Ashley McGraw Presents at 2023 A4LE LearningSCAPES Conference in Chicago
On Saturday, October 14, 2023, Nicholas Williams, Principal; Catherine Wolfe, Associate Principal/Senior Interior Designer; and Gretchen Craig, Architectural Designer presented at the 2023 A4LE (Association for Learning Environments) LearningSCAPES Conference in Chicago. The presentation, “Data Driven Approaches to STEAM Design: A District’s Path to Engaging All Learners,” discussed data-driven approaches to STEAM design and how districts can use new or reinvigorated spaces to stimulate student success and participation.
Through thoughtful design, STEAM spaces can produce several positive results. Such as engaging students in the curriculum, increasing test scores, and improving overall student satisfaction. These impacts are best represented through Ashley McGraw’s work with Groton Central School District.
Ashley McGraw has worked closely with Groton to develop a STEAM space for their Jr./Sr. High School. Data gathering and study showed that students who were previously the most disengaged in the classroom were the most positively affected by the introduction of the STEAM space. The engagement brought about by the new space was then transferred to the traditional classroom setting, further impacting the learning of the overarching curriculum of the school.
The success of the STEAM space in Groton’s Jr./Sr. High School has led to the development of an additional space that will be located in the district’s Elementary School. Even at a young age students should be provided the resources to stimulate their engagement and positively impact their learning. This new space hopes to provide that.
Through this presentation, our team discussed what goes into creating these spaces so that more students have the opportunity to experience the benefits they provide.
The presentation featured four key learning objectives:
IDENTIFY how the design of reinvigorated learning spaces impacts student success and engagement.
REALIZE that research can help determine the impact the design of space has on its users.
LEARN how to conduct their own post-occupancy research with their students.
EXPLORE how to better align the curriculum to meet the individual needs of students.
