Students' Desired Spaces... Ulsan Office of Education Operates 'Area-Based School Space Innovation' in 9 Schools

Promotional poster for the 'School Space Innovation Project Final Sharing Session'.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] On the 21st, the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education held a real-time online “Final Sharing Session of the School Space Innovation Project,” which invested 2.6 billion KRW last year in nine schools.

The sharing session proceeded with sharing videos of space innovation progress by school, guidance on the 2021 project planning intent and types of learning space derivation by the general planner, case presentations from three schools, and storytelling sessions from six schools.

Wolpyeong Elementary School, which participated in the project, created a space centered around a storage room between the main building and annex by constructing a skybridge, a sand playground, and a storage learning room, making a space where learning, play, and rest are possible.

Dugwang Middle School transformed the backyard into a complex outdoor classroom where all students can gather for meetings and watch performances even when it rains.

Seonggwang Girls’ High School converted the unused 2nd and 3rd floors of the dormitory Dongbaek-gwan into learning and resting spaces for operating the high school credit system.

A student from Ulsan Happy School who participated in the storytelling session said, “I was very nervous to speak in front of people as a student representative for the first time,” and added, “I am very happy that our stories were heard and that we are able to carry out the space innovation we want.”

The School Space Innovation Project is a project class that uses school space as teaching material, unlike existing school facility improvement projects.

With the help of facilitators, faculty, students, and parents set goals, select target sites, explore cases, and go through discussions and consultations to innovate school spaces. The project aims to create a new school culture through this process.

An official from the city education office said, “We are planning area-based projects targeting school spaces that have not been attempted in the past three years, such as restructuring elementary school playgrounds and creating on-campus walking trails for outdoor activities of special needs students, so we look forward to the results.”