In discussion with Jan Koster about the 4th national congress of school building in Amsterdam and the principle of “learnscapes” as a design pattern. Here is what he wrote to us in a recent email:

On the eve of the 4th national congress of school building in Amsterdam (April 5th and 6th in the Okura Hotel), we will give you in headlines a view on our national developments. Mind you that we cannot prevent ourselves from our perspective of sustainable education and environmental development.

Schooling for the future [involves]:

1. scenarios attempting to maintain the status quo
a. bureaucratic school system systems continue
b. teacher exodus: the meltdown scenario
2. re-schooling scenarios
a. schools as core social centres
b. schools as focused learning organisations
3. de-schooling scenarios
a. learning networks and the network society
b. extending the market model

Schools as core social centres:

1. governance: a strong local dimension of action and decision-making can be expected
2. leadership and management: leadership would be widely distributed and collective
3. teachers: a core of high status teaching professionals. Around this core would be many other professionals, community players, parents, etc. and a blurring of roles
4. networks: community interests use the school as a focal point. School would be allowed a great deal of room to respond to, and promote, these interests. Networking and co-operation would therefore flourish

Characteristics of good schools:

1. orientation by high curricular and cross-curricular standards which are known and understood by all pupils
2. high esteem for knowledge and competence
3. basic attitude: expectation of success
4. participation of students and shared responsibilities
5. respectful relationships
6. negotiation and consistent handling of rules
7. rich school life and extensive opportunities for initiatives for teachers and pupils
8. strong and cooperative leadership
9. involvement of parents in school activities
10. quality evaluation, staff and school development with a focus on teaching and learning

Basic principles of procedures:

a) shifting from authority based to negotiated learning experiences
b) using the school as a learning resource for the community, and the community as a learning resource for the school
c) developing a flexible and dynamic curriculum for all students (which focuses on sustainable development
d) treating development activities as experiments to be tested through research
e) involving participants in constructing public accounts of their work at the local level and in the production of comparative studies of the development process in different local/national contexts, as a mean of stimulating public debate

Some salient questions:

a) how and to what purpose does the community use the opportunities, know-how and facilities available in school?
b) how to what purpose does the school use the opportunities, , know-how and facilities available in the community?
c) how and to what extent does the school (teacher and pupils) exert influence on the community to promote a sustainable quality of life?
d) how and to what extent does the school create an intellectual, social and physical environment inside school in which all persons involved feel challenged, respected and are able to shape it in a sustainable way?
e) how does the school confront teachers and pupils with their aims, activities and effects and how does it stimulate reflection and drawing consequences from gained understanding?

For examples of our latest buildings with ongoing awareness of the link with educational principles, see (sorry for all the Dutch):

http://www.schooldomein.nl/new/index.html

http://www.unic-utrecht.nl/gebouw/index_html

http://www.slash21.nl/

http://home.casema.nl/hjj.terheggen/bouwnu/

http://www.denieuwsteschool.nl/

http://leer.park.waxtrapp.com/?waxtrapp=oxrvwCsHaKnPfCE

And what examples do you have of ‘learnscapes’ in your community or portfolio? Do you agree with Jan, or do you see a different future in the world of school design?