No traditional classrooms here
At Centennial Schools, we believe that modern learning environments need to seamlessly integrate technology into spaces that are designed around teaching and learning, giving teachers and students the tools they need to succeed in a physical setting that promotes collaboration and supports multiple learning styles. While connected devices are an important part of modern learning environments, audiovisual equipment and even classroom furniture are essential to creating spaces that are conducive to teaching that focuses on future-ready skills.
Our classrooms are called Learning Hubs. While classroom furniture may seem like a decidedly low-tech solution to a modern classroom, Centennial Schools considers this is a high-impact tool that, quite literally, puts students in the right learning posture.
Our modern learning environments offer flexible and agile physical setups that accommodate both independent and group work, and a space where students learn in ways that make them feel comfortable and help them focus.
Perhaps the simplest example of this is the standing desk, which gives students a break from sitting all day, heightens alertness and even helps burn calories.
Our mobi-desks quickly transform from individual workstations into group gathering spaces. In the business world, adults move around throughout their workdays, going from ergonomic chairs in their offices to conference tables and quiet corners, depending on the task at hand. It’s important that our students be allowed to do the same. Our furniture options also come equipped with USB or three-prong charging ports, helping our students to keep their devices powered up throughout the day.
Benefits of our Learning Hubs
- Increased student engagement
- Increased student motivation
- Stronger relationships with peers and teachers
- Enhanced collaboration
- Increased sense among students that they have ownership over their own learning
- Significant impact on student learning and health outcomes
The advantages of modern classroom design aren’t merely theoretical. Research shows that students respond positively when they learn in environments tailored to their needs.
The portion of students who reported better grades, better attendance or improved creativity in newly designed active learning environments1
The increase in calorie expenditure for students who use standing desks, compared with those who use traditional desks3
The difference in body mass index (BMI) percentile in students who use standing desks for two consecutive years, compared to those who don’t2
The portion of parents who say that standing in the classroom has a positive impact on their child’s behaviour
Sources:
1 Mark Fehlandt, Hamline University, “Flexible Classroom Design and Its Effects on Student-Centered Teaching And Learning,” August 2017;
2 American Journal of Public Health, “Stand-Biased Versus Seated Classrooms and Childhood Obesity: A Randomized Experiment in Texas,” October 2016;
3 Pediatrics, “Classroom Standing Desks and Sedentary Behavior: A Systematic Review,” January 2016