The driving force behind both designs was providing flexibility. In the traditional classroom setting, teachers would have 25-30 students in the same space for 40 minutes. This left few, if any, options for large or small group instruction, collaboration between classes, or flexibility in teaching a class. In the new prototype classroom, however, teachers have a wide range of options in conducting their classes. Semester scheduling calls for class periods to be 80 minutes in length.
Teachers can plan more varied lessons.
Student supervision is not a problem, because the mini-lab can be seen clearly by two teachers. Computers face the window of the mini-lab, so teachers can monitor what projects students have on their screens. Teachers from adjacent classrooms can each have students use the shared mini-lab. At the same time, two teachers can collaborate on teaching in the two rooms. A third option might call for one teacher to conduct small group instruction in the mini-lab, while the other conducts large group instruction in the expanded classroom.