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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Ros</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I can only talk about my experience in an open
learning environment in TAFE. Several years ago I taught in IT at the
flexible learning centre at Cranbourne. The system was great for people
that had been in the workforce and could structure their time. These
people could work through their project and assignments without being distracted
by noise or activities around them. But young people straight from school
were continually disrupted by the activities around them. We started
giving structured classes in the open environment but it was too noisey and
students minds would be divided between your class and activities nearby.
We then divided their time between structured classes in closed rooms and
project time in the open learning. I don't know how they are
structuring it now, but a trip to look at the centre and talk to staff there
would be benificial to you.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Regards</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>John McIntyre<BR>Good Shepherd College<BR>Hamilton<BR><A
href="mailto:it@gsc.vic.edu.au">it@gsc.vic.edu.au</A></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Meadows.Roslyn.M@edumail.vic.gov.au
href="mailto:Meadows.Roslyn.M@edumail.vic.gov.au">Meadows, Roslyn M</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=ipm@edulists.com.au
href="mailto:ipm@edulists.com.au">IPM List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, September 12, 2005 2:36
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Year 12 IPM] (no subject)</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV id=idOWAReplyText93724 dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#800040 size=2>Our IT rooms,
Science block and several GPC's are to be demolished next year. These areas
are to be attached to our exisitng library, and the whole space reorganised.
(It will all be much smaller than the areas we have now - even though our
enrolments have increased) </FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#800040
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#800040 size=2>Our principal
is proposing to have an open plan area, where classrooms will be delineated
only by a change of floor covering, or by furniture. I am just interested if
anyone else has seen this open space learning system, how would it work with
175 kids and 7 staff in one large area? (4 Science classes and 3 classes in
the IT spaces). I have not been given any information about what the
advantages of this system might be, but numerous disadvantages spring to
mind.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#800040 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#800040 size=2>I have attached a pic of one of the
Options - all 4 options we have been given are based on this open learning
space system, they just change in the way the spaces are arranged. The light
dashed lines do not indicate walls, but perhaps just different coloured carpet
to "delineate" the areas. The bolder dashed lines indicate glass walls. The IT
"spaces" are about 7m X 9m.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#800040 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#800040 size=2>Any positive or negative
feedback about how this system would work, or how it has worked in other
schools would be much appreciated. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#800040
size=2></FONT> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV id=idSignature64090 dir=ltr>
<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=2>Ros Meadows</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=2>Bentleigh SC</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=2>9579 1044</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><A
href="mailto:meadows.roslyn.m@edumail.vic.gov.au">meadows.roslyn.m@edumail.vic.gov.au</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT color=#800000>"Furious activity is no substitute for
understanding." <B>H. H. Williams</B></FONT><FONT size=3>
</FONT></FONT></DIV></DIV>
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