An innovative ‘classroom within a classroom’ is set to help vocational students at a north east further education college engineer themselves a successful future. Darlington College has introduced the ‘lecturette’ into its engineering department to provide a classroom learning facility within one of the workshops on its town centre campus.
Designed by north east building surveying consultancy Harrow Consulting LLP, the lecturette provides an open-sided, fully-equipped classroom into which up to 18 students undertaking practical work can step if their tutors need to teach or discuss a particular topic with the whole group.
This means that there’s no need to disrupt lessons by having to move somewhere entirely different for this sort of learning, and also ensures that the students remain comfortable in their learning environment.
The lecturette, which has been designed as a pilot project, has been so well received by both students and teachers alike that it is now being considered for adoption in other parts of the college.
Trevor Hutcheon, Darlington College’s assistant director of estates, says:
“We’re always looking for new ways of improving the ways and facilities in which our students learn, and this project has already demonstrated clear benefits for everyone involved.
“The workshop is predominantly used by Level One NVQ students who are 16 or 17 years old, many of whom may not have enjoyed working in a traditional classroom scenario whilst at school and who now much prefer the hands-on aspect of their courses.
“The lecturette means that there is minimal disruption to teaching time during lessons, and that the students can get straight back out into the workshop to put the skills they’ve been learning about to practical use.
“We see this sort of innovative approach to classroom accommodation as very much part of the college’s future, and plans are already in development to add further lecturettes into other relevant learning areas.”
Harrow Consulting LLP is a Newcastle-based chartered building surveying consultancy which works with a growing range of private and public sector clients across the north of England.
The company, which has particularly expertise in the further and higher education sectors, won the design and project management contract for the lecturette through a competitive tender process.
Nick Rowling, director at Harrow LLP, adds:
“Designing further education facilities has to be done with the needs of the learner as the guiding principle, and Darlington College has set an excellent example of how institutions can approach this task with both practicality and creativity in mind.
“We’re very pleased with the response of the College staff and students, and look forward to working with all parties to implement this pilot scheme on a wider basis.”
Jan 8 2011 by North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC)
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