CREATIVE SPACES FOR
CREATIVE MINDS
I
n an age dominated by technology,
the need to provide children with
creative, hands-on learning is
paramount.
Speaking at GESS Dubai in Feb 2018
on behalf of Gratnells, Prof Peter
Barrett stressed the importance of
flexibility and personalisation in the
creation of engaging learning spaces
to optimise learning outcomes. This
can often be achieved with creative
teaching environments, where the
flexibility allows students to work in
teams, collaborate, and explore new
ideas, encouraging investigation and
creativity.
Practical experiences inspire and
engage students to a higher level and
investigation and experimentation is
an important part of learning, building
confidence
and
inquisitiveness.
Without enquiry and investigation, we
would not get to explore boundaries,
and students would not learn to
discover, invent and innovate.
With skills in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
becoming an increasingly important
part of basic literacy in today’s
knowledge
economy,
Gratnells,
experts in educational storage
and resources, has introduced the
MakerSpace trolley as the latest
addition to its Callero range in the
drive to provide the education sector
with storage solutions that meet the
increasing demand for space-saving,
flexible, secure storage for multiple
disciplines across the curriculum.
In STEM subjects, investigation and
experimentation are an important part
of learning, building confidence and
inquisitiveness. Practical experience is
already proven to have greater learning
outcomes and better retention
amongst students than structured
teaching and lecture models, bringing
the theoretical to life.
An innovator in classroom design,
Gratnells is committed to improving
learning environments, and the learning
experience, for children and teachers
alike. With over 65 years’ experience
serving schools and colleges and close
working relationships with leading
European furniture manufacturers,
Gratnells is now even better placed
to meet the needs of the education
sector in the UK.
Gratnells believes the goal of a
MakerSpace is to empower students
to see themselves as inventors,
builders and creators, allowing for
the learning of new skills through trial
and error by experiencing failure,
exploring alternatives and problem-
solving to improve on ideas and most
importantly promoting collaborative
learning.
Just a few months after its launch,
Gratnells MakerSpace trolley was
awarded a prestigious industry award.
The Worlddidac Awards are held every
two years and are run by the global
trade association for the educational
resources industry, Worlddidac, to
recognise innovation in educational
products and solutions. Candidates for
the award must pass an independent
evaluation by a national teacher’s
panel and present the features and
benefits of their product before a
jury of international experts in Bern,
Switzerland. Announcing the award,
Worlddidac found the MakerSpace
trolley
“to
be
a
particularly