Shorecrest Awarded New Active Learning Classroom by Steelcase
Source/Author: Rachel Martin, Director of Marketing and Communications
April 07, 2016
Second Annual Grant Program Provides 13 Schools and Universities with a Classroom Designed for Student Engagement and Collaboration
Shorecrest Preparatory School has been selected to receive the installation of an active learning classroom through the Active Learning Center (ALC) program, a grant initiative in its second year founded by Steelcase Education. This program empowers educators to implement active learning strategies by leveraging classroom space.
Beginning summer 2016, a Steelcase Education learning environment will be installed at Shorecrest by Empire Office. Ready for fall 2016, the active learning classroom will positively impact teaching and learning, and will support fluid movement and pedagogies for students eager to return to classes. This new classroom will easily morph into various classroom structures including lecture, independent or team work, presentation and discussion. As a result of this flexibility, the learning environment will enable the instructor to move easily throughout the space to assess student understanding and guide continued skill mastery and application.
Shorecrest Middle School teachers Cindy Williams, Art Teacher, and Christine Scoby, Instructional Technologist and Curriculum Dean, have worked collaboratively over the past three years to implement a curriculum that merges Art and Technology to activate deeper learning across curricula and grade levels. Having their classrooms located in separate buildings across the campus has hindered the flow of integration. To allow the space to become one that is multipurpose and that fosters collaboration, Shorecrest is removing dividing walls between three separate spaces to create one large one, as well as updating floorcovering, paint and lighting. The Active Learning Center program will further enhance the repurposed space with new chairs, tables, a floor power grid, lounge seating, lighting and an interactive whiteboard. Having a connected art and technology space will provide for a more fluid integration of art and technology.
“Shorecrest was chosen for its commitment to utilizing progressive pedagogies and active learning strategies that truly impact student engagement,” said Craig Wilson, Director of Market Development at Steelcase Education. “Teachers and students at Shorecrest will now be able to utilize a flexible learning space and explore the capabilities of an environment built specifically for improved engagement and collaboration.”
In addition to receiving a new classroom, Shorecrest will receive training from Steelcase on the uses of the technology and furniture in their new spaces and will have the opportunity to participate with all awarded schools to share insights and best practices. Over the two-year program, Steelcase Education and Shorecrest will partner together to conduct assessments and research on the impact of the newly designed space.
“We are honored to be recognized by The Active Learning Center grant,” says Scoby. “Like Steelcase we place a priority on providing students with the most engaging and active learning spaces available, so we are excited to be able to continue in our mission with the installation of this unique classroom.”
Steelcase research has shown that active learning environments positively impact student engagement. When surveyed, a majority of students and educators reported that the active learning classrooms contributed to higher engagement, the expectation of better grades, more motivation and more creativity, when compared to traditional row-by-row seating.
Along with Shorecrest Preparatory School, twelve other schools and universities out of over 800 applications were chosen for their unique approaches to active learning.
