Baylor School has been selected to receive the installation of an active learning classroom through the Active Learning Center program
Baylor School has been selected to receive the installation of an active learning classroom through the Active Learning Center program, a grant initiative in its third year founded by Steelcase Education. The grant program supports both teachers and students by creating an environment that encourages engagement, collaboration and creativity.
With the installation of a classroom valued at $65,000, Baylor will positively impact teaching and support pedagogies for student engagement. Each room includes modern movable furniture, design, onsite training, installation and a pre- and post-occupancy measurement tool.
Beginning this July and ready by the start of school in late August, this Steelcase Education learning environment will be installed in the Baylor School Hedges Library by Workspace Interiors of Knoxville. This new classroom has a varied, mobile setting which encourages hands-on activities and less formal conversations. With multiple learning modes supported, students and instructors will be able to spark new thinking and understanding.
The Active Learning Center installation will transform a traditional instructor-led computer lab to a flexible space that will foster collaborative work for video projects, audio podcasts, and virtual reality environments that are part of the middle school’s learning skills and media studies courses. The space will also be utilized by Baylor’s Learning Center, which supports upper school students in a variety of curricular areas.
“Baylor School was chosen because of a demonstrated commitment to active learning,” said Craig Wilson, director of Market Development for Steelcase Education. “Research shows that space impacts behavior, and these classrooms will help a new group of teachers and students explore the learning possibilities an interactive space can bring.”
In addition to receiving a new classroom, Baylor will receive training from Steelcase on the uses of the furniture in their new spaces, and will also have the opportunity to share insights and best practices with other awarded schools. Over the two-year program, Steelcase Education and Baylor will partner together to conduct assessments and research on the impact of the newly designed space.
“We are excited to be recognized by the Active Learning Center Grant for our efforts in promoting personalized, engaged learning with our students,” said Julie King, Baylor’s head librarian. “With Steelcase Education’s support, we will continue this mission and foster better collaborations between students and teachers in the classroom.”
Along with Baylor, 14 other schools and universities out of over 900 applications were chosen for their unique approaches to active learning. For more information on the winners, visit the Steelcase Education website.