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Classroom Layout

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We are 7 months into piloting "flexible" furniture in seven classrooms from VS, Smith, Paragon and Balt. Below is a reflection on how we started and where we're going next: It all starts with a concept, based on discussions about what we think we want to do in the classroom .

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The seats, space, and stuff that idyllic learning environments are made of

This is the fifth installment in our series about school in a perfect world. Read previous entries on calendars, content, homework, and teachers.
We asked prominent voices in education-from policy makers and teachers to activists and parents-to look beyond laws, politics, and funding and imagine a utopian system of learning. They went back to the drawing board-and the chalkboard-to build an educational Garden of Eden. We're publishing their answers to one question each day this week. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Today's assignment: The Space. Describe the perfect classroom.

Rita Pin Ahrens, the director of education policy for the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center

Students need to be in classrooms that inspire them-spaces that are light, airy, and filled with examples of work that they aspire to do. Each school will have a variety of spacious classroom settings. Some will be more traditional in the way that we envision classrooms now, but others might be set up outside or within an atrium or amphitheater. There might be desks, cushions, or benches arranged in rows or circles-however the teachers want them, as not every classroom will follow a template. Each classroom will be set up based on what is necessary to meet learning objectives. But schools will prioritize configuring classes to inspire learning first and foremost, and, where appropriate, reflect the diversity of environments that students are exposed to outside a school setting. Students will have beautiful spaces that make them feel good to be at school-with art, living plants, music where appropriate, comfortable seating, and fast internet access.

Nicholson Baker, the author of Substitute: Going to School With a Thousand Kids

Windows that open are a nice feature, as are clean bathrooms and individual desks that can be rearranged. Smaller schools and smaller rooms seem to work better than larger schools and larger rooms.

Teachers enjoy decorating their classes; the walls of the rooms in which I substituted often held a polychrome profusion of STUFF-posters and charts, and rules and exhortations, and cartoon characters and keyword lists. Sometimes the decor works wonderfully, sometimes it doesn't. Less is more, in general. If you are forced to go to a place you hate going every day, any sentence on the wall can become an irritant.

Carol Burris, the executive director of the Network for Public Education

My experience as a high-school principal taught me to never spend too much time worrying about the "small stuff." I put the arrangement of desks in a room in that category. Students and teachers need clean, roomy, well-ventilated, and well-lit spaces for teaching and learning. Every school will have air-conditioning, and there should be sufficient heat in classrooms when it's cold, but there should not be over-heating.

Hallways should be quiet, and classrooms should be as sound proof as possible. Desks or tables should be comfortable, and they should be configured in the room as the teacher sees fit, depending on the lesson. Everything about the physical space should be designed so that there is little to distract from teaching and learning.

I have seen movable walls come and go, and I have witnessed the debates over blackboards and whiteboards, and desks in a circle versus desks in a row. Yet in the end, we seem to come back to designs that are pretty traditional. I think that happens because those designs serve our students and teachers pretty well.
Catherine Cushinberry, the executive director of Parents for Public Schools
In general, there will be different types of movable desks varying in size and capacity-individual, long, and round. Chairs will be movable and will not have an attached desk. There will be large pillows near the windows. Students will be able to find a place that is comfortable for them. Standing will also be allowed, even when students are using computers. There will be a large open space that will serve as a community gathering spot. The classroom will have big windows to let a lot of natural light shine through. The room will be colorful without being obnoxious-colors will be blues, greens, whites, and yellows. There will be multimedia equipment in the room, along with the latest computers. There will be areas where students can post ideas to help make the learning environment more engaging and fun. The classroom will also be tailored to the topic, but all will have interactive stations where hands-on learning can be experienced by all students.

Michael Horn, the co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute

In the future, we won't have "classrooms." The enemy of the future of the classroom has arguably been that phrase: "the future of the classroom." It locks us into a model of believing students will be sorted by age and sit in a room together with one teacher in the front.

Students will learn in student-centered environments-perhaps we'll call them learning studios-where each student's learning is personalized to meet his or her precise needs. It will be critical to rearrange the physical space and furniture to align with the principles of student agency, flexibility, and choice that are the core of new learning models. Because these models will leverage multiple modes of learning, they will need spaces built for different activities, which can occur individually through digital media or in small interactive groups. As Larry Kearns, an architect at Wheeler Kearns Architects who recently designed a cutting-edge school space in Chicago, told me, "Ideally, spaces for all of these modes of learning can be located in the same physical space, interlocked to minimize disturbances between them. [The] combination of learning spaces [will be] inherently decentralized since it focuses on the students. The teacher's desk, if there is one, is pushed to the margins."

Richard Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation

Form will follow function, and if one of the key principles of public education is to instill an appreciation for democracy, then classrooms will be arranged so that students are equals with one another (not some in the front, others in the back), and so that students are active participants in learning, not passive recipients of teachers' knowledge. Whereas the traditional lecture hall connotes hierarchy, placing desks in a circle suggests students should be learning to debate and become decision makers. Within the circle, desks will also be clustered in small groups of four to encourage collaboration among students.

These classrooms will feature student artwork and projects but never publicly show grades or test-score results that might humiliate struggling students. The most important feature of the physical classroom is that the students seated in the desks come from a variety of backgrounds-rich and poor, black and white, Latino and Asian. Integrated schools are important because they teach children how to get along with classmates from different backgrounds and underline the democratic message that in America, we are all social equals. Low-income students attending mixed-income schools are as much as two years ahead of low-income students in high-poverty schools, so we must ensure not only that the arrangement of the desks is equitable but also that the backgrounds of the students occupying those desks are diverse.

Michelle Rhee, the founder of StudentsFirst and the former chancellor of Washington, D.C., public schools

Classrooms at the elementary-, middle-, and high-school levels will look very different. Elementary classrooms will have work stations that can be easily moved throughout the room so students can begin fostering relationships with each other. Also included will be the beloved "story space," a communal seating area with soft fabrics and warm colors, where the full class can gather for announcements, reading, and celebrations.

Middle-school classrooms begin to mature with the students, incorporating informal seating areas like window seats and benches with collaborating worktables. This will allow students to become comfortable working in teams and also to seek out space for personal reflection and work.

High-school classrooms will be designed by students themselves, providing breakout space for group work and more private areas for individual work and studying. High-school classrooms will reflect the transition that students are facing, allowing for independence but also providing a nurturing environment for curiosity. Classrooms at all levels will have interactive technology, books, and e-readers, and as much natural light as possible. Further, all schools will think about non-traditional learning spaces such as gardens, kitchens, and places off campus.

Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers

The idea of prescribing what a classroom should look like is laughable. In New York, I negotiated a contract that said the arrangement of furniture should be up to the teacher and based on the needs of the class.

Every classroom will be properly apportioned for its purpose. A science lab needs scientific equipment. A music room needs instruments. All classrooms need enough desks for the students and enough books for every child. And teachers will arrange the room in the best possible way for their students' learning.
Check back tomorrow for the next installment in this series.
It's also important to look at the appropriate role of technology in the classroom. Technology can be a powerful tool, but it must be implemented with the intention of enhancing educator-facilitated learning, not replacing it. It must also be paired with real professional development for educators, not a "just add water" program of handing students a device and expecting positive results.

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The seats, space, and stuff that idyllic learning environments are made of

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In this article, we're going to examine the ways that technology could impact the physical landscape of our classrooms. But firstly, let's take a closer look at the types of technology that are making waves in education...

iPads and Tablet Technology

Despite being a relatively new technology, iPads and competing tablet devices are already overhauling teaching methods in schools throughout the UK. More than three quarters of our secondary schools have implemented tablet technology in the classroom according to a report by BESA released earlier this year. This represents a huge growth for a technology which was barely present in schools before the introduction of the iPad in 2010.

Wearable Technology

Definitely a hot topic in the technology world at the moment, wearable tech hasn't been widely adopted but many experts think that's about to change. With the rise in wearable tech, fitness apps, tracks and heart rate monitors, a report commissioned by Soreen as part of their Soreen Squidgy Fun initiative - in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust suggests that new fitness technologies and developments are set to enhance the nation's fitness levels.

This would increase a higher engagement rate with a stronger connection to the lesson and subject by the pupils, as well as encourage a more seamless relationship between the theoretical and physical aspects of sport - without dividing the endeavours between the classroom and the field.

Video Gaming

The rise of indie gaming has led to innovative individuals and small groups developing unique and interesting games to compete with massive "shoot-em-ups" and sports titles. Educators have come to realise that many of these titles can benefit the academic progress of students - educating them in physics, maths and other subjects.

One hugely popular independent game, Minecraft, has accidently become a globally-recognised education-tool. The MinecraftEdu movement is helping schools effectively implement the game into classrooms to benefit students.

So How Could Our Classrooms Change?

The integration of tablets, wearable technology and video games could drastically change the layout of our classrooms. In essence, this type of technology encourages more flexible learning spaces.

Traditionally, in a classroom environment there is a single point of focus - the teacher. Switch this up, by introducing technologies which allow students to take a more active role in learning, and suddenly the requirements of the room are very much altered.

Without one central point of focus, a classroom's layout doesn't need to be fixed. With lightweight furniture, it can quickly be restructured to meet the varied demands of teaching and learning styles, age groups and subjects. Classrooms could be used to their fullest potential with the help of well-implemented technology.

A more fluid layout can help accommodate a greater number of practical and theoretical learning practices within the classroom. Teachers armed with iPads can move throughout the tables and rows - giving students more personalised support.

Integrating new technology into our classrooms should ultimately always be done with the students' best interests in mind. There should be no reason for technology to complicate the physical landscape of our classrooms - instead, technology can and should have a positive impact to help create inspiring learning spaces.

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How Technology can Transform the Layout of the Classroom - Innova Design Group

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In this article, we're going to examine the ways that technology could impact the physical landscape of our classrooms. But firstly, let's take a closer look at the types of technology that are making waves in education... Despite being a relatively new technology, iPads and competing tablet devices are already overhauling teaching methods in schools throughout the UK.

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The Node school chair is mobile and flexible. It's designed for quick, easy transitions from one teaching mode to the next, unlike traditional school desks and chairs.

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Node Desk Chairs & Classroom Furniture - Steelcase

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The Node school chair is mobile and flexible. It's designed for quick, easy transitions from one teaching mode to the next, unlike traditional school desks and chairs. Download 2D and 3D CAD models for use in your design application. View and save brochures, certificates, reports, white papers, case studies and articles.

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We spend too much time managing the 30 percent. In higher education, most of what a student learns is learned outside the classroom-up to 70 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Yet we spend very little, if any, time worrying about or designing appropriate learning environments outside classrooms.

In a presentation on TED.com titled "Why We Don't Understand As Much As We Think We Do," British educational media consultant Jonathan Drori argues that learning without a strong experiential component may miss the mark.

"Children get their ideas not from teachers, as teachers often think, but from common sense, from the world around them, from ... experience." And when we gain our knowledge only from teachers outside of the real-world context, the knowledge often is without understanding.

The truth is that most classrooms really are places created for the convenience of teaching and not as the best places to learn. Have you ever wondered why some schools move the students from room to room instead of the teachers? Or why the teacher's desk is at the front of the room and the seats in an austere row-by-column configuration? Everything about the typical classroom clearly is about the instructor-teacher and not the student-learner experience.

We probably won't do away with classrooms anytime soon-but we should be taking a broad design approach to learning environments that goes well beyond the classroom and encompasses the whole of the student experience. A school or college campus should foster a deep cross-section of learning experiences that supports a hands-on inquiry and engages students in a passionate search for knowledge-in other words, the anti-thesis of what often is the hallmark of many institutions. Not the big white box, sage-on-stage approach we've taken for the last 150 years, but a much more contextual, immediate and active learner-centered approach.

Five steps to the future

What would this learner-centered campus look like? Five important characteristics affect the buildings and outdoor spaces associated with an education institution:

* Active. Learning spaces are active spaces. Shun any idea that a student is a passive reservoir into which a teacher pours knowledge. Instead, seek out spaces that force students to engage actively with the knowledge content. Art studios and science laboratories always have been this way, but for the most part we haven't been able to achieve the same level of interactivity in liberal-arts pursuits. Spaces that foster critical discussion, provide access to multiple forms of content, and entice the instructor off the podium and into the arena may be able to do for the liberal arts what we have done for the arts and sciences.

* Group-friendly. Students learn better when they are taught by each other than when they are taught only by a teacher. When students learn from each other, many good things happen. Instead of learning at the pace dictated by the instructor, they learn at a pace that is student-centered. They learn through the lens of their peers whose experiences-though obviously different than theirs-have generational similarities. They develop an understanding adequate to enable each to verbalize the key concepts. The spaces that foster this interaction focus on multiple small groups seated around round tables where no student is of greater stature than any other; contexts can range from formal conference room-like space to the very informal niche off the active corridor space.

* Highly interactive. Some people may say highly interactive environments already have been achieved through the explosion of electronic communications. Cell phones and the text-messaging phenomenon have changed the way students interact on campuses.

Remember when it was difficult to get in touch with another student during the day? Today, students can communicate with any other student (for whom they have a phone number) at any time quite easily. Even those they don't know can be contacted through a Facebook or other social media account.

As powerful as these new technologies may seem, they have not revolutionized student interaction. And, they have had little positive influence on student-teacher interaction. The latter type of interaction, which supports learning with understanding, must be directed to a common goal, and be relatively low-risk for the participants.

Why low-risk? When these interactions become the basis for broad assessment (i.e., they have a major impact on a grade), students instinctively pull away from them. When risk is relatively low, the educational results can be quite exciting, as well as long-lasting.

More and more spaces on campuses are facilitating this kind of interaction and supporting group work in flexible, student-controlled environments. They tend to be called "student lounges" or "studio classrooms" these days, and they are large, flexible, 24/7 lab-like spaces with easy access to digital resources, food and other student comforts, where faculty reside as mentor-resources to students engaged in the same real-world issues. These spaces should be available in every campus precinct.

*Contextual. Isn't it odd that we prepare for a career in an office by taking classes in a classroom? In fact, contextualizing what we learn is an enormous problem. Many students simply can't apply what they learned to real-world phenomena.

So how do we fix this? In his book, The Schools Our Children Deserve: Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and Tougher Standards, Alfie Kohn addresses the issue head-on by using the example of how we learn to drive. We don't learn by breaking the activity into multiple pieces and learning each piece, or by practicing only portions of the activity, such as how to turn a steering wheel or how to use a turn signal. We learn by getting behind the wheel and doing it all at once-and not so well at first. This enables us to master a relatively complex task in a short period of time.

We need to take this learning-to-drive concept on the road, no pun intended. If we want to learn something, we should learn the phenomenon in its real-world context all at once with all its complexity. School and campus facilities that do this well have a broad cross-section of environments that either replicate a multiplicity of real-world contexts or actually are an example of the real-world context. Virtual-reality games or any game that replicates a real-world context accomplish the same end and can be very effective pedagogically.

*Connected. Connectivity has become a technology buzzword, but in the context of learning we should be most concerned with being connected to knowledge content. That can mean the Internet or a library database, but what is probably the most important for students is a connection to courses and course-related content. Being connected enables students to customize their learning experience and learn in the way they learn best.

Everyone has different strengths when it comes to learning. Winston Churchill did his best thinking when he was moving around; he was what is known as a kinetic learner. By having a number of tools at his or her disposal, any student can determine how best to interact with the content to achieve the best results.

The most obvious way spaces can promote connectivity is to provide easy access to a school's or campus' digital network. However, for students to take advantage of this connectivity, schools need to go above and beyond simply providing a connection; they should provide space for the learning to occur. Because education institutions need to support a broad cross-section of learning types, they need a similarly broad cross-section of spaces.

The best way to do this is consider the entire school complex or college campus-or at least a campus precinct-as providing this cross-section of space typologies. If connectivity can be achieved nearly anywhere on campus, which isn't terribly difficult given the wired and wireless options available, then each campus precinct should include a broad spectrum of formal and informal, group and individual, and low- and high-interaction spaces that can be accessed by students outside of class time.

Creating learner-centered campuses takes time. Curricula and pedagogies will change before the spaces will, but schools and campuses that can make these changes will find that they serve learners better and create more vibrant and engaging places for everyone.

More resources

For more information about how new technologies can benefit learning environments:

* Visit Educause's website at www.educause.edu. This nonprofit association strives to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. Learning Spaces, an e-book edited by Diana G. Oblinger, shows how spaces can affect how we learn and how technology can enhance that experience. The e-book can be downloaded for free on the website.

* SCALE-UP (Student-Centered, Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs) is a project established by North Carolina State University and funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, Hewlett Packard, Apple Computer and Pasco Scientific to create highly collaborative, technology-rich interactive learning environments for large (100 students or more) classes. More information is available at the SCALE-UP website: www.ncsu.edu/per/scaleup.html.

* The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) also provides assessments on the student classroom experience. CLASSE, the Classroom Survey of Student Engagement developed by researchers Bob Smallwood of the University of Alabama and Judy Ouimet of Indiana University, uses student and faculty surveys to help teachers and learners focus on pedagogical improvements that can enhance student engagement and improve student success. Institutions can participate at no cost through a licensing agreement with NSSE. More information is available at www.nsse.iub.edu/index.cfm.

Zaiser, AIA, is a partner at KSS Architects, a firm with offices in Philadelphia and Princeton, N.J., that specializes in the design of learning environments for schools and higher-education institutions across the nation. He can be reached at [email protected] .

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We spend too much time managing the 30 percent. In higher education, most of what a student learns is learned outside the classroom-up to 70 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

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These five steps are essential in creating a 21st-century classroom: establishing zones, ensuring resource accessibility, encouraging mobility, igniting inspiration, and fostering respect.

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Aside from infrastructure issues, the common spaces need renovations to meet the demands of today's student. New CTE spaces such as a robotics makerspace and business classrooms will equip students to move beyond high school with real-world skills. Renovations to corridors will provide much-desired flexible teaching and learning areas. Repurposing an existing library will meet the 21 st century learning model.

By approaching an older building with a fresh mindset, designers and educators can work together to transform the way school operates. Not every upgrade has to be especially expensive and even minimal changes enhance the learning environment tremendously. Some maximum-impact solutions include moveable partitions to create flexible general classrooms, writeable wall surfaces, mobile technology, versatile furniture and open space to put "learning on display."

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Renovating 20th Century Schools into Future-Ready Environments - HHS

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Aside from infrastructure issues, the common spaces need renovations to meet the demands of today's student. New CTE spaces such as a robotics makerspace and business classrooms will equip students to move beyond high school with real-world skills. Renovations to corridors will provide much-desired flexible teaching and learning areas.

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Classroom and Future Ready - EdTech Update

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Browse Classroom and Future Ready content selected by the EdTech Update community.

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Elements of future ready schools

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Student engagement is a major concern for today's educators. According to the 2015 Gallup Student Poll, "Engaged Today-Ready for Tomorrow," three-quarters of fifth graders feel "involved in and enthusiastic about school," but only one-third of eleventh graders feel the same. In an effort to address low student engagement, many schools are looking to technology and becoming future ready.

"Future ready" isn't just a trendy buzzword. It means guiding students into a high-tech, fast-paced world. Future ready schools prepare students to succeed as adults. As part of their efforts, schools are integrating teacher mobility into the classroom and seeing increased student engagement.

For generations, educators have known that students perform better when their teacher moves around the classroom. This hasn't changed in the digital era. In fact, as mobile technology progresses, school IT professionals and educators are seeing the benefits of enhanced mobility. There are seven key elements (called "gears" in The Alliance for Excellent Education's Future Ready Framework) for school administrators and IT professionals to consider when making their schools future ready. Wireless display is an important classroom tool that can enhance each of these critical elements.

Curriculum, instruction, and assessment

Today's students live in a mobile world, and keeping their attention in school is an ever-increasing challenge. To be effective, educational content and its delivery have to keep pace with the times. The gold standard of education is personalized curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Future ready schools help teachers meet that standard.
Curriculum
Students no longer need to sit in rows facing the front of the room. Mobile technology enables the creation of work groups and collaboration spaces. With this newfound freedom in how curriculum is delivered, educators have more materials to choose from. With access to realia at their fingertips, students benefit from a more relevant curriculum.
Instruction
Teacher mobility bolsters student attention, retention of knowledge, and performance. Experienced educators and education researchers have long recommended that teachers move around the room, engaging with students whenever possible. Classroom agility makes it easy for teachers to monitor student behavior, identify issues quickly and help off-task students refocus, without interrupting instruction. When they aren't tied down with wires and cords, teachers can move more freely around the room to monitor and assist students.
Assessment
All schools strive to use assessments that accurately measure student achievement. It's critical that assessments be effective, relevant, and current. In future ready schools, formative assessment can be done in real time, allowing teachers more precision in adapting their instruction on the fly. Teachers can record and analyze responses from individual students during normal classroom activities, identifying problems before it's too late.

Future ready schools take advantage of mobile tools to make curriculum more relevant, instruction more accessible, and assessment more meaningful. Mobile tools enable teachers to differentiate their instruction and provide individualized attention.

Use of space and time

One of teachers' biggest objections to adopting new technology is the amount of space and time required. Fortunately, as technology improves, the space and time commitments go down.

As the school-age population grows, many schools are facing space constraints. Mobile technology helps alleviate this by making computer labs a thing of the past. Schools are able to convert their computer labs into regular classrooms, and students have quick and easy access to technology anywhere in the building.

Digital materials take up less space than traditional classroom materials. When classroom devices are mobile and don't require cords, everything is more streamlined. Both students and teachers use their space and time more effectively when they have the right tools. Wireless display technology gives them access to more and better materials while helping them use their time more effectively.

Robust infrastructure

Of course, even the best software is useless without the right infrastructure. A school must have the right mobile devices and the infrastructure needed to support those devices.

Schools that already have wi-fi in place can easily incorporate wireless display devices, enhancing their current infrastructures with upgraded mobile devices for users.
Tablets
Many schools today issue tablets to students or have them on hand in the classroom. They're ideal for personalizing content and making digital materials easily accessible to students.
Laptops
Because today's laptop computers are sufficiently powerful, they have quickly replaced traditional computer labs. Many schools have a shared inventory of laptop computers that can be moved from room to room.
Wireless Display
Whether a school is equipped with tablets, laptops, or both, wireless display technology can make the schools' existing technology even more useful to both teachers and students. Screen mirroring can be accomplished on both tablets and laptops, and Miracast technology allows mirroring without using the school's bandwidth.

Wireless display technology is a critical component of the future ready school. Because of its power, security, and ease of use, ScreenBeam is the best screen mirroring solution on the market.

Data privacy

Privacy is a major concern in any school, and data privacy is extraordinarily important. Future ready schools use software and mobile devices with advanced security features. They also use a system of backups to prevent loss.

In addition to keeping records secure, school officials must also consider the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) when gathering and using data. There's also the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act to consider in schools with students under the age of 13. Many states have additional regulations. Future ready schools ensure that staff are current in their knowledge of laws and regulations. They have privacy plans in place to protect their institution, staff, and students. Their mobile devices and software include robust security measures that support their needs.

Community partnerships

Future ready schools can enter community partnerships to support their initiatives. The Microsoft Innovative Expert online community is one example of a place educators can go to learn more about how they can use technology to make their schools future ready. A community in which education professionals can exchange ideas and ask questions adds a layer of support.

Personalized professional learning

Educators know that personalization is critical in student learning. For schools that are adopting new technology and working toward future readiness, professional learning can be personalized, too.

Events such as the Arizona CIO/CTO Forum, the Northwest Council for Computer Education conference (NCCE), the International Society for Technology in Education conference (ISTE), and Microsoft EduDays are valuable opportunities for educators to learn about technology and techniques that are important to them. Breakout sessions and seminars allow attendees to focus on their specific areas of interest, ask questions, and exchange ideas.

Budget and resources

Future ready schools, like any school, seek to use their resources effectively to engage students and help them succeed. Although the use of technology has changed in recent years, the need to stick to a budget remains the same. Fortunately, becoming future ready by adopting mobile solutions doesn't have to be costly.

For example, ScreenBeam's miracast-enabled wireless display technology doesn't require hard wiring or upgrades to Wi-Fi systems. In most cases, existing mobile devices can be used with ScreenBeam.

By selecting technology carefully and keeping the existing infrastructure in mind, IT professionals and educators can stay within their budgets while building future ready schools.

All educators want to help their students become lifelong learners who are responsible citizens and able to compete in today's job market. Increasing student engagement has always been important in education, and mobile technology, including wireless display technology, enhances educators' ability to reach learners. When technology is integrated in the right ways, it has a huge impact on student success.

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21st Century Education: 7 Elements of Future Ready Schools - ScreenBeam Education Blog

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Student engagement is a major concern for today's educators. According to the 2015 Gallup Student Poll, "Engaged Today-Ready for Tomorrow," three-quarters of fifth graders feel "involved in and enthusiastic about school," but only one-third of eleventh graders feel the same. In an effort to address low student engagement, many schools are looking to technology and becoming future ready.