Inspirations for Teaching in the Ideenlabor

The conscious disconnect from their devices helps students to concentrate and focus on what is happening in the room.

Students ensure their digital devices are switched on silent and place them in an allocated space when they enter the room. They do not return to them until the end of the session.

The digital-free zone is particularly suitable for

• Critical thinking
• Communication skills
• Collaborative work
• Multisensory experiences
• Deep thinking
• Hands on experiences
• Mindmapping and concept mapping
• In person contact
• Reflection
• Physical (writing) skills
• Reading
• Concentration
• Journal writing
• Exercising / moving

Supporting room features

Depending on the learning outcomes of your session, consider creating a relaxed set-up with various corners or stations, using room dividers to help concentration, and including round table(s) to support discussion and collaboration. Soft furnishings and cushions, as well plants also contribute to a relaxed atmosphere. Finally, make sure that your students have an alternative to their digital devices: provide paper, stationary, and crafts material, or books and other printed literature.

Preparation required

You will need...

... a dedicated space to place digital gadgets, so that they are out of the way and temptation to use them is removed.

... alternative materials for taking notes; many students may not carry pen and paper.

... materials for hands-on or multisensory activities.

Students engage in conversations that have been constructed to highlight various and contrasting, opposing, or conflicting points of view.

A discussion session is particularly suitable for developing

• Self-confidence
• Communication skills
• Collaborative work
• Expressing ideas
• Attention and active listening
• Listening and accepting
• Sharing values and beliefs
• Dialogue
• Constructive disagreement
• Polite conversation with people with opposing views

Supporting room features

Creating a relaxed set up will allow the discussion to flow more freely, and help in particularly those students who may be more reserved in standard settings to participate fully. The flexible furniture in the Ideenlabor allows you to use diverse set-ups, and use these to contribute to changes of perspective of your students. For small group discussions, you can create various corners or stations, or use the whole room for one large group. Using room dividers can help concentration, and round table(s) support a more collaborative discussion. Soft furnishings and cushions, as well as plants contribute to a relaxed atmosphere.

Preparation required

You will need to...

... consider the number of physical areas for discussion: small groups or whole class.

... provide a safe space: placing digital gadgets in a dedicated space can remove the fear of being recorded.

... consciously and explicitly guide students to ensure they have and maintain an open mind.

Students display a physical output from a project they have worked on (poster or item) and present this to the group.

Suitable for

• Public speaking
• Communication skills
• Collaborative work
• Visualization
• Focusing
• Modelling
• Summarizing
• In person contact
• Reflection
• Considering your audience
• Creativity
• Proactive participation
• Critical thinking and questioning

Supporting room features

Display sessions can be realised in a variety of settings. Depending on your learning objectives, the room can be set up to have one central focus point for presentations, or with a range of display points for concurrent, more informal presentations. As the furniture is modular and flexible, it is easy to create sufficient space for students to walk around the various objects on display. You will have display boards, whiteboards, a podium, a beamer and a large digital screen on wheels at your disposal to create the most suitable display area for your class.

Preparation required

You will need to consider...

...the furniture and set-up of various stations.

...the transport of the materials and items to be displayed.

...a careful time plan for each presentation or round of displays.

In an atelier session, students go around stations and solve a task at each station before continuing to the next station. This is a highly versatile session, and tasks can either compliment or contrast each other.

An atelier session is particularly suitable for developing

• Experience based learning
• Collaborative work
• Multisensory experiences
• Deep thinking
• Hands on experiences
• Problem solving
• Several skills in parallel
• Reflection
• Exercising / moving
• Exchanging ideas
• Peer learning

Supporting room features

An atelier session is incredibly versatile, as is the Ideenlabor as a space to host such a session. For an atelier, you need a room where you can start with an open space and create the required stations in. Room dividers are helpful to support focus and reduce distractions from people at other stations. Our mobile and modular furniture that can be set up in various ways to best support the type of station you want your students to learn at is ideally suited this type of session. Finally, a range of (mobile) digital and whiteboard screens provide collaborative work surfaces for students to work at.

Preparation required

You will need...

... a variety of tasks to be completed with a high degree of independence.

... materials for hands-on or multisensory activities.

... to carefully consider the furniture and space required for each station.

From presentations to group work

An input for the whole class, followed by a work phase in small groups.

• The seats are tidied away.
• A desk is set up for the teacher.
• The whiteboard tables are set up at the desired height and surrounded with chairs and stools.
• Each group is given a large screen or a projector.

More room dividers are available to minimize distractions from the other group.

From group work to plenary

The work done in the groups is presented and used in the plenary session.

• The room dividers are rolled to the side.
• The whiteboard tables are rotated to vertical to reveal the work that has been done.
• The seats are rearranged.

From fishbowl layout to frontal teaching

• The projector is set up.
• The seats are rearranged.

Our flexible interview room adapts to your needs. With modular furniture, creative development opportunities, and a relaxed atmosphere, without sacrificing presentation technology!

For structured strategy meetings or creative concept development in a pleasant environment.

A cozy space for relaxed conversation - ideal for informal meetings and creative discussions among colleagues.

A cozy space for relaxed conversation: the perfect space for informal meetings and creative discussions among colleagues.