Spaces for Knowledge Generation: A Framework

for Designing Student Learning Environments

Professor Mike KeppellExecutive Director

Australian Digital Futures Institute

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Overview‣ What are the trends and challenges we need

to consider?

‣ What are ‘spaces for knowledge generation’?

‣ What is a framework for designing student learning environments?

‣ How do we meet student needs and improve the learning environment?

‣ What design principles are useful for learning space design?

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What are the trends and challenges we need to consider?

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CSIRO Megatrends

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On the movePersonalisationIWorld

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University of the Future

nDemocratisation of knowledge and access

nContestability of markets and funding

nDigital technologiesnGlobal mobilityn Integration with industry

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Horizon Reports

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Trends ‣ People expect to be able to work, learn, and

study whenever and wherever they want.

‣ The abundance of resources and relationships will challenge our educational identity.

‣ Students want to use their own technology for learning.

‣ Shift across all sectors to online learning, hybrid learning and collaborative models.

‣

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ChallengesnSeamless learning – people expect to be

able to work, learn, and study whenever and wherever they want.

nDigital literacies – capabilities which fit an individual for living, learning and working in a digital society (JISC)

nPersonalisation - our learning, teaching, place of learning, technologies will be individualised

nDigital scholarship will be the norm.

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What are spaces for knowledge generation?

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Spaces for Knowledge GenerationnPhysical, blended or virtual ‘areas’ that:

n enhance learningnthat motivate learnersnpromote authentic learning interactions

nSpaces where both teachers and students optimize the perceived and actual affordances of the space (Keppell & Riddle, 2012).

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What is a framework for designing student learning environments?

Principles

Distributed Learning Spaces

Seamless Learning

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Distributed SpacesnGrowing acceptance that learning occurs in

different ‘places’

nUbiquity of learning in a wide range of contexts (Lea & Nicholl, 2002).

nGrowing acceptance of life-long and life-wide learning also have a major influence on distributed learning spaces.

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Physical Virtual

Formal Informal InformalFormal

Blended

Mobile Personal

Outdoor Professional Practice

Distributed Learning Spaces

Academic

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nBook Chapter: http://www.slideshare.net/mkeppell/distributed-spaces-for-learning

Distributed Learning Spaces

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nFocuses on the continuity of the learning journey

nDifferent places and spaces

nDiverse technologies

Seamless Learning

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Seven Principles of Learning Space Designn The SKG project has established seven principles of

learning space design which support a collaborative and student-centred approach to learning:

n Comfort: a space which creates a physical and mental sense of ease and well-being

n Aesthetics: pleasure which includes the recognition of symmetry, harmony, simplicity and fitness for purpose

n Flow: the state of mind felt by the learner when totally involved in the learning experience

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Seven Principles of Learning Space Design

•Equity: consideration of the needs of cultural and physical differences

•Blending: a mixture of technological and face-to-face pedagogical resources

•Affordances: the “action possibilities” the learning environment provides the users, including such things as kitchens, natural light, wifi, private spaces, writing surfaces, sofas, and so on.

•Repurposing: the potential for multiple usage of a space (Souter, Riddle, Keppell, 2010) (http://www.skgproject.com)

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CSU Albury-Wodonga Learning commons

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ComfortAesthetics

FlowEquity

BlendingAffordancesRepurposing

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Flow21Thursday, 22 November 12

Discipline Pedagogies

‘Plasma to Chalkboard’ for Physics Professors

Repurposing

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Virtual Learning Spaces

Blending - Affordances - Equity? 23Thursday, 22 November 12

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AestheticsBlending

Affordances25Thursday, 22 November 12

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Outdoor Learning SpacesThese pathways, thoroughfares and occasional rest areas are generally given a functional value in traffic management and are more often than not developed as an after thought in campus design. As such the thoroughfares and rest areas are under valued (or not recognized) as important spaces for teaching and learning (Rafferty, 2012).

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Seven Principles - Questions

nhttp://mike-keppell.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/questions-to-consider-in-learning-space.html

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Keppell & Riddle

(in-press)

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How do we meet student needs and improve the learning environment?

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Questions?

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