Design and functionality in a school facility can have a significant impact on the learner experience. No space offers an opportunity to incorporate modern learning styles better than the media center, already the most adaptive and consistently changing space in any given school facility. When learning outpaces design, schools and districts face the challenge of sufficiently adapting to accommodate all students. Prevalent technology use and an expanded understanding of student learning techniques have spurred the reconfiguration of the media center to become a hub for students of every learning style.
The traditional methods of storing, sharing and disseminating media/information have also shifted with the greater understanding of the learner experience. This constant metamorphosis is evidenced by the space’s many titles over time; the library became the IMC which later transformed into the media center, learning commons or instructional center.
The flaw of outdated spaces is that the design of the media center may not reflect or support these changes, in turn leading to under-utilization of and lack of student engagement with the space. This presents both a challenge and major opportunity for schools to reconsider the role of the media center. What would it take to get your facility’s media center up to speed with the dynamic needs of today’s learners?
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