In the fall of 2016, Associate Professor of Science (STEM) Education Bhaskar Upadhyay from the University of Minnesota, met with Project Leader Nicole Snedden, to set a plan to research and measure how student engagement and teacher instruction were impacted from the 2015-16 Design for Learning Grants. A small group of focus teachers (4) were selected to be a part of this research. Teachers met with Bhaskar and Nicole in the early fall to set up the research parameters. Goals included:

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• To define the basic elements that create a successful classroom space for Minnetonka Elementary Schools.

• To document and understand the role that classroom space plays in classroom engagement and academic growth in students.

• To document and understand the role that classroom space plays in student learning (cognitive – content) including discovery, exploration and active learning.

• To document and understand the role that classroom space plays in and non-cognitive skills such as cooperation, respecting others ideas, critical thinking, working in a diverse community, and community building, including movement, motion, movement, play and flexibility.

• To document characteristics of an academically and socially successful classroom space.

  • For students

  • For teachers

  • For school administrators

  • For parents

• To understand and document some important ways to successfully partner with local community leaders, residents, students, teachers, school staff, school leaders, and designers to work together on improving classroom spaces.

• To document and understand how classroom spaces can be environmentally sustainable.

• To document and understand how classroom spaces aid in student learning by providing basic needs such as the light, sound, health, safety, and sensory for better learning.

• To develop a potential list that helps to plan immediate, short-term, and long-term actions to improve classroom spaces for the future.

Collecting Various Data points was essential to the research and the team decided on the following three areas to look at:

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• Survey (once) – Student & Teacher

• Observations (Often) – Student Activities

• Interviews (Focus Group)– Student & Teacher