ProjectProposal

Overtheyears,thecultureofournationhasdeveloped,changingthewaythatstudentslearn,makingthe
originalclassroomdesignsthatarestillutilizedtothisdayobsoleteandinsufficient.Theclassroomwillbe
centeredongroupprojects,withthefocusoncollaborationwithsemicircledeskstoallowgroupstoeasily
worktogether.Thelearningprocessofmoderndaystudentshasdevelopedtoincludebasic21stcenturyskills,
asstudentsareexposedtotheseonadailybasisinotheraspectsoflife,butthecurrentclassroomdesignsfailto
meettheseneeds.
Today,manypeopleassociatebeingcomfortablewithrelaxingandbeing
distractedfromtheworkathand.However,contrarytopopularpractices
frompublicschools,beingcomfortableincreasesproductivityandhelps
thestudentstofocus.ResearchbyHermanMillerhasprovedthat
providingergonomicallydesignedfurnitureintheworkplacecanincrease
thefocusanddriveoftheindividual.Thisclassroomdesignincorporates
thecomfortofthestudentsbyprovidingcomfortableofficechairsthat
aresignificantlymorecomfortablethancurrentchairsusedbyMountain
Vista.
Collaborationisanincreasinglyimportant21stcenturyskillneededin
todayssocietyandworkplacestoensuresuccess.
Groupprojectsseemtobemoreandmorecommonin
highschoolclasses,forcingstudentstoworkwithone
another.Traditionally,deskswouldneedtobemoved
inordertoformgroupswherestudentshavetheability
tobettercollaborate,takingtimefromtheclassto
ensurethatthegroupsaremade,andthenreturned
correctlytotheirpreviousplaces.Havingfour
semicirculardesksfacingthewallaroundtheroom,
withtwoattachedinthecenteroftheroomforminga
largergroup,allowsgroupprojectstobethecenterpiece,withanincreasingfocusoncollaborationand
communication.
Technologyinoursocietyisbecomingmoreandmoreimportant,integratingintonearlyeveryaspectof
ourlives.Inordertosucceed,studentsneedaworkingunderstandingofhowtoefficientlyincorporateand
utilizethisvaluableresource.Manygroupprojectsrequirestudentstoconductresearchandcomposetheir
findingsintoafinalprojectlikeawebsiteorpresentation.Withthisinmind,studentsarenormallyrestrictedto

justacoupleofcomputers,forcingthosewithoutcomputerstohuddlearoundthosewhodopossessthe
computers.Toallowthestudentstogetmoreworkdone,havingtwo
monitorsmountedattheendsofthetableswouldallowthewhole
grouptoseewhatisgoingon,andallowingstudentstobetter
multitask,increasingproductivity.
Traditionalclassroomsaredesignedprimarilyfortheteachers,
allowingthemtobethecenterpointandhavefullcontrolofthe
learningenvironment.Thisnewclassroomdesignisdesigned
primarilyforthestudents,butbenefitstheteachers.Withtheedgesof
thetablesbackedagainstthewallsandeachother,theteacherhasa
commandingview,withtheabilitytoeasilymovearoundandkeeptabsonallthegroups.
Ourworldhasbeenincreasingincolor,fromourclothing,houses,andevenwithourtransportation.
RecentresearchperformedbyKendraCherry,apsychologist,explainshowthedifferentcolorsofour
environmentstimulateourbrainsindifferentways.Thetablesintheclassroomwouldvarybetweentwocolors
whichbothhelpandstimulatethebrain,encouraginglearning:blueandyellow.Blue,acolorthatis
continuouslyisassociatedwithsadness,helpstocalmthesubjects,promotinganenvironmentoftranquility.
Yellowcancommonlybeassociatedwithstress,butironically,ithelpstodevelophopeandoptimism,driving
thoseexposedtothiscolortoaccomplishwhattheyaredoing.
Somemisgivingstothisclassroomideaaresimple,butcandrasticallyshapeanddeterminethe
effectivenessofthismodel.Thefirstdoubtcouldbewhereisthecenterofattentiongoingtobe,andwhatifthat
attentionneedstobeshifted?Thechairsthathavebeenproposedareofficechairs,thereforetheyhavewheels
allowingstudentstoswivelandeasilyadjusttodifferentlocationswitheaseandspeed.Itcouldalsobeargued
thatthecentertableswillnotbeabletoreceivepowerfortheirmonitors.Thiscanbesolvedbyusingwhatis
alreadyinplace,andthatistheprojector.Theprojectorisinthe
middleoftheroomattachedtotheceiling,butusesonlyoneof
thetwoavailablepluginoutlets.Thisprovidesanoutlettorun
apowercorddowntothetable.Standardizedtestingisa
constantissue,asitisrequiredbynearlyeverystudent.This
classroomdesigncreatesamajorissueregardingcheatingon
thesetestsandotherquizesrequiredinthecurriculum.The
simplesolutionisratherbasic,butcanworktoadegreeof
efficiency.Largefolders,aboutafoottallpreventingpeeking,andprotrudingfromthetablereducesthis
prominentissueofstudentscheatingduringexams.

Thetwelvemonitorsrequiredbythisclassroomsetupwouldbeofnocost,astheschoolcurrentlyhas
severalcomputermonitorsawayinstorage.Thesixtableswouldcostapproximately$254each,comingtoa
totalof$1530.Theofficechairswouldcometoatotalof$1600,withabout$50each.Thepowercordrequired
toprovideelectricitytothecentraltablescomesto
$43.Thetotalpriceforthisclassroomdesignto
$3,173,$422morethanthecurrentdesign.This
pricedifferenceisnotinsignificant,andcouldbe
detrimentaltotheideassuccess,buttheextramoney
wouldprovideamoreefficientlearningspace,and
increaseproductivityandthesuccessofthestudents.
Thecurrentdesksarebeingreplacedatarateof
approximately100chairsperyear,amountingto
about$800.Thenewfurniturehasahigher
durability,allowingittolastlonger,savingtheschoolmoneyinthelongrun,allowingthemoneytobeused
moreefficientlyinotheraspects.Allpricesprovidedareretail,andindividual,disregardingthebulkandwho
theproductwouldbefor(theschooldistrict).
Classroomsovertheyearshaveremainedstagnantandunchanging.However,thestudentsthatthe
classroomsaresupposedtohelpteachareconstantlyevolvingwithmoderncultureanditsneeds,but
classroomsfailtokeepup.Byupdatingtheclassroomstomeettheneedsofthecurrentstudentsandthe
demandsthatarebeingplaceduponthem,theefficiencywillincrease,andtheproductwillbebetterprepared
studentsequippedwiththerequired21stcenturyskills.