Time, Space, and Technology
How can we rethink when, where, and how learning happens?
Most American high schools still run on outdated assumptions about when, where, and how learning happens.
Groundbreaking schools use time, space, and learning technology fluidly and creatively.
By challenging old assumptions about facilities, schedules, and modes of instruction, schools can open up exciting new possibilities for student-centered learning.
Why This Topic Matters
Time, space, and technology are resources that schools can use thoughtfully and well. By being flexible and creative with time, we can empower students and teachers to build learning experiences that work for them. By using space differently and thinking beyond the traditional bounds of the classroom, the surrounding community and the wider world can be leveraged as rich learning environments. Finally, by using technology effectively and appropriately, schools can enhance student learning, expand teacher capacity, and support meaningful personalized learning. Let’s make time, space, and technology expand student learning, not limit it.
Questions to Explore and Discuss:
- How can time, space, and technology be used in innovative ways that enhance opportunities for students to learn and grow and for teachers to thrive and succeed?
- How might students and teachers spend their time during the day, the week, and throughout the school year and summer to optimize learning?
- How might spaces inside and beyond the school be used differently to enhance learning? What kinds of inspiring, untapped spaces exist in your community, where students could learn in new ways?
- What technologies are most valuable for creating great learning experiences for students?
- What useful insights about time, space, and technology emerged during times when schools were closed for in-person learning? What worked well? What didn’t?
