Have school settings lost their relevance in today's changing world?

Recently the NSW chapter hosted an online event which revisited a debate question tackled in August 2019 - ‘Have school settings, as students currently experience them, lost their relevance in today’s changing world?”.

This question has been given an entirely new reference point following COVID19,  where our learners are learning from home and connecting virtually. We are at a time which is critical to stop, question and rethink a lot of the traditional models of leaning spaces.

If you missed the debate, you can view it here

“I want to say that the schools we have are manifestly unworthy of our students and our teachers because of their design… I wish I hope that our schools speak of joy, they speak of collaboration, they speak of creativity, they speak of enthusiasm, and our challenge is to make that happen and I don’t think we have.”
Michael Anderson, Professor, Faculty of Education and Social Work, The University of Sydney

“We can rethink easily changeable aspects in the curriculum, such as greater focus on well-being, removing content that doesn’t relate to real life aspects and real life skills and therefore have a larger focus on collaborative and creative learning”
Bridget, Student voice

“Year 5 & 6 at ANZAC Park PS were actively looking at how we can transform our school setting into an interactive light art installation as in a few weeks they open the doors to their very own Vivid festival”
Unity Taylor-Hill, Principal, Anzac Park Public School.

“As a parent I want the school to look after them and as an architect I want to inspire them so I believe the answer is twofold. Creating a setting that inspires students through creating a unique sense of place and identity for the school. A place where they feel like they belong.”
Jo Simmons, Director, GW

These powerful statements, among many others were then discussed by inserting today’s relevance by Anne Knock, Jo Simmons, Andrew Kenneally and Daniel Smith.

This event was brought to us by our NSW Major sponsor,