How Does the High School Redesigned Learning Space Influence Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking

This study examined the affect that redesigned learning spaces might have on student engagement levels, specifically the extent to which redesigned learning spaces facilitate the 21st Century Learning and Innovation Skills known as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Using David Ross’s work with the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the study observes the efforts of a suburban high school that has redesigned traditional classrooms into progressive and innovative learning spaces. This qualitative study utilized seventeen, face-to-face interviews with teachers who are teaching in redesigned classrooms to collect their impressions of how such learning spaces influenced engagement. The face-to-face interviews were recorded and transcribed for analysis by the researcher. Upon completion of the interviews, the data was analyzed using a cross-case analysis of the data. Literature suggests that the physical environment may play a role in engagement levels, but the majority of the studies have been conducted in common, larger education spaces, not classrooms. Additional studies have been conducted in redesigned classrooms, but with a significantly younger population and older, college-aged population. This study suggests that redesigned learning spaces in the high school does indeed impact engagement levels in a positive manner. Features such as writable whiteboard tables and moveable tables and chairs provide exceptional support for impacting engagement. In addition, subjects such as mathematics realized unanimous feedback from teachers regarding the positive impact that such redesigned classrooms have had on high school student engagement. Overall, the study suggests that collaboration and communication skills are enhanced at greater levels than critical thinking and creativity