'Live-lab Academy' : A hypothetical case study

Tim Rudd, Nick Page, Maria Patsarika

01 January 2009

The following document is aimed at stimulating conversation and debate relating to the pressing challenge of meeting the dual needs of designing new educational spaces that are both suitable for delivering existing statutory requirements, yet incorporating design aspects that enable longer term transformation in learning, teaching, relationships and approaches. This burning question is facing everyone involved in the design and delivery of new learning spaces and an inherent dichotomy within a system that has to pursue existing standardised measurements of educational utility whilst at the same time supporting systemic transformation and appropriate spaces for doing so.

The scenario set out in this document is developed around an ‘imaginary’ academy and includes illustrative sketches to aid thinking rather than detailed designs. It is meant as a stimulus for discussion and is not presented as a proposed or specific approach that should be pursued. Rather, it offers a loose sketch of some initial thoughts to stimulate debate and thinking. The scenario arose from a brief discussion about the challenge faced by educationalists and how they might begin to think about addressing the conundrum, and how they might design spaces and curricula, and embed an approach to longer term Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and ongoing innovation leading to a transformed set of practices.