Learning Spaces in BSF

22nd March, 2007 posted by: Bob Harrison

The Building Schools for the Future conference at the QE2 “Making Educational Transformation a Reality” brought together a rich mix of public and private stakeholders involved in the early waves of BSF and also those who will be joining in waves 3-6.

BSF is a £45billion project to transform the secondary education system and will be complemented by the Primary Capital Programme.

The FutureLab work on Learning Spaces “What if,,,re-imagining learning spaces” has emerged as a pivotal publication and is now required reading for all Local Authorities from wave 3 onwards.

The Demos publication “Their Space” is also having some influence on the BSF project.

This new mindset about learning spaces is critical according to Steve Moss from P4S the agency responsible for the BSF project.

The project has all party support and the only question the Minister,Jim Knight has been asked by opposition spokesman David Willetts is “Why are we taking so long in spending the money?”

Despite significant slippage the pace is increasing and the delivery is being ramped up.

I have written the attached article on Virtual High Schools following a visit to Stanford University earlier this year.

Should we be thinking of BVSF(Building Virtual Schools of the Future) and not spending so much on bricks and glass?

 

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One Response to “Learning Spaces in BSF” [jump to the comments form]

  1. Martin G. Smith
    March 23rd, 2007 at 2:45 am

    As always, Flux created a stir in the ranks of my gang of voracious knowledge seekers. We have bee somewhat in awe of late at the extent to which, the Urban Incursion has developed from a proposal for a pilot project to a full blown entity.
    Bias Declared [http://redsevenone.wordpress.com/]
    What Flux accomplishes and the work of Futurelab and groups like Demos, who we first encountered at the EPSRC ‘Sandpit’, as well, is in showing that the is an impetus, a sovereign assignation if you will, in the UK understanding the necessity of change in the way people learn. There remains a hope that this same spirit will infect those responsible for making decisions on the Western side of the Atlantic.
    However, in absence of direction from those who should be leading the way, we proceed ahead, with the work of Futurelab and all those working on the future of education, at least in part, as our guide.
    To those who disdain at the notion that this change is necessary, allow me to share two oft repeated quotes.

    ‘The time has com to put a fence at the top of the cliff, instead of a net at the bottom: Thus giving a chance to build a bridge.’

    ‘One can Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way: Change, it cometh.’

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