TRANSFORMING INFORMAL
LEARNING SPACES
Meg Brady
Director, Educational Technology
Missouri S&T
LEARNING & SPACES
• Where does learning occur?
– Formal spaces (classrooms)
– Informal spaces (hallways, coffee shops, libraries)
• How does “space” influence learning?
– Physical or virtual, they can…
• Bring people together and encourage exploration,
collaboration, and discussion, or,
• Carry an unspoken message of silence and
disconnectedness
Oblinger, Diana, “Space as a Change Agent”, Learning Spaces,
Educause2006, http://www.educause.edu/LearningSpaces/10569
THE PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING
INFORMAL LEARNING SPACES
EVALUATING NEEDS
• General
– Human‐Centered Design
– Active Learning
– Social & Interactive
• Space Needs
– Holistic view of campus’ “learning” real estate
– Often determined by size/shape of existing physical area
– Department specific requirements
• IT Expectations
– Economies of scale, support and lifecycle management
– Availability of duplex printing
– Adaptability to new technology over time
CHOOSING THE SITE
• Location, location, location
• Impact on student population
• Costs and funding
• Additional requests
EXPLORING SOLUTIONS
“Intentional Design”
and
“Continuous Improvement”
Use Your Resources:
•
•
•
•
•
Design guides
Environmental Psychology
Space research findings
User input on existing spaces
Consultation with involved parties
IMPLEMENTING CHANGES
TWO RECENT TRANSFORMATIONS
ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT 222
BEFORE
ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT 222
AFTER
COMPUTER SCIENCE 212/213
BEFORE
COMPUTER SCIENCE 212/213
AFTER
EVALUATION
• Perspectives: Student v. Faculty
• Data: Quantitative v. Observational
• Time: Changes Everything
HOW CAN THIS APPLY AT YOUR CAMPUS?
•
•
•
•
Intentional Design
Understanding your students
Partnering across campus
Creating buy-in with all parties
– Administration
– Faculty
– Students
• Be flexible
• Think ahead
CHANGING PERCEPTIONS
• “I learned in hard chairs in the heat, and
they can too.”
• “Students will steal anything not nailed
down.”
• “Students will ruin anything upholstered or
carpeted with their carelessness.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Watch for our “article” in the new online,
multi-media version of Educause Review,
due out April 2, 2009 at educause.edu
Contact us at:
Educational Technology @ Missouri S&T
http://edtech.mst.edu
edtech@mst.edu