Late last year, we posted an article about higher education classrooms of the future that said:

Space layout will no longer consist of desks and chairs in a straight row. Classrooms will feature multi-use learning zones spread throughout the room with wireless access. Instructors’ roles will no longer consist of standing at the front of the classroom for the duration of the class. Teachers will be roving instructors, helpers, and facilitators that are mobile. They will work from different locations in the room or at the center of the room with viewing access to various learning zones. Students will no longer simply listen quietly and take notes. They will be collaborative problem solvers, makers, and content generators.  

All of this is still true, but schools now also need to account for how learning and human interaction will take place in a classroom in the midst of a global pandemic, and after. The COVID-19 pandemic is causing shifts in thinking about almost everything, and how education will be delivered in the future (both near and long-term) is no exception. 

With K-12 and higher education classrooms closed across the nation, many educational institutions are bumping up timelines for construction and renovation projects, often with an updated scope that tries to account for many unknowns, including:

1. Realistically, how many students will return to this classroom in the fall?
2. How will we facilitate teaching live and virtual students simultaneously?
3. What classroom modifications are needed to accommodate social distancing guidelines that may be in place for an extended period of time?
4. What new design features need to be included in projects (i.e. a hand-washing sink in each classroom)?
5. What technology needs to be integrated into the classroom to facilitate active learning techniques?
6. How will we temporarily repurpose facilities with permanent seating (like auditoriums or lecture halls)?
7. How do we add informational signage throughout the campus to communicate real-time standards?

There is no clear set of guidance or requirements, and each client is approaching the answers to these over-arching questions in a way that best aligns with their mission and education model.  IMS is working through these questions and designing solutions with many educational institutions, with a focus on integrated technology solutions for modern classrooms, systems integration to accommodate active and blended learning, web conferencing platforms in classrooms, and a digital signage strategy. 

How can we help?

IMS is designing solutions with many educational institutions, with a focus on integrated technology solutions for classrooms, systems integration to live and virtual students, web conferencing, and a digital signage strategy.  Request a consultation today and let us know how we can help make sure your classrooms are prepared.

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