Many London-area public school students will soon be able to utilize online learning resources without being confined to an indoor classroom.
The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) has begun expanding learning opportunities by installing exterior Wi-Fi access points and outdoor education classrooms on school grounds at urban, suburban and rural schools.
By enhancing these spaces, the school board said staff and students have already been able to take advantage of the spaces by using tech such as Chromebooks and other educational apps outside of the classroom to experience more creative learning activities.
"Together, these resources are offering Thames Valley students more innovative ways to learn," said Associate Director Jeff Pratt. "We've seen amazing feedback from our school communities that are already making use of their outdoor classrooms and Wi-Fi access. We look forward to bringing outdoor classrooms to even more of our schools in the future."
The TVDSB launched outdoor classrooms last year at 20 local elementary and secondary schools by repurposing unused Outdoor Education funding.
Stone benches and other natural materials have been utilized to create outdoor classrooms. During the 2021-22 school year, three more schools had outdoor classrooms installed. The TVDSB said it has plans to expand the outside learning areas to 15 more schools.
The access point locations were determined in consultation with school principals to ensure convenient access for students and staff.
