CLASSROOMS
Classrooms: The Neglected Resource
Classroom instruction is a critical part of a student's educational experience, and classrooms comprise a significant portion of college and university real estate. Yet on many campuses classrooms are often among the most neglected
and problematic spaces on several fronts:
- Physical:
Need to refurbish and modernize antiquated classrooms
- Pedagogy:
Inadequate mix of classroom types to support existing and emerging pedagogies
- Scheduling:
Perceived large supply of rooms but space unavailable when and where needed
- Management:
Decentralized control and authority for classroom scheduling, planning and operations
- Technology:
Ad hoc approaches to determining need for and mix of instructional media
- Funding:
Lack of adequate funding for even basic classroom maintenance and upgrades (furnishings, technologies, etc.)
Biddison Hier, Ltd., over the past decade, has assisted institutions in developing comprehensive master plans for reinvesting in, scheduling and managing classrooms more effectively. Our work yields specific, implementable solutions such as:
- Recommendations for achieving the right mix of classroom sizes and types through "rightsizing" classrooms to modern square footage and furnishing standards and / or planning new instructional spaces
- Quantitative, objective data that highlights current utilization patterns and provides the foundation for significant policy changes in ownership / management / use of instructional spaces
- Identification of software, policies and procedures that facilitate better scheduling of classrooms
- Organizational changes that lead to improved management of classroom resources
Classroom Planning Case Studies
To see a list of schools and their case studies, click
here.
Example of Analysis
Quantifying room and seat utilization
identifies opportunities for better use
