How creative learning spaces and blended learning are leading the New European Bauhaus

The New European Bauhaus movement is encouraging creative, contemporary, and sustainable teaching methods that will help propel learning into the future and provide a healthy environment for all students. The following article will look at some projects and resources that are promoting innovative learning styles across Europe.

Schools creating their own spaces

Image by: Marcin Polak/ Vittra Telefonplan

Sweden’s Vittra School Telefonplan has designed their school to be the antithesis of the modern classroom. With the help of the students, Vittra staff “work with colours, materials, textures and light to create playful spaces that fuel creativity, imagination and innovation.” The school’s learning spaces, with names such as “The Cave” and “The Mountaintop”, allow students to choose where they feel most comfortable. The school focuses mainly on digital learning, providing students with creative areas where they can do both individual and group work.

Image by: Teddy Strandqvist / Hyllievång School

The Hyllievång School in Malmö is another school playing with design and space to get the most from its students. Again, the emphasis is taken away from the traditional structure of the classroom, and spaces are designed around the children’s needs. The school utilises a transparent and open-space approach by having virtually no hidden spaces; even its cables, water system and ventilation system are visible through glass, and the school itself is surrounded by a surface water trench for learning purposes. Various sports facilities have been incorporated into the space, as well as outdoor classrooms on the upper terrace, and walled seating areas for students who prefer to study independently.

Blended learning

It is not just the design of physical classrooms that is changing, the education sector has also begun incorporating different learning tools, not only online but using nature, sports and local communities. With the COVID-19 pandemic reinforcing the growing need for flexible learning approaches in schools, it seems a hybrid approach to learning is here to stay.

As highlighted in the Council Recommendation on blended learning in November 2021, and in OBESSU’s report Through School Students’ Eyes: Impact and Challenges of COVID-19 on Education Systems in Europe, the transition to complete online learning was difficult for many schools, and now the opportunity to “build back better” and adapt to different forms of learning should be made a priority. Below are some examples of schools across Europe using blended learning to their advantage.

The Le Chéile Secondary School in Ireland uses the flipped classroom model, giving students access to video learning at home. By accessing a lesson at home, students can listen and learn at their own pace in a low-pressure environment. Students are given their own personal iPad, so that they can complete homework traditionally or digitally. Students are also allowed to choose which core subject – English, Irish, or Mathematics – they wish to partake in that day, while also pursuing more creative endeavours such as podcasting or videomaking.

Image by: Primary School no. 81, Łódź, Poland

Primary school no.81 in Poland encourages their students to use their imagination and creativity throughout the school curriculum. Their second-grade students were encouraged to start a class library filled with books created by the students and all school events are organised by the students with the teachers only overseeing the activities. This freedom has fostered a sense of mutual respect and trust among students and teachers.

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Additional information

Evidence:

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Funding source:

European Commission / National
Intervention level:

N/A
Intervention intensity:

N/A
Participating countries:

Sweden
Target audience ISCED:

Primary education (ISCED 1)

Lower secondary education (ISCED 2)

Upper secondary education (ISCED 3)