Fail for modern learning
Modern learning spaces at a Christchurch high school are an uncomfortable obstacle to education, an inquiry has found, but reverting to traditional classrooms poses “astronomical” costs.
Shirley Boys’ High School moved into a modern complex with open-plan classrooms in 2019. Five years on, research has found the lack of walls between learning spaces increases distraction, not collaboration.
An inquiry that finished in December 2023 surveyed Shirley Boys’ students and staff about their experience of modern learning spaces and drew an explicit conclusion: “These spaces should not be considered fit for purpose.”
One third of the school’s nine departments had major or somewhat-major issues with the functionality of their learning spaces, and every department had issues with comfort.
About 70% of year 13 students agreed their education was negatively impacted by distractions outside their learning space and that those spaces were uncomfortable.
Junior classes were less disgruntled, but the survey noted younger classes often got priority for the enclosed teaching spaces – leaving seniors in the “open” ones.
In open spaces, sound from other classrooms and hallways competed for students’ attention with teachers, who were consequently forced to limit the energy of their lessons.
“Students overwhelmingly prefer to be taught in the enclosed spaces,” and the modern spaces have “a negative impact on learning”, the inquiry stated.
Principal Tim Grocott said when the school was constructed modern learning was the norm but research shows it was based on “very poor policy and philosophy”.
“It’s disappointing there’s a whole cohort of students going through our school at the moment whose learning is not as ideal as we would like.”
Discussions were underway about converting the school back to traditional single-cell learning environments, but this posed “astronomical” costs, Grocott said.
As the school was built in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), the board can’t resolve the issue directly with the Ministry and essentially has to go through its landlord.
If they were granted permission to erect a wall, they would then need to pay for the maintenance costs of that wall until the PPP contract expired in about 20 years.
Grocott also noted in the current political climate the Ministry of Education is “not going to find a whole lot of money for us”.
Though the board is unable to pay for everything, the school is keen to do what they can.
One option would be trialling a few walls now, review the research, and approach the ministry at the end of the year, Grocott said.
“We don’t want it [the inquiry] just sitting in someone’s drawer and gathering dust ... we’re working reasonably hard to see if we can do something in the short term.”
Rangiora High School recently completed a $1.5m revert of a huge open learning space to single cell classrooms which students will move into next term.
The school isn’t involved in a PPL contract and managed to fund one third of the costs upfront, one third through the ministry and one third out of their 10-year-plan.
Principal Bruce Kearney said as each school was different, each school needed to evaluate whether modern learning suited them.
“For us it wasn’t working and, not only was it not working, our community didn’t believe in it, so it was a double-bladed sword.
“You’ve got to remember it’s still just buildings though, right, the most critical thing is what happens inside those classrooms.”
Kearney said it would be difficult for other schools to do what Rangiora High School had done “for one reason: money”.
He was concerned for schools like Rolleston College who were struggling to obtain the basics from the ministry amid crackdowns on government spending.
“I think the Government’s got a difficult task in front of them and an immense amount of priorities they have to work towards, and let’s be honest – everybody in every sector is looking for financial support.”