Re-imagining the classroom
February 23, 2009
(FROM THE HP WEB SITE)
Re-imagining the classroom
The 2009 HP Innovations in Education grants for secondary school districts in the US fund school districts to launch innovative pilot initiatives that support the administrators and teachers responsible for student success in math and science in middle schools and/or high schools.
In the US, HP plans to award approximately 25 grants to public or qualified private school districts Each grant is valued at more than $270,000 in HP technology, cash, and professional development to support innovations in the following areas:
- Leadership Capacity – creating a network of school administrators and key teachers who implement innovative approaches to curriculum, instruction, and the use of technology to enhance math/science learning
- Digital Learning Environments – using technology to fundamentally redesign the learning experience in ways that lead to increased student engagement and academic success; can include innovations in online learning, virtual worlds, gaming for learning, and simulations
- The Secondary Student Design & Research Experience –making math and science real and relevant by involving secondary students in design and research challenges that address real needs in society; can include local and/or global service learning
- High-Tech Career Awareness – engaging administrators, teachers, and students in ways that increase awareness and interest in high-tech college degree programs and careers
Open Architecture Challenge: Classroom
February 3, 2009
Architecture For Humanity promotes open source architecture and provides professional design services to communities and non-profits to help build a sustainable future. They’ve announced their 2009 Open Architecture Challenge, and this year’s assignment is to design a better classroom. Anyone is eligible to participate in this competition to help imagine better learning spaces – you don’t even have to be an architect to get involved.
They explain:
We are inviting you, the designer, to work with students and teachers to design the classroom of the future for a school of your choosing. Your design should address the unique challenges your school faces in trying to provide smart, safe and sustainable learning spaces. Students and teachers, here’s your chance to tell the world what you need to make your classroom more effective. Architects and designers, you’ll work one-on-one with students to translate those needs into better classroom design.
* Share your design expertise and inspire school students to re-imagine their classroom
* Help students learn about the built environment using a companion design curriculum
* Become an advocate for better classroom design in your communityJurors currently includes Dave Eggers, Michelle Kaufmann, Hilary Cottam, Kigge Hvid and others. More will be added over the course of the registration period.
If your design wins, your school will receive up to $50,000 in funding for classroom construction and upgrading. You will receive a grant of $5,000 to help them do it.
For more information and to enter head over to The Open Architecture Network.