A New Dialog about the Schools of the 21st Century

A high school student from Philadelphia describes her views on schools of the future

Washington, D.C. From the moment the 200 participants arrived, it was clear that the National Summit on School Design, hosted by the American Architectural Foundation (AAF) and KnowledgeWorks Foundation, would be much more than a conference in the traditional sense.

Invited participants (view participant list) included, among others, two superintendents from Ohio, a principal from Wyoming, an architect from Alaska, a high school student from Pennsylvania, a professor from Michigan, an education activist from New York, and a teacher from Virginia. These participants had traveled from across the United States and represented a wide range of professions and backgrounds. What brought them together for three days at the National Summit on School Design was a desire to share their knowledge and experiences, hear new and dissenting points of view, and ultimately arrive at some meaningful consensus around how the schools of the future should look, function, and support student learning and their communities.

The National Summit provided a unique opportunity for diverse stakeholders in the educational system to sit down together and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing educational facilities and communities in the United States. As Ronald Bogle, president and CEO of the American Architectural Foundation said, “The dialog we are engaging in at the National Summit has never been more critical. At a time when we as a country are spending nearly $30 billion a year on school construction, we must carefully listen to the people who spend their days in our schools and fully consider trends that foster learning and support communities.”

Ronald Bogle, president and CEO of the American Architectural Foundation, and Michele Norris of National Public Radio lead a discussion on learning and design trends with a panel of experts.

The National Summit actively engaged participants in a dialog about the challenges and tensions related to effective school design. Workshops, planned and facilitated by PennPraxis and PennGSE from the University of Pennsyvlania, allowed participants to grapple with school design issues through the lens of hypothetical community scenarios that were emblematic of real-world places with real-world problems. Participants evaluated statistics and debated the dilemmas facing such places as “Potterville,” “Vulcan,” and “Faber.” These workshops, each containing approximately 20 people, then broke down into smaller groups to address specific issues and provide recommendations and possible solutions. The personal interaction between participants of different backgrounds led to unexpected and informative conversations – the type of conversations that help change opinions and build awareness of divergent points of view.

When they weren’t debating the necessity of creating smaller schools or pondering the best way to create schools that are better integrated with the environment and community, participants were treated to speakers who helped challenge them and stretch their assumptions. These speakers included a keynote speech by noted author and Professor Emeritus of the Wharton School, Russell Ackoff, Ph.D., who explained the dangers of “Doing the Wrong Thing Right.” As Mr. Ackoff said in his address, “Schools ought to be about learning, not teaching. Far too often, society trains people to give an answer that is expected, stifling creativity.”

Participants discuss how to improve schools during a workshop session.

Another panel on “Trends Affecting the Future of School Design” featured school design experts and activists Elliot Washor, Ph.D., Roy Pea, Ph.D., David Sciarra, and Roy Strickland. The panel, moderated by Michele Norris of National Public Radio, gave participants a sense of the opportunities for schools of the future. An industry panel, moderated by Robert Ivy, editor of Architectural Record, explored how advances in technology, furnishings, ventilation and other areas can positively impact learning.

At the conclusion of the National Summit, PennPraxis and Penn GSE reported on findings from the workshops and other participant breakout sessions. Their synopsis highlighted areas of broad consensus, tension, trade-off, and opportunity surrounding a series of School Design Principles. Broad consensus was found around certain concepts, such as creating community-based learning models, equity in the distribution of resources, and community involvement in the design process, while other ideas remained more controversial or required further research. View the Preliminary Report from the National Summit.

AAF’s Great School by Design program will continue the work of the Summit through a number of programs. In the coming year, AAF will sponsor smaller forums to discuss specific issues such as school size, technology and community use and will hold School Design Institutes where mayors, school superintendents and design experts come together for an informed discussion. In addition, AAF will issue a complete report on the Summit in January 2006.

Great Schools by Design is made possible through the generous support of program co-founders: Herman Miller, Inc. and McGraw-Hill Construction. We are also grateful for support from the American Institute of Architects, Cisco Inc., KnowledgeWorks Foundation, PennPraxis, PennGSE, and our program alliance partners. Learn more about our Sponsors and Partners