Get Involved In Classroom Design: A Grant to Upgrade Your Classroom

Have you ever been frustrated by the largely immobile set-up of a typical classroom? Have you ever wished for the opportunity to redesign the space in which you teach?

Here’s an opportunity: if you teach grades 8–12 or at an institution of higher education, Steelcase – a company that sells products and services for corporate offices, classrooms, and healthcare settings – is offering some substantial grants for you to redesign your classroom into an “active learning center.” The awards range from $35,000 to $50,000, and they include all equipment, installation, instruction, and communications. Applicants get to select from three “styles” of active learning classrooms: a “verb classroom,” a “node classroom” or a “blended classroom.” This year, 15 grants will be awarded, and the deadline for a proposal is coming up very soon: February 27.

Getting involved in classroom design is one way to contribute to changing the way teaching and learning take place on our campuses. We just learned of this innovative grant yesterday, and hope that this post will encourage many of our readers to apply. To find out more about the proposal requirements consult this grant proposal guide (PDF).

Have you ever participated in classroom redesign? Share your experiences in the comments.

[CC-licensed Flickr photo by Katie Walker]