials in built environment; expansive views to outside environment; openness to outside; natural sunlight / effects on student behavior (south orientation)
4. Create Dynamic outdoor environments - allow kids to be creators & self-directed; promote nature inclusion and invite the native (wild) in; flexible spaces for educators to engage students; allow room for the unpredictable

“Do what you can, with what you have.” ~ Teddy Roosevelt 
Tips: 

• 10 different spaces for play/learning 
• Looping walk ways 
• Open grass area - to just run / roll 
• Trees and shade - inclusivity / skin cancer / cool down 
• Plant material - dynamic textures; edible items 
• Outdoor storage 
• Sheltered space - protected from elements 

21st Century Workplace Competencies: How can design shape student success? 
Gould Evans 

• Inside higher ed survey - great graphic 
• Arizona, Association of Colleges and Employers - Employer v. Student perception 
• Lasso Bock - GPAs are worthless... 
• Enterprise skills or transversal skills 
• Gouldevans-edco.com 
• Gen Z 
• Alpha 
• Competencies and Profile of a Graduate 
• Human adaptability in relation to technology and change 
• Missouri Innovation Campus - https://youtu.be/041UqIV9QgA
• Adaptive and modular space
• STEAM studio - in the office at Gould Evans - work with Rutgers University - Laura Evans
• Power Skills and attributes - integrity, drive, ability to communicate
• Come out of school doing nothing real
• Portraits of a graduate - toolkit - 16 activity types
• Lee Summitt School district has 5 competencies as part of their portrait of a graduate
• Enterprise skill development ‘the competency project’ —— beta 
• Connectingcredentials.org