Work Stations
Work Stations are currently in use in my classroom, where students can approach an area of the class to accomplish some specific task or utilize particular tools. There is a mix of mentoring work stations and independent work stations. Oftentimes the physical function of a work station will remain consistent, but whether the station is mentored or independent changes. This is usually in support of classroom needs, but sometimes the needs are mismatched or cannot be met. In these situations, it is often easy to reflect on the stations with the classroom and gain some useful conclusions about improving the stations.
What and Why
The work stations are based around a Design Thinking cycle, and include activities like interviewing, brainstorming, storyboarding, hot glueing, or presenting. Some of the major reasons I use them are the promotion of:
- Self-paced learning, which relates to the “Challenging Activities” referenced by Designing effective activity centers for diverse learners (Hilberg, 2003).
- Utilizing credible information sources that are disassociated from the teacher. Hilberg also recognizes the value of this in the Joint Productive Activities standard.
Positive Environment
These workstations contribute to a positive classroom environment. Even it situations where they are the source of issues and challenges, students are able to reflect on the causes of the issues and take ownership in redesigning the stations for more effective use in the future, or by the use of other classes.
For new classes, the experience can be challenging. Use of the workstations can feel chaotic and non-traditional, especially with older students who expected lectures. In these cases, I find it useful to review literature on progressive educational philosophies, so that the concepts can gain credibility through citation and well-respected organizations.
References and Further Reading
Freire, P. (1993). A Critical Encounter. London. Routledge.
Hilberg, R.S., Chang, J., & Epaloosse, G. (2003). Designing effective activity centers for diverse learners: A guide for teachers at all grade levels and for all subject areas. Retrieved from http://manoa.hawaii.edu/coe/crede/wp-content/uploads/Hilberg_et_al_20031.pdf