Classroom

Take Steps to Make Modern Learning Spaces A Reality

New program implements schools’ visions for classrooms, libraries, renovations and new construction

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David Andrade is the business development manager for Google services at CDW•G. An experienced engineer, educator, school district CIO and education strategist, he works with CDW•G coworkers and their customers on solutions to help them with all aspects of their Google and Chrome projects, from pilots to full deployments and support. Andrade holds Master of Education degrees in educational leadership and educational technology. He is a Google-certified administrator, deployment specialist, customer success services and support specialist, trainer, and educator, as well as a Six Sigma yellow belt. He is certified and experienced in change management and project management and has helped hundreds of schools with their Google for Education and Chromebook deployments and implementations.

Imagine the perfect learning environment for your students. What would it look like?

Would there be books, Chromebooks, interactive screens, comfortable chairs? Would there be a space for students to collaborate on projects or for them to work alone? Would the typical rows of chairs from days past give way to children on the floor of a makerspace, coding for robots and being creators?

Would your students be engaged, energetic and enthusiastic about learning in this new environment?

If you had a chance to see a free rendering of this perfect space, would you take it?

Start with a Vision Before Implementing the Tech

As a former school district CIO and always an educator at heart, I’m excited about a relatively new offering at CDW•G called Blueprint to Design. In this new program, CDW•G works with school leaders to reimagine media centers, classrooms and the transformation of building remodels and new construction into modern collaborative spaces.

As part of the program, an education strategist trained in space design and pedagogy meets with school IT decisionmakers to get a handle on the schools’ vision and goals for the space or project. The consultation sometimes takes two hours to get all of the information needed to plan the perfect modern learning environment.

With the school’s blueprint or floorplan in hand, the education strategist works with a school design engineer to complete 2D color renderings which give the school several options for renovations. CDW•G then delivers a complete design package which IT folks can then take back to school leadership for further discussion.

B2D gives them a starting point. The best part is that we don’t talk about furniture or technology or any of those things up front. Those discussions will come. In the beginning, it’s all about the learning experience — as it should be.

B2B is open to any schools, and I encourage you to take advantage of it.

Make That Vision a Reality to Modernize Classroom Learning

Space is so important to learning. I believe modern learning environments improve student performance. In fact, 70 percent of students reported better attendance, grades and creativity due to newly designed active-learning environments, according to one Hamline University study, “Flexible Classroom Design and Its Effects on Student-Centered Teaching and Learning.”

In these flexible spaces, teachers come out from behind their desks and engage with students, who, in turn, are more energetic and enthusiastic about learning in this futuristic, interactive, collaborative space. Everybody wins, but especially the learners.

While technology is shaping the way in which we work now and in the future, SEL will help students grow and learn socially, emotionally and behaviorally. Everyone will reap the rewards.