DLR Group facilitated a series of Programming Workshops to infuse innovation and research into VIDE's approved industry standard space programs. The sessions were built on the findings of the Curriculum & Instruction workshops and the resultant priorities identified for teaching, learning, technology, space types, and safety. Congruent with the programming sessions, DLR Group led informative sessions focused on Applied Learning in the Virgin Islands. Key goals and objectives included: 
​1. Explore how teaching and learning activities, learning modalities, and curriculum impact space and the impact, and success of an Inquiry Based Learning Model.

2. Study how a variety of space types with different qualities, including space size, openness, furniture options, acoustic qualities, and technology availability can support future-ready learning.

3. Explore space curricula alignment in USVI Public Schools through experimentation with a variety of space types, that when paired collectively, form an educational environment or learning-suite.
4. Explore how Applied Learning, including STEM, STEAM and Career and Technical Education (CTE), prepares students for the future by connecting secondary education with both college expectations and labor-market demands. 

5. Explore what impact Applied Learning could have in the Virgin Islands, within a social and economic context.

Programming

​Summary of Key Programming Take Aways
The Programming workshops were structured around space curriculum alignment in USVI Public Schools. Working in small groups, participants received a collection of small paper blocks, sized and scaled to represent actual learning spaces. Each of these blocks represented a space type. Groups were asked to consider the relationship of the space-type to the activities and learning modalities that it could support. Using their space types, participants were asked to design their ideal learning suite. Groups experimented with a variety of group sizes, cohort organization, and learner and educator choice. 

The multiple learning-suite options along with room units, class size, typologies, and distribution patterns created in these workshops will inform the final programs and organizations proposed in the Master Plan.​

​The workshops were held simultaneously on St Thomas and St Croix on March 5 and 6, 2020. Attendees included a broad cross-section of stakeholders and end users, including VIDE leadership, superintendents, principals, teacher union representatives, teachers, facilities staff and community members.
Why are space-types useful?
The concept of developing a variety of space types or kit-of-parts for the Virgin Islands was introduced as a strategy to provide equity across the Territory, while also providing flexibility to arrange the parts effectively for different sites and communities. 
A variety of space-types were proposed to support the ideal diversity-in-learning activities described in previous visioning activities. The following spaces, supported by group feedback, represent a variety of sizes, openness, and acoustic qualities. 

These spaces, when grouped together, form learning suites. Potential learning suites for K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 are included below.
Space Types
  • Open Collaboration Space
  • Maker Space
  • Outdoor Learning Space
  • Studio (Formerly Classroom)
  • Flex Studio
  • Small Group
  • PreK/Kindergarten Studio
  • Science
  • Teacher Planning Space
  • Storage ​

Potential K-5 Learning Suites

Potential 6-8 Learning Suite

Potential 9-12 Learning Suite

A detailed summary of Programming is outlined in the Educational Facility Master Plan. 
​Review the section on Programming at the link below.
04_vide_master_plan_20200629_programming.pdf
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