Learning Spaces Network

The ISTE Learning Space Network is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Flexible Learning Environments eXchange™ (FLEXspace).

FLEXspace is an innovative and robust tool that supports a highly-engaged group of experts, decision makers, influencers, and practitioners from higher education, K-12, libraries, museums and industry committed to improving learning space design and implementation. FLEXspace provides a sophisticated suite of features that allows users to document and showcase learning spaces, share resources and best practices, work collaboratively with colleagues and partners, and connect with an ever-expanding worldwide community.

While currently you’ll see a collection that contains largely Higher Ed classrooms, we are hoping that the Learning Space network can use this space for ideas ranging from simple classroom changes to creating new and innovative learning space.

FLEXspace membership is free for schools. Visit FLEXspace.org to explore the website resources and user guides, or 'sign in' to the portal to search or contribute learning spaces. We haven’t automated sign ups by K-12 schools yet, so your membership will have to be approved, but it only takes a day or so.

Created by educators for educators, FLEXspace was launched in 2012 by the State University of New York (SUNY), the California State University system (CSU), CCUMC, the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, SCUP, and the founding sponsor-partner Herman Miller™.  Initially, a team of experts united from integration, Architecture, Facilities and Space Management, Faculty, Instructional Design and Academic Technology experts to design a platform and taxonomy that enables FLEXspace users to upload photos, videos, and support materials, and to detail the furnishings, facilities, technology equipment, and learning and assessment strategies being used in a space.

Today, FLEXspace has over 3000 members from 1300 unique institutions across 45 countries, with a core team of global experts, advisors and an emerging research and evaluation group from industry and academia.

The current members are primarily higher education institutions. However, this partnership will allow our members to expand the database to K-12 classrooms as well, so we can learn from each other.

Also, FLEXspace will be at the A4LE LearningScapes conference in Chicago in November, so stop by and say HI if you're there.

So, sign up for FLEXspace today and let others know about it. Our goal is to surpass the 3000 higher Ed members with a collection of passionate K-12 space designers. Read More

This webinar is designed to support school and district leaders in growing their vision, communicating with students and parents, and growing teacher satisfaction by optimizing facilities through learning space design. Changing instruction and supporting the use of digital tools is a difficult journey for schools and districts, but it is nearly impossible with the physical space doesn't support the change. This session will provide research-backed, practical ideas to support improving areas will outside the building, the entryway, the office, the hallway, and many others. Successful leaders are seeing the power of shaping the physical environment to bolster teachers and impact learning.

Presenter Info:
Dr. Robert Dillon has served as a thought leader in education over the last twenty years as a teacher, principal, and director of innovation. Dr. Dillon has a passion to change the educational landscape by building excellent engaging schools for all students. Dr. Dillon serves on the Leadership Team for Connected Learning, a Saint Louis based organization designed to reshape professional development to meet today's needs. Dr. Dillon has had the opportunity to speak throughout the country at local, state, and national conferences as well as share his thoughts and ideas in a variety of publications. He is the author of four books on best practices in learning, Leading Connected Classrooms Engage, Empower, Energize: Leading Tomorrow's Schools Today, Redesigning Learning Space, and his most recent book on learning space design called The Space: A Guide for Educators.

Webinar Connection: To join the meeting, go to https://iste.adobeconnect.com/learningspace/ and select the Guest option. Enter your name and state you are from and click/touch Enter Room. You will enter a holding area where you will wait until the meeting starts. Read More

Join the ISTE Learning Spaces PLN at 7 pm EST (4 pm PST) on Nov. 7, 2017, for our next live webinar-Beyond Collaborative Furniture: Making Learning Space Design Matter. A team of former educators lead by Eric Patnoudes @NoApp4Pedagogy will discuss the "why" of learning space design.
We’re in the midst of preparing students for a fundamental shift in the nature of work that includes increased reliance on technology, automation, digital platforms and artificial intelligence. However, the look and feel in many of our schools has not changed in over 100 years. Join education strategy team members as they discuss research behind learning space design, avoiding common pitfalls when purchasing furniture and current design trends across the United States.

Webinar Connection: To join the meeting, go to https://iste.adobeconnect.com/learningspace/ and select the Guest option. Enter your name and state you are from and click/touch Enter Room. You will enter a holding area where you will wait until the meeting starts.

Sign up on this form if you want to receive a reminder for this event. Read More