Classrooms of the Future

Swing-proof chairs, tablet computers and green screen technology all feature in the city classrooms of the future, say experts. Educational technology specialists set up a futuristic classroom in Tynecastle High school, Scotland, and invited teachers from across the country to come and get a taste of it.

"Sometimes kids feel thwarted that they have all this technology in their pockets on their phones and sometimes staff are telling them to put it away. If we can get WiFi in cafes, why can't we have it in school?" the Scotsman quoted Angela Bell, Tynecastle's deputy head teacher as saying.

"We can't stem the tide of progress and we don't want to because it's really exciting. I like the idea that this technology makes no bones about the fun part of learning, because education should be fun. A happy class is a good move forward," she said.

According to the RM Education, which created the exhibition, it was all "about showing how the furniture and IT kit works together to provide a learning and teaching environment."

"We have more informal areas and flexible furniture that can be used in different ways. We have chairs which rock gently to stop pupils swinging on them and falling off," Paul Smyth, educational development manager with RM Education, said.

"The furniture is used in contrast to a traditional classroom setting of rows of desks and chairs. The approach they're taking in some schools is almost a coffee shop approach and pupils respond well to that. This is about re-imagining education and showing that technology can be an integral part of learning," he added.

Advertisement

The company will pitch to head-teachers from each Edinburgh school until 22nd November, while heads from across Scotland will also visit Tynecastle over the next two weeks.

Source-ANI