Learning+Spaces,+Oblinger

toc =Oblinger, Diana G. editor: //Learning Spaces//,= Educause, 2006, ([|www.educause.edu/learningspaces])

s. 12: Space—whether physical or virtual—can have an impact on learning. It can bring people together; it can encourage exploration, collaboration, and discussion. Or, space can carry an unspoken message of silence and disconnectedness. More and more we see the power of built pedagogy (the ability of space to deﬁne how one teaches) in colleges and universities.

s. 12: Today’s students—whether 18, 22, or 55—have attitudes, expectations, and constraints that differ from those of students even 10 years ago. Learning spaces often reﬂect the people and learning approach of the times, so spaces designed in 1956 are not likely to ﬁt perfectly with students in 2006.

s. 13: Collecting, analyzing, displaying, and disseminating knowledge typically involves IT. Retrieving information has become an IT function; students consider the Internet, not the library, their information universe. And, rather than trying to know everything, students and faculty rely on networks of peers and databases of information. What impact, if any, should this have on learning space design?

** Challenging Traditional Assumptions and Rethinking Learning Spaces **
Nancy Van Note Chism (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Indiana University)

s. 17: In fact, learning arguably happens everywhere—on city sidewalks, in airplanes, in restaurants, in bookstores, and on playgrounds. Human beings—wherever they are—have the capacity to learn through their experiences and reﬂections. s. 17: Torin Monahan used the term “built pedagogy” to refer to “architectural embodiments of educational philosophies.” In other words, the ways in which a space is designed shape the learning that happens in that space.1 Examples surround us. A room with rows of tablet arm chairs facing an instructor’s desk in front of chalkboards conveys the pedagogical approach “I talk or demonstrate; you listen or observe.” A room of square tables with a chair on each side conveys the importance of teamwork and interaction to learning. s. 18: Because we habitually take space arrangements for granted, we often fail to notice the ways in which space constrains or enhances what we intend to accomplish.3 s. 19: Strange and Banning emphasized the ways in which the physical aspects of a campus convey nonverbal messages—welcoming or discouraging, valuing or disrespecting—even more powerfully than verbal messages. They cited research that links the physical attractiveness and lighting of a space to the motivation and task performance of those in the space. Graetz and Goliber5 summarized research that links lighting to psychological arousal, overheated spaces to hostility, and density with low student achievement.6 s. 19: Cognitive theory: The emphasis today is on active construction of knowledge by the learner. The importance of prior experience, the ﬁtting of knowledge into existing schema or the establishment of new schema, and the active processing of information are all components of this model that emphasize high learner involvement. s. 20: Additionally, social constructivists point out that the social setting greatly inﬂuences learning. Picture the limitations of the standard classroom or study carrel in terms of these ideas. The decor is sterile and unstimulating; the seating arrangements rarely allow for peer-to-peer exchange; and the technology does not allow individual access to information as needed. s. 24: Helping the campus community understand how spatial arrangements preclude or support retention, graduation, pedagogical innovation, and a host of campus priorities is an essential ﬁrst step. From governing boards and legislatures (in the case of public institutions) to central administration, facilities planners, maintenance operations, faculty, and students, all must realize that good space is not a luxury but a key determinant of good learning environments.

** Seriously Cool Places: The Future of Learning- ** ** Centered Built Environments **
William Dittoe (Educational Facilities Consultants, LLC)

s. 28: Many important lessons came from simple observation of the daily occurrences at the LTC. Faculty and students seemed to act differently in the Studio. They exhibited a new freedom to be creative and more actively engaged and to continue the learning process as activities ﬂowed into other parts of the complex. These observations, many of them serendipitous, allowed new insight into the attributes of ﬂexible, ﬂuid space. The Studio provided opportunities to discover concepts of educational connections and links later used to develop learning space prototypes in a new residence hall. Bygget virker som en læringstorg, med en åpen gate der det foregår mange ulike aktiviteter. Møter har gjerne en uhøytidelig karakter, og gruppemøter kan godt foregå I sofaer osv. Men studentene har hele tiden tilgang på digitale verktøy og ressurser som flip-boards, white-boards, internet, projectorer osv.

s. 36: The key, therefore, is to provide a physical space that supports multidisciplinary, team-taught, highly interactive learning unbound by traditional time constraints within a social setting that engages students and faculty and enables rich learning experiences. This space will be far different from the traditional classroom and, while many signiﬁcant designs contain parts of the solution, few examples of the envisioned pedagogical model exist. To provide the proper space for teaching and learning, we need more than a single place—educational activities are organic; they ebb and ﬂow. (See Figure 6.) What we really require is a complex of spaces—interconnected and related spaces designed to support learning. These spaces will be ﬂexible and functional and pay greater attention to aesthetics than traditional 20th-century classrooms.


 * Ch. 4: **
 * Community: The Hidden Context for Learning ****, **** Deborah J. Bickford and David J. Wright **
 * University of Dayton **** s. 40 **

** Student Practices and Their Impact on Learning Spaces **
s. 62 Understanding the traits and habits of students (and potential students) should shape the discussion of learning spaces. A quick scan of any campus will reveal students hanging out alone or in small groups while reading, taking notes, writing, chatting, or simply enjoying campus life. Both student habits and their technologies raise questions. For example, if students carry laptops to class, does this affect how we equip the rooms? Will the generation that has grown up with video games, camera phones, and home theater systems be satisﬁed with what we can offer in classrooms? What spaces will give students the most educational value? s. 64: Students will spend hundreds of hours in class. While they might not have much choice where they spend their class time, they do control how they behave in these spaces. Given their facility with cell phones, iPods, laptops, and other mobile devices, new in-class practices are evolving. s. 72: Students are changing, technologies are changing, and learning spaces are changing. Students will use the spaces that best suit their needs. By examining students’ habits and use patterns and then creating spaces that meet their needs, we have an opportunity to make our institutions more student-centered and appealing.
 * Cyprien Lomas ****, **** University of British Columbia **** , **** Diana G. Oblinger **** , **** EDUCAUSE **

** Ch. 6 **** The Psychology of Learning Environments ****, **
s. 77: Even if students make every effort to pay attention to the instructor, instant messaging applications are designed to capture their attention, and the social information conveyed is probably too alluring for most students to ignore. s. 82: Although class size is a limiting factor when implementing certain collaborative learning activities comfortably, small group collaboration and discussion are easier to manage in large classes than many instructors realize. Informal small group techniques like think-pair-share,18 wherein students think brieﬂy about a question posed by the instructor, discuss their thoughts with a student sitting next to them, and then share their joint thoughts with the class, are feasible in large classes19 and can be facilitated by technology.
 * Ken A. Graetz ** ** Winona State University **

** Ch. 7 **** Linking the Information Commons to Learning ****, **
s. 98: Furniture Flexibility is the key consideration in choosing furniture for an information commons. As technology-oriented facilities, they need to change as student use patterns change. For example, the need for ﬁxed workstations rather than tables where students can plug in their own laptops is shifting on many campuses. Soon students may adopt smaller devices such as notebook computers and cell phones, with implications for furniture conﬁguration. Most information commons furniture has wheels for easy mobility. Generally, a mix of desk-style furniture and soft, comfortable seating is desirable. Some information commons include diner-style booths for small groups or areas with beanbag chairs for informal seating. Furniture that allows privacy for small groups while providing a means for people to see above barriers is desirable. Portable whiteboards, used in only a few information commons, might be more widely adopted for sharing information and deﬁning group space in an open area.
 * Joan K. Lippincott ****, **** Coalition for Networked Information **

s. 100: Model for More than the Library

** Ch. 9 **** Trends in Learning Space Design ****, **

 * Malcolm Brown ****, **** Dartmouth College **

s. 116: Three major trends inform current learning space design: - Design based on learning principles, resulting in intentional support for social and active learning strategies. - An emphasis on human-centered design. - Increasing ownership of diverse devices that enrich learning. These trends have been catalyzed by constructivism, digital technology, and a holistic view of learning. s. 117: Five years ago, most students purchased desktop computers; two years later, most purchased laptops. The implications are signiﬁcant: more affordable and mobile technology facilitates greater access to content and resources. This enhanced access, in turn, has made it possible to implement a learning paradigm that emphasizes active learning, formative assessment, social engagement, mobility, and multiple paths through content. s. 125: Human-centered design helps us keep people—not the latest technology—in the forefront of design decisions. With access no longer driving technology deployments, a focus on the “why” rather than the “how” of learning space design becomes possible. You can’t build effective spaces for learning without clearly understanding the learning activities intended for