How to Manage Changing ‘Learning Environments’ and Future Planning

and DesignProfessor Mike Keppell

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Learning Transformations

27 October 2015

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Overview• ‘University Campus’• Trends & challenges • Learning spaces• Guiding pedagogies• Teachers & learners• Professional

development

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• The disintegration of the distinction and the growing acceptance that learning occurs in different ‘places’ presents both exciting and challenging opportunities for higher education.

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What is the University Campus?•Formal teaching spaces

• Informal learning spaces

•Online learning and teaching spaces

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2015 Technology Outlook: Trends

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2015 Technology Outlook: Challenges

Defining Learning Spaces• Physical, blended or virtual

learning environments that enhance learning

• Physical, blended or virtual ‘areas’ that motivate a learner to learn

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Defining Learning Spaces• Spaces where both teachers

and learners optimise the perceived and actual affordances of the space; and

• Spaces that promote authentic learning interactions (Keppell & Riddle, 2012, 2013).

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Physical Virtual

Formal Informal InformalFormal

Blended

Mobile Personal

Outdoor Professional Practice

Distributed Learning Spaces

Academic

Virtual Learning Spaces

Guiding Pedagogies

• Authentic learning • Authentic assessment

• Personalised Learning

• Peer learning

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Authentic Learning• …require students to

complete complex real-world tasks over a period of time in collaboration with others as they would in a real setting or workplace (Herrington, 2006)

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Authentic Assessment• Empowering the learner by

engaging them in assessment tasks that simulate or engage the learner in real-life situations.

• “Engaging and worthy problems or questions of importance, in which students must use knowledge to fashion performances effectively and creatively” (Wiggins, 1993, p. 229).

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Personalised Learning• The knowledge, skills

and attitudes that enable learning and act as a catalyst to empower the learner to continue to learn (Keppell, 2015)

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SKG Learning Space Design Principles Questions for Personalised Learners

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

Are the chairs, tables, and furniture conducive to learning in this space? You might want to test them out before committing to this learning space. How comfortable do you think this space will be for learning? Is the space noisy or quiet?

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

What features of the learning space might assist your learning?

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

What features of this space promote your learning engagement? Do you feel you can engage with your work in the learning space? Are you looking for a quiet or noisy space?

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

Do you think the learning space is inclusive for you and any team members with whom you might be working?

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

Can you utilise your computer, tablet or mobile device in the learning space? How easy is it for you to connect to the network?

Affordances: the “action possibilities” the learning environment provides the users.

What does this learning space allow you to do that you cannot do in another space? What action possibilities are you looking for in this learning space?

Repurposing: the potential for multiple usage of a space (Souter, Riddle, Sellers & Keppell, 2011).

Can you rearrange tables and chairs to create your own learning area?

Peer Learning• Students teaching and learning from each other.

• Sharing ideas, knowledge and experiences

• Emphasises interdependent as opposed to independent learning (Boud, 2001).

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Interactions• Interactive learning (learner-to-content)

• Networked learning (learner-to-learner; learner-to-teacher)

• Student-generated content (learner-as-designers).

• Connected students (knowledge is in the network)

• Learning-oriented assessment (assessment-as-learning).

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Blended Learning…• Designing learning interactions

across formal teaching spaces, informal learning spaces and online learning and teaching spaces.

• Thoughtful combination of physical and online spaces supported by educational technologies to enhance the student experience

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Rethinking the Roles of Educators

Blended & Online

Learning Analytics

Personalised Learning

Scholarship of Teaching and

Learning

Open EducationOERsDigital

literacies

Authentic Assessment

SpacesMobile

Professional Development• Blended and online learning and teaching• Learning design workshops• Enabling authentic assessment• Integrating learning analytics• Showcasing emerging technologies • Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching• Portfolios• Learning Transformations Conference

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