As an architect, lately I have been researching the future of the movement, and yes, it does not seem to be related to education but as a matter of fact, it is all about education.
Too low activity levels and sedentary lifestyle among the youth and adults alike is becoming a serious global health issue. It is proven that even a little movement helps to renew the brain, making us more able to study or take in new information. This is why space where we study in, and of course the way we study, is very important and thus it is relevant to understand what and why makes us focus more and what makes us active. What inspires us to go out and exercise and what are the spatial factors that play an important role in environments that stimulate movement. Are these elements related to lifestyle, location or environment?
Even though movement is important everywhere, it’s especially important in schools as that’s the spatial condition where the new generation develops and forms their habits. Currently, we’re shaping a society with a lot of sitting on our smartphones. The challenge is to intelligently integrate the physical and the digital world in a positive and healthy manner.
It is probably clear that the way we evolve and study are largely different nowadays. Technology is a vital part of our lives, and thus also the way we get information has changed. We have to embrace the positive side of the technology while at the same time we remove and fix the issues that arise with it. We live in a digital world and the only way is forward.
As the act of collecting and acquiring information is becoming more and more digitized we should maybe start thinking about smart environments or smart spaces next to smartphones. These would then be spaces that empower and incorporate modern technology (IoT edc) and to inspire and stimulate learning and moving (duality of body and mind). Maybe let’s go wild, these environments should offer us everything that we need. Smart environments should also be two things at the same time. On the one side they should be the manifestation of the modern digital world that we live in but also they should show us the way to the more basic quiet and simple world where we can rest and regroup. And maybe the highest tech thing to do is to give us the opportunity to be free from tech for a minute or two. Give us the tools and knowledge to get out of our heads or our phones and into the real world by maybe exercising or meditating etc.
Author: Mae Köömnemägi
Garage48 EdTech Moldova 2018 (23 - 25 February) development weekend is co-organised with CIVITTA Moldova under the auspices of Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Estonian Development Cooperation.
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