by Carly Milloy, Director of Advancement
When our new Head of College, Craig Davis, started his tenure at Pearson, he was immediately inspired by the expertise and dedication of the faculty. But stepping inside a few of the classrooms, he also realized that it was past time to modernize those spaces to meet the learning needs of today’s students.
This means having access to:
- Standardized equipment across classrooms to ensure quick and seamless setup of lectures, presentations, or cooperative workspaces
- Modern, durable technology that increases collaboration and allows faculty to meet the students on platforms and tools they are already using in their daily life
- Adaptable spaces on campus, so classrooms can be arranged according to the needs of any class or activity, and even places like residential Dayrooms can serve as additional classroom space as needed
Led by Jordan Bolay (faculty member and Learning Support, Education Technology and Library Support Coordinator), our faculty are helping to decide what they need most to improve their teaching spaces. We want to ensure they can continue to do their job well, in ways that level power dynamics within the classroom and promote engagement.
Pearson Economics teacher and alumna (Year 27/2002, Canada-BC) Julia Clark told me, “I often create “Think– Pair–Share” workshops where students mix and match in different groups. This makes students accountable for sharing information and creates space for students who are less comfortable speaking in large groups to contribute. With static desks, students tend to cluster with the same folks and sit in the same place. Flexible set-ups would allow for more engagement, more discussion, more cross-pollination, and the necessary movement to keep kids awake!”
Upgrades like this can also break down the walls of the classroom entirely. Faculty can invite subject experts – like our knowledgeable alumni from all over the world – to virtually host a class, creating opportunities for interactions that would never be possible in our traditional environment.
We estimate upgrades will cost at least $5,000 per classroom, and our plan is to fully equip 15 classrooms on campus. This project has been the focus of our spring fundraising campaign, and we have seen both parents and alumni step forward enthusiastically with their support – they know exactly what a difference these upgrades will make.
If you haven’t yet had a chance to contribute, you can make your gift online to help make sure our classrooms are ready to welcome students back this fall.