Paradise Canyon students will experiment with tech in reimagined computer lab
On Tuesday, the second day of the new school year, a class of Paradise Canyon Elementary third-graders were treated to a sneak peek of the school’s completely renovated computer lab, and of what 21st-century learning could look like at La Cañada Unified campuses.
Gone was the boring beige signifying computer labs of yore. Instead, students spied polka-dot-covered walls, replete with hashtags and tech symbols, a green screen for filming web videos and message boards with words spelled out not in felt or paper, but in Lego blocks.
In place of boring rows of tables and chairs were sofas, pillows, beach mats and spherical bucket seats with retractable shades. Students in teacher Mickey Block’s class received random seat assignment badges and filtered in, looking around in bewilderment.
“This is different,” said third-grader Luca Williamson, plopping down on one of four turquoise sofas. “I don’t even see any computers — where’s the computers? Right when you walk in, you’re like, ‘What?’”
That’s exactly the response computer instructional specialist Kristine Babish, who designed the lab, was going for. Drawing Google’s office headquarters as her inspiration, she even borrowed the company’s concept of “20% time” by having students spend one of every five classes experimenting with projects centered around their personal passions, beliefs and questions about the world.
“I wanted a space where the kids could walk in and be fresh and ready to go. I want them to come in and make it their own space,” she said, pointing out the intentional absence of a “front of the room.”
The lab officially opens to all grades next week.
In an introductory lesson Tuesday, Babish used projected cartoon videos to impart class rules: No gum. Be a good friend. Keep your hands to yourself and leave toys at home. After the basics, she introduced the concepts of digital citizenship and being a good cyber friend and helped distribute some of the room’s 35 Google Chromebook laptops.
Jamie Lewsadder, LCUSD’s chief technology officer, said bringing computers into the classroom has made traditional labs obsolete.
“Everything that happened in those computer labs now happens in the classroom, so it was time to think bigger,” she said, as children playfully questioned the room’s Amazon Echo Dot. “This is really the future classroom. It’s an example of what the future could look like.”
After the lesson, Block instructed the students to tidy up for the next class and line up for the bell. As they stood, students continued to point out fun features and share feedback.
“We got VIP treatment — we’re the first class who’s ever seen this,” said Caitlin Aguilar to a friend. “This is so cool. I want to do my whole room like this.”
For Babish, the sneak peek seemed to indicate her efforts were a success.
“This is their space. I’m just happy to play in it,” she said.
Twitter: @SaraCardine
