New Horizon’s Regional Education Center Establishes EDIE Research Lab
Background
The New Horizons Regional Education Center in Hampton, Virginia is part of the Governor’s School program administered by the Virginia Department of Education, Office of Advanced Learning. When they came to us asking for a creative, flexible learning space, we didn’t hesitate.
Challenges and Goals
New Horizons lacked a space where students from diverse fields such as biotechnology and engineering could work together. The objective was to design a modular learning space that could support collaborative research projects and flexible teaching arrangements. This space needed to accommodate multiple students working on different projects simultaneously, supervised by multiple co-teachers.
Implementation
We undertook the renovation project by supplying all the necessary furniture, cabinetry, whiteboards, and accessories from Media Technologies, custom-designed for the space. Key elements of the design included:
- Modular Workspaces: All workspaces were placed on casters, allowing for easy rearrangement to suit various project needs and group sizes. This flexibility ensured that the space could be quickly adapted for different types of activities, from large group discussions to small team collaborations.
- Lounge Seating and Room Dividers: To foster brainstorming and ideation, we included lounge seating and room dividers to create alcoves where students could focus on developing their best ideas. These comfortable and private spaces encouraged creativity and concentrated effort.
- Modular Cabinetry: Copious cabinetry allowed students to store their prototypes and materials securely when not in use. This organization ensured that the lab remained uncluttered and that students could easily access their work.
- Whiteboards: Whiteboards lining the walls provided ample space for students to visually represent challenging concepts and brainstorm prototype ideas. This feature was essential for collaborative learning and problem-solving.
Outcome
The transformation of the New Horizons Regional Education Center resulted in a dynamic, flexible learning environment tailored to the needs of high-achieving students and their educators. The new space allowed for seamless integration of research, ideation, discussion, and prototyping, supporting interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative problem-solving. Students from various disciplines could now work together effectively, guided by multiple educators, in a space designed to inspire creativity and collaboration.
The project successfully addressed the center’s need for a versatile learning space, enhancing the educational experience and fostering a collaborative culture among students and teachers. By providing a modular and adaptable environment, the New Horizons Regional Education Center can now better support the advanced learning and research activities essential to the Governor’s School program.