The document discusses the concept of "transformative learning spaces" and whether large-scale, rapid educational transformation is realistic within the British education system. While the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative aims to catalyze accelerated change through funding for new school buildings, there are doubts about whether true transformation can be achieved given democratic and institutional constraints. Gradual, participatory change that increases student involvement may be more effective than top-down, politically driven transformations.

1. “Transformative” learning spacesCarlo PerrottaFuturelabApril 2010Friday, May 07, 2010

2. The expectation is that the proposed changes should not be merely incremental or simply aspirational – they should be innovative and ambitious, and bring about rapid and accelerated change (PfS, 2007).Friday, May 07, 2010

3. These changes, many of which will be innovative, radical and a significant departure from present and historical practice are intended to bring about step changes in outcomes for children and young people (PfS, 2007).Friday, May 07, 2010

4. BSF funding will act as a catalyst to enable the changes to be effected and to lever improvement at a faster rate than would otherwise be the case (PfS, 2007).Friday, May 07, 2010

5. Transformation is...FastAcceleratedRadical AmbitiousNot incrementalSigns of over-promising and under-delivering?Beyond buildings: procuring BSF sustainably, November 2009 - Westminster Sustainable Business ForumFriday, May 07, 2010

6. BSF is being delivered...During 2008/09, 54 schools were opened under programme, compared with a total of 42 in the first four years of the initiativeMore than 200 schools a year are scheduled to open from 2011 onwards... But is it really going to “transform” education?Friday, May 07, 2010

7. Rapid (and traumatic) educational transformation did happen before...Friday, May 07, 2010

8. Democratic change in an institutional, multi-faceted and highly contested domain... is SLOW!19741944191219922010Friday, May 07, 2010

9. Is perhaps pupil involvement the route to transformation?“The relationship between people and their environment is complex, and therefore any outcomes from a change in setting are likely to be produced through an involved chain of events. It is the defining and understanding of these mediating chains that is key and must take account of issues relating to ownership, relevance, purpose and permanence”. (Woolner et al, cited in PWC, 2007, Technical Report- Appendix E - p19). Friday, May 07, 2010

10. Still little participation in capital programmes58% have never heard of redesign programmesA further 25% have heard of them but know little elseOnly 6.5% know exactly what they areOf those who were aware of capital programmes, 60% have never not been involved in related activities Futurelab survey on pupil involvement in capital programmes - 2,967 respondentsFriday, May 07, 2010

11. New methods are being adopted to involve children in research and development activities as partnersUK is leading the way in this areaThere has been an underestimation of the sophistication and ability of young people to talk about design and wider educational issues PP can be tokenistic and restrictedIt does not take a systems approach to educational reformPupil participation in school design (Woodcock et al, 2010 –forthcoming)Friday, May 07, 2010

12. Who talks about transformation anyway?Politicians: the tyranny of the electoral cycle“governments tend to overestimate what they can achieve in the short term (and therefore become frustrated and disappointed) and underestimate what they can achieve in the longer term (and therefore pay it too little attention)” Geoff MulganConsultants, who can help you deliver your transformation for a fee Friday, May 07, 2010

13. Back to BSF...Schools still need to state how they are going to “transform”And they are going to be accountable...Is this slightly unfair?What about curricula and assessment regimes?Friday, May 07, 2010

14. The market place of transformation“...the forces that conspire to bolster the status quo in the face of transformational intentions. (in such a scenario) We can expect incremental improvement at best”.Friday, May 07, 2010

15. Their solution?Friday, May 07, 2010

16. Let’s discuss...Are the historical conditions for “transformation” present in the UK?Can transformation, conceived as a rapid, radical change occurring in a short time frame, be achieved in the context of checks and balances of “normal” deliberative democracy?should we be talking instead of old-fashioned, slow CHANGE, perhaps even INCREMENTAL?Friday, May 07, 2010