At School 5-18

Today’s Classroom

Classrooms are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of students. Allowing for different teaching and learning methods and to accommodate the changes in information and communications technology (ICT), today’s classrooms are significantly different than they were ten years ago.

  • School Design – how  Victorian government school classrooms are evolving and developing to meet the needs of students
  • Use of Technology – using technology in innovative ways to enhance learning
  • Team teaching – research shows students benefit from having teachers with a range of different experiences and skills
  • Group work – today’s classrooms are set up with flexible furniture to allow students to work together to achieve common goals

School Design

Victorian government school classrooms are constantly evolving and developing to meet the needs and requirements of today’s students.

Now more than ever, there is an awareness of how environment and access to resources impacts learning. With this in mind, Victorian government schools are designed to not only be durable and aesthetically pleasing, but also to be functional and relevant to modern learning needs.

Victorian schools offer flexibility in layout and design to support different learning styles and access to educational resources and new technologies.

Many new learning spaces also feature sustainable and progressive design elements that take into account respect for the natural environment and energy conservation.

All classrooms are designed with the student and their teachers in mind, with the central aim of improving student learning outcomes and to identify and address student learning needs.

Building the Education Revolution

The Building the Education Revolution (BER) program gives Victorian government schools a unique opportunity to provide modern learning spaces for current and future students.

The BER is a key element of the Australian Government’s Nation Building – Economic Stimulus Plan and funds the following innovative building programs:

  • Primary Schools for the 21st Century (P21) – involving the construction of new libraries, multipurpose halls, classrooms and the refurbishment of existing facilities.
  • Science and Language Centres for 21st Secondary Schools (SLC) – involving the construction of new or refurbished science laboratories or language learning centres.
  • National School Pride program (NSP) – involving the refurbishment of buildings, construction or upgrade of fixed shade structures, covered outdoor learning areas, sporting grounds and facilities, and green upgrades. 

For more information, see: BER

Use of Technology

Students and teachers in Victorian government schools are continually using technology in innovative ways to enhance their learning. Students constantly interact with technologies such as mobile phones, the internet and social networking tools outside the classroom and have an expectation that these technologies will also support their learning in the classroom.

Students and teachers are using technology to access new knowledge, communicate with experts outside the school, tap into resources across geographical boundaries and collaborate with parents and the local community.

Some of the technologies being used in schools include:

  • laptops, netbooks and tablets
  • Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)
  • the internet
  • digital microscopes
  • iPhones, iPads, iTouchs and iPods
  • robotics
  • GPS devices
  • interactive whiteboards.

Students are also using video conferencing and virtual classrooms to communicate, collaborate, access knowledge, form learning communities and link to experts globally.

Team Teaching

You may notice that your child has more than one teacher in their classroom. Research shows students benefit from having teachers with a range of different experiences and skills. Teachers working in the same classroom are able to see each other in action and alter their own teaching practice to make improvements to enhance student learning. Team teachers collaborate with each other to ensure that their students are getting the best possible learning opportunities.

Group work

Today’s Victorian government school classrooms are set up with flexible furniture to allow students to work together to achieve a common goal or project.

Your child probably isn’t just collaborating in the classroom either – they are most likely collaborating and working in groups online too.

Victorian government schools are increasingly setting up opportunities for students to work with other students from across Victoria, Australia and even the world. Not only does this give your child the opportunity to learn about other cultures but it also provides them with the skills to safely and effectively find answers to their questions online.

More information

For more information and to view examples of great school design, see: School Design Awards

For more information on strategies to improve the quality, participation and outcomes of education and early childhood development for Victorians, see: Research and Innovation

For more information on the department’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy, see: Environmental Issues (PDF)