“How to cultivate living, playing, engagement, and creation in the world of our children and young people is at the heart of this book” – Heidi Hayes Jacobs
The fascinating book “Learning By Design: Live, Play, Engage, Create” by Prakash Nair, Roni Zimmer, and Dr. Richard F. Elmore delves into the world of learning environments. In this thorough analysis, we explore the authors’ rich tapestry of concepts, emphasizing their discoveries, difficulties, and creative solutions that completely alter the field of learning environments.
Setting the Stage
“If teaching generic ‘stuff’ is no longer the primary reason for a school’s existence, then what is?”
The writers set out to rethink learning environments because they believe that the conventional classroom design is antiquated and insufficient for the requirements of modern students. Their book is a call to redesign these spaces based on their contention that the physical environment’s design has a significant impact on learning.
The authors Nair, Zimmer, and Elmore stress the importance of flexible settings that support creativity, engagement, and teamwork. By examining the psychology of learning and the effects of physical environments on cognitive development, the writers establish the foundation for their claims in the first few chapters. They make a strong case for how the built environment can support or interfere with education.
Quotable Wisdom
‘’Learning’ itself is a collateral activity and the one that is always happening no matter what we are doing.”
The writers blend insightful quotations that effectively sum up their philosophy throughout the book. Nair and Zimmer, for example, claim that “spaces should be designed with learners, not for them.” This phrase resounds throughout the pages, emphasizing how crucial it is to include children in the design process to create spaces that are customized to meet their needs.
Educational leadership specialist Elmore deepens the conversation by saying, “Schools should be places where teachers can learn, not just places where they work.” This viewpoint opposes the idea that schools should be static institutions and supports dynamic learning centres where teachers are always learning new things.
Engaging Anecdotes
“Here we can make the space fit what we need, rather than the space dictating what we can do.”
The writers add practical examples to their theoretical framework to help make their concepts more relatable. The book is a wealth of anecdotes that highlight the transformative power of thoughtful design, from creative classrooms that resemble Silicon Valley workspaces to outdoor learning environments that blur the lines between education and nature.
The authors’ discussion of the “third teacher” idea, in which they contend that the physical space itself is vital to students’ education, is one particularly striking example. They demonstrate how architecture can stimulate creativity and curiosity by looking at successful case studies and transforming the surrounding space into a dynamic learning environment.
Practical Strategies
“A new ‘learning community’ model can become a template not only for the design of new schools but also for the renovation of existing school buildings.”
The writers make sure the book stays grounded even though it is full of imaginative ideas by offering doable tactics for carrying out their vision. They provide affordable options for remodelling existing spaces while also acknowledging the financial limitations that educational institutions often face. Their focus on scalability and adaptability guarantees that their concepts can be applied in a variety of educational settings.
The writers stress the value of cooperation between architects, teachers, and students while offering a detailed manual for incorporating stakeholders in the design process. This practical approach guarantees that the book serves as a practical guide for individuals seeking to transform educational spaces, rather than merely a theoretical manifesto.
Challenges and Critiques
“What would it look like if schools, as intentional learning environments, actually become “learning organizations”?
“Learning By Design” is not an exception to the rule that no book is without difficulties. Considering the financial and bureaucratic obstacles that educational institutions frequently face, some readers might find the authors’ vision of entirely redesigned learning spaces to be unduly optimistic. But Nair, Zimmer, and Elmore foresee these worries and confront them head-on, providing workable answers that can be applied under a variety of limitations.
The Final Act
The writers return to their original points of argument in the last chapters, reiterating that learning is a dynamic, collaborative process that calls for environments that support these attributes. They push readers to advocate for change within their educational communities and to challenge the status quo.
In Summary
The book, “Learning By Design: Live, Play, Engage, Create” questions conventional ideas of classrooms and promotes dynamic, learner-centric environments as the way of the future of education. The writers offer a thorough manual for people looking to change educational environments by expertly combining theoretical ideas with practical examples. Inspiring readers to take up the task of designing environments that genuinely promote learning, engagement, and creativity, Nair, Zimmer, and Elmore present a strong case for a paradigm shift in educational design in a light-hearted and educationally humorous manner.
References:
About (2023) Curriculum StoryBoards. Available at: https://curriculumstoryboards.com/about/ (Accessed: 01 February 2024).
Global leader in Innovative School Design and school architects: EDI (2023) Education Design International. Available at: https://educationdesign.com/ (Accessed: 01 February 2024).
Nair, P. et al. (2020) Learning by design: Live, play, engage, create. Bangalore, India: Education Design Architects.
