Based on the research using user interview method, we found out few things that a student would need. One of the major things is safety. Students want to feel they're in a safe and friendly environment. They want to participate in activities where they won't be judged if they share their opinions. The research also indicates that a lot of students nowadays are feeling anxiety over their assignments and exams and they want to find ways to help them study in a less stressful way. As an example, Aryanaz during her interview mentioned "When I don’t understand what my teachers mean by explaining some things at the class it really stresses me out. What stresses me out even more is when I can’t get any help from anyone". Another student name Jared mentioned "I want to have teachers who are passionate about what they want to convey to their students and want their students to learn, not just to regurgitate information that is given to them”.

Using the user interview method, I consulted with Gizelle Thompson, who is a 4th grade Teacher/Mentor Teacher at Somerset Academy Skyway Campus, with a general focus on what can be changed about the classroom to most benefit her. She stated that she has had previous success with structuring her classroom around small groups, but that this was mostly contingent on student behaviors and that it “would be nice to have a teachers’ assistant in every classroom to help with either doing small groups or helping with behaviors depending on what is necessary”. She also had some ideas to help both students and teachers feel more energized at school where there would be “more movement, more hands-on activities.” Although she restated that there would be that need for an extra adult to supervise because along with more movement and hands-on activities it can quickly get out of control. I then questioned what she would change about the standard classroom set up. She expressed that students should have more comfortable chairs or some sort of alternative seating and that a larger classroom to section out the classroom for different purposes would be useful. She lamented that presently her room is so small that she cannot walk between the desks easily and that she tries to combat this lack of space by sending “kids out into the hall for small group time or independent study, but sometimes other teachers have the same idea and then kids become noisy with too many distractions”.

Engaged learning environments increase students' attention and focus while promoting meaningful learning experiences and encouraging them to practice higher level thinking and performance (The Importance of an Engaged Learning Environment). One of the benefits of an engaging learning environment is that it allows students to apply their knowledge in different ways that can be applied to daily life. Having better education provides stability within a student’s life by having better career opportunities that provide financial stability. Being well educated also can prevent someone from being taken advantage of (Why Is Education Important: All The Reasons To Stay In School).

The current workforce design is a reason for teacher isolation which impedes improved instruction and student learning (Mirel, et al.). The education system and conditions contribute to burnout and demoralization among teachers. This affects their ability to do their jobs and influence their decision on leaving the profession. As a result this can create negative consequences for schools in terms of teacher quality and student achievement. Teachers care about the education environment because they are directly affected and are asking for more mental and health resources for them and students. Studies have also shown that collaborative relationships improve teacher performance (Santoro).

Ethnicity of students in Mesa Public Schools District Totals in the last 20 years.

Source: Mesa Public Schools Demographics

Ethnicity of students in Mesa Public Schools for 2020-2021 school year.

Source: Mesa Public Schools Demographics

Ethnicity of students in Mesa Public Schools District Totals for 2020-2021 school year.

Source: Mesa Public Schools Demographics

Gender distribution of students in Mesa Public Schools for 2020-2021 school year.

Source: Overview of Mesa Unified District

Ethnicity of students in Arizona schools for 2020-2021 school year.

Source: The 2020 Arizona Teacher Workforce

Ethnicity of teachers in Mesa Public Schools District Totals for 2020-2021 school year.

Source: Mesa Public Schools Statistics and Demographics

Gender distribution of teachers in Mesa Public Schools for 2020-2021 school year.

Source: Mesa Public Schools Statistics and Demographics

Ethnicity of teachers in Arizona schools for 2020-2021 school year.

Source: The 2020 Arizona Teacher Workforce

Gender distribution of teachers in Arizona schools for 2020-2021 school year.

Source: The 2020 Arizona Teacher Workforce

There are not enough qualified teachers. There are not enough highly qualified teachers because not all current teachers meet the education, experience and certification requirements. The number of students completing teacher preparation programs has fallen (García, et al.). Teachers leave the profession because they are not achieving career or life goals, are feeling burnout and/or want to increase earning potential. Teachers have been underpaid compared to similarly educated workers in other professions. Some of the competing careers of teachers are professions that require some of the skills teachers possess so it is easier for them to make the change. Some of these careers include principals, school counselors, human resources managers, etc (Alternative careers for teachers: 6 opportunities to leverage your existing skills) . High emotional demands teachers face and burnout lead to their decisions of leaving the profession, which creates challenges with increasing teacher quality, student achievement and overall academic achievement (Santoro, et al.). In addition to that teachers are not given the necessary resources and budget to provide engaging lectures.

There are several distractions in the classroom that can disrupt a students learning such as personal devices, unnecessary talking and tardiness (Leustig). Other distractions are personal distractions such as boredom, missing schools, failing classes, needing to get a job, parenthood, being caregivers for family members. These distractions lead to students dropping out of school. Potential solutions are incorporating a connection between school and work in the curriculum and ensuring that students have a relationship with at least one adult in school to talk about their personal problems (Azzam ). Studies have also shown that students do not pay attention to lectures due to engagement with non-lecture related activities in computers but also due to increase in mind wandering which lead to the conclusion that the main problem for lack of attention to lecture material is academic engagement (Risko, et al.).

Most schools have embraced the digital age, but that classroom management and school discipline has been slow to follow suit. Prior research has focused on technologies' role for training teachers in classroom management, however, there has been less research that has addressed the tools used by educators or by students to promote positive behavior. These technology roles “include training teachers, supporting educators' day-to-day practices, and promoting self-discipline or self-regulation among students” with a variety of tools “including but not limited to videos, 3D simulations, and web-based apps” (Cho et al, 2020).

Technology used in the classroom were analyzed to determine if they were either Type I or Type II and how “successful” the student teachers thought that the technology used were. “Type I, which is more drill-and-practice applications, were found to be present at all grade levels but were most prevalent in K-2 classrooms, and Type II applications, which are those that require active intellectual involvement by the learner” (Brawner et al, 2006). The results of this investigation were not surprising as more student teachers reported Type I applications were their most successful use of technology in the primary grades as their curriculum is mostly memorization based, while Type II was more successful in the older grades as these applications “allow their students to explore, synthesize, and present information”.

Staffing issue has become a major problem nowadays. Studies show that teachers become exhausted of working on their weekends and nights to complete tasks such as grading papers and planning classes. Teachers often feel they have no time or energy to spend time with their families and they feel their job is taking over their lives. As a result, a lot of school workers now are reconsidering their jobs and careers to be more happy.

Staffing issue not only affect on schools, but they affect on the economy as well. Although there isn't a specific agreed answer for the overall staffing issue, studies indicate that what's happening in the economy can provide insight into what's happening in education. In addition, Nicole Smith noted that teacher shortages “can put an entire society at risk.”

Whiteboard tables/desks are tools used in learning spaces that can help anyone take quick short notes and brainstorm ideas without the need to look for a piece of scrap paper. I believe this is an innovative use of desks because many of the current desks in classrooms are already written on. So having a whiteboard desk allows students to be creative and they can easily erase their notes or doodles after they are done. This relates to the topic of personalized learning because students can use their own personal space to write their own ideas or topics of their liking. Whiteboard tables also allow collaboration among students which increases their engagement in the classroom. The author of the article, Whiteboard Tables: Everything You Need to Know, Dylan Meikle, noted that the use of whiteboard tables create spaces that enrich collaboration and empower visible thinking. He also points out that this tool helps reduce the use of paper. The article also mentioned flip-up tables which allow other students in the classroom to see what is written on the table from different areas in the classroom. The article, Collaborative Whiteboard Tables: A Versatile Learning Tool, makes similar remarks about whiteboard tables. It stated that whiteboard tables “encourage impromptu brainstorming and notetaking” and “make for a ‘greener’ classroom by reducing the need for paper.” Some of the major benefits listed in this article are that whiteboard tables have great value because they serve as school furnishing and an effective learning tool, they are reusable which correlates to the reduction of paper use and being better for the environment, they can be easy to move around and adjust their height, and they are not messy and mistakes can be easily erased.

Education institutions are increasingly adopting the use of virtual reality (VR) to provide students with the same opportunity to have a more immersive and engaged learning experience. Virtual reality (VR) is a useful tool for education because it gives students new ways to engage with and understand the material being taught, which relates to our team's research. Some of the more complex areas of mathematics can be better understood and learned with the aid of virtual reality. Because of VR's interactive nature, students can experience their research without breaking the bank. Learning science equips students with the analytical and problem-solving abilities necessary to succeed in the modern world. Learners can conduct chemical experiments in a virtual lab environment using virtual reality technology. Student interest and enjoyment in mathematics can be increased by providing them with more opportunities to apply their knowledge in concrete situations. It's useful for learning subjects that aren't easily taught from a book, like physics or biology. Students studying Geography can use VR to travel to any location on Earth. Use virtual reality to simulate a visit to a physical bank for use in teaching economics. As seen, there are several ways in which virtual reality (VR) technology can be used to enhance the learning process immensely.

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