Education
How can we improve our teaching spaces? Help us come up with ideas
What would be your ideal teaching space? Should all rooms have a digital whiteboard on the wall where students can draw or type their ideas? Should all the tables and chairs be on wheels to make it easy to form groups in class? Or do you already teach in the way you want to and is there nothing about our rooms that you would change?
Leiden University is working on a ‘cookbook’ for teaching rooms: a practical guide with ideas and solutions to improve teaching environments. This can be used when constructing new buildings or refurbishing existing ones. It could include new digital tools and equipment, and other options such as furniture, sustainability, accessibility, acoustics or lighting. The cookbook will provide tips for adapting teaching rooms to the best teaching method for you and your students. This will improve the student learning process and make the rooms more user-friendly for teaching staff.
Share your input
We are inviting students and teaching staff to share their innovative ideas at a session on Tuesday 28 January 2025. Tell us what does – and more importantly, what does not – work in our current teaching spaces. What would your ideal learning environment be like?
Why should you take part?
- You will help create teaching spaces that meet your needs
- You will develop your ideas and work with students and colleagues on practical solutions
- You will help make our teaching future-proof and more inclusive.
Sign up now
Are you a teacher and would you like to share input in the session? Sign up at cookbook@ufb.leidenuniv.nl. Technophiles and technophobes alike are welcome. All that is needed is enthusiasm and the willingness to share your ideas.
Current financial situation and implementation
Given the current financial situation, the cutbacks and the recent refurbishment of some teaching spaces, we will not be able to adapt all spaces as soon as the cookbook is completed. In this phase, the focus is on small-group spaces to make them suited to different teaching methods and create more uniformity. This will allow for more efficient use of these spaces when timetabling. Adaptations or innovations from the cookbook will be implemented in a phased and cost-efficient way, for example by only replacing furniture or equipment when it has reached the end of its operational life.