Extending learning: constructing community

through space designDeborah Harrop

d.harrop@shu.ac.uk

Psychological impact of space - territorial behaviour

Situational behaviour - having to adapt

Personal space and power relationships

Sheffield Hallam learning spaces

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8yQmWhlYTk

space

destination

conversations light

just in

time

food and drink

identity

resources

community

“digital signage with tells you which PCs are available is really useful”

"I usually visit the learning centre eight till late”

“bookable rooms are limited to 4 hours per day, so when my time is up, I usually go to a faculty building”

“usually use the learning centres in the afternoons and early evenings”

“leaving belongings is problematic if you are going for food and intend to return to the learning centre to continue

studying”

“use the learning centres in between

and before lectures every day”

just in

time

“came onto campus to hand in assignment and into the library to print off a cover sheet”

“ I came onto campus just to use the learning centre”

"rarely use Adsetts; only come in to use specialist software that I don’t have on my home PC”

“I have 2 children, so when I am on campus I tend to fit in other activities; for example, today I went into the city centre for a while”

“too many distractions at home”

“the learning centre provides everything I need”

“I am a creature of habit”

destination

(Kuhne, 1940)

“clearly delineated spaces”

“need complete silence”

“would never think of trying to work alone in the learning centre”

“level 4: an informal and relaxed place to work. It doesn’t feel like a library"

"I have to be in the learning centre to really work.”

“use the Adsetts for both group and individual work”

“the learning centre is for study, not socialising: the two should be separate”

identity

“often waste time looking for a PC, so get frustrated

and go home to study”

“prefer to use the PCs in faculty buildings because of software licensing”

“always bring my own laptop”

“own my own laptop, but never bring it on to campus”

resources

“Key text always means you can get hold of books at the last minute”

“The learning centre has got everything, particularly now you no longer have to leave the building to get a coffee”

“It’s great now you don’t have to go far to get a drink”

“like to have food and be able to study at the same time”

“better than having to go to the Atrium”

“access to food and drink”

food and drink

“natural light is important”

“prefer to work somewhere where I can look out the window”

“Level 2 is like being stuck down a well”

“The level 4 extension is a lot less dark and gloomy than the rest of the building”

“natural light and fresh air”

“I also use the Millennium Gallery and Winter Gardens as I like people watching and natural light”

light

“big tables to spread out”

“if the building reaches maximum capacity, this should not be considered a good thing”

“nicer to look at something, rather than someone when trying to concentrate”

“more space for writing and using a PC”

“small rooms where you can work if you want to feel enclosed”

“use level 3 as it is the only place with lots of tables without a PC”

space

“comfy furniture”

“the social aspect stops work being so mundane”

"I go to the Union for lunch and to discuss assignments; if study comes about, it comes about it!”

"the new level 4 space is a bit more private, with less open spaces than the rest of the building”

“The building is open too noisy due to the open plan design”

.

“I never use level 2 as there is no mobile phone reception”

"Level 6 is too quiet, I prefer a location where I can talk”

conversations

“study along with friends for peer support and to share resources”

“I like to book a group room or a group booth”

“Level 6 is too quiet, so if someone makes a noise it is really disruptive”

“use the level 4 [informal] space to work with other that I don’t get to work with during class time”

"came in to revise; my friends were already here, so I joined them”

“I work on PCs near colleagues”

“I work with friends in the evening and on my own in the day”

community

What should our learning spaces look like?

Promotion of cultural change Typical users and typical behaviours - Move away from these principals of space design

Adopt mission based (Bennett 2007) or institutional approach - Spaces based on behaviours we say are important - Step towards the educational development and learning we want to see

How, what, where, when and why?

- Non participant observation sweeps - Coordinate & photographic mapping

- Learning preferences on and off campus, outside of the context of the learning centres

Phase one - complete

Phase two

References BENNETT, S. (2007). Designing for uncertainty: three approaches. The journal of academic librarianship, 33(2), 165-179. . Article from Library space planning last accessed 25 July 2009 at: http://www.libraryspaceplanning.com/publications.htm.

MONAHAN, T. (2002). Flexible Space & Built Pedagogy: emerging IT embodiments. [online]. Inventio, 4 (16), 1-19. Article last accessed 14 March 2009 at: http://www.torinmonahan.com/papers/Inventio.html.

OBLINGER, D.G. (ed.). Learning Spaces, Educause. Last accessed 16 March 2009 at: http://www.educause.edu/books/learningspaces/10569.

GREAT BRITAIN, Department for environment and rural affairs (2009). Glossary of noise terms. [online]. Last accessed 29 Jan 2009 at: http://noisemapping .defra.gov.uk