Go anywhere in the world, and schools are a focal point of every community. Without quality schools, students will not learn the skills that they need to master to succeed in the global economy or life in general.

If you have been studying the field of education closely, then you know that it is undergoing a metamorphosis. Students of today no longer respond to the school configurations and instructional strategies that our ancestors did. No, they grew up in a world that is dominated by and integrated with technology.

To educate today’s students, schools have to adapt to this and provide a modern education, that is infused with technology. To be successful, schools need to change how they do business, and their teachers have to add new skill sets to their repertoire. In this article, we will discuss 8 attributes of successful schools in the digital age.

First, it will come as no surprise that successful schools in the digital age are rich with edtech. Each student has at least one device—if not more. So schools need to accommodate that reality, including in mundane ways like having enough electrical outlets for charging devices.

Second, successful schools in the digital age are putting an increased emphasis on collaborative learning. The arrangement of learning spaces are keyed toward making it easy for student groups of various sizes to work together. This requires flexible space and movable furniture, as well as desks that can accommodate various groupings of students.

Third, the emphasis on personalized learning shows no sign of abating. So, learning spaces in successful schools have an arrangement that works for students who are engaged in different tasks at the same time, including students who need to focus quietly and others who are working together.

Fourth, community concern over school safety continues. Successful schools in the digital age are taking simple, practical steps to promote the physical safety of their students. The trick here is to avoid making a school look like a prison while still protecting the students.

Fifth, conformity is out. A quick look at successful schools in the digital age shows an incredible array of creative classrooms that feature virtually no resemblance to the orderly rows of yesterday.

Sixth, flexibility is the name of the game. Successful schools in the digital age are using furniture and other elements in a variety of ways.

Seventh, for most schools, the cost will continue to be an overriding issue. Successful schools in the digital age do more with less.

Eighth, successful schools in the digital age focus on STEM subjects. These schools provide increased space and facilities for the sciences, including dedicated makerspaces and labs.

Did we miss any?