Learning Space Design: The Centre for Active Learning’s

experiment

Carolyn Roberts

Centre for Active LearningUniversity of Gloucestershire

Christchurch, New Zealand, January 2008

What’s CeAL about?“Tell me and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember.

Involve me, and I will understand”Confucius 450BC

The Centre for Active Learning is an international centre of excellence reviewing, developing, promoting and embedding inclusive and exemplary active learning for students in geography, environment and related disciplines such as landscape architecture, community development and heritage management

The Gloucestershire approach to active learning

The distinctive feature of the University of Gloucestershire definition of active learning is that it centres on the mastery of theory within a ‘learning by doing’ approach involving working in real places with actual people and live projects

The Gloucestershire Approach to Active Learning• Linking the thinking, doing and reflecting • Innovative ways of linking the theory and

practice• Innovative methods for developing blended

learning• Active involvement of external agencies• Creative ways of assessing active learning• Underpinning practices by pedagogic research • Involvement nationally and internationally • Maintaining inclusivity• Making learning enjoyable for everyone

Four Key Questions• What is appropriate space for active

learning? How do we know? Can we design space to facilitate the change to learner-centred pedagogy?

• Who makes the decisions? Whose views are consulted? Whose views are considered?

• Can we facilitate community engagement strategies?

• How do we evaluate success?(Al-Mahmood et al, 2006)

What is appropriate space for active learning? How do we know? Can we design space to facilitate the change to learner-centred pedagogy?

‘Space is neither innocent nor neutral: it is an instrument of the political; it has a performative aspect for whoever inhabits it; it works on its occupants. At the micro level, space prohibits, decides what may occur, lays down the law, implies a certain order, commands and locates bodies’

Pouler, 1994‘The built environment may be seen as the ability to “suggest” a new or different behaviour’

Zeigler, 1986

Francis Close Hall

Campus

Early development of the idea

• Discussions with the architect about the external elevation

• Key visits to other locations• Limited accessible guidance about HE

building design in 2004– Informed by ‘Information Commons’

(Mountifield, 2004)– JISC ‘Designing Spaces for Effective

Learning’ - came later

UoG Buildings and Estates• Include a historic zoo and botanical garden

with lake, plus ‘listed’ sites• New buildings are designed to conform with

BREEAM standards of excellence, with high standards of energy utilisation, sustainable materials, sustainable drainage, building management systems/intelligence, low water use

• Some are being used as pilots nationally (e.g. photovoltaic roof on one major building)

Sustainable Development

‘underpins each of the University’s strategic priorities and informs all elements of University life. The University promotes sustainable development, locally and globally, through teaching, research, knowledge transfer and the general conduct of its business.’

Building Design Constraints

• Limited time to develop the bid• Historic ‘Grade 2 listed’ campus• Small size• Footprint, height and external shape

of new building also determined by existing premises, and constrained

Who makes the decisions? Whose views are consulted? Whose views are considered?

Liaison with University Management

• Represented by the Vice Chancellor, who selected the site

• Some separate discussions between University Senior Management and architects

• Strong interest in environmental sustainability, ISO14001/BREEAM

CETL bid team

• Limited experience of developing premises and furnishing

• Clear pedagogic ideas developed through experience, research and visits

• Assistance available from Learning and Information Service staff, especially on ICT

• ‘Strong’ brief developed, with scenarios and vignettes of future use in T&L

University academic and support staff

• Needed space to experiment, to move away from traditional conceptions

• Symbolic of CeAL aspirations• Initially conservative in relation to

premises potentially supporting active learning

• Some practical issues e.g. cleanability• Interested in ‘quality’, furnishings, ICT

novelty

Consulting and involving students

Meeting the needs of students is almost impossible without an informed understanding of their approaches to learning (McInnis, 2003)

• Student representatives, used to being involved, and keen to contribute

• Diverse students eg. young and mature students, disabled students, distance learners

• Lack of understanding of the full range of issues, but with clear ideas on generic matters

‘A really cool place’

• 24/7 access• Food and drink on hand• A place to hang out, social purpose• Comfortable and stylish• Like Starbucks?

Awesome…Wicked… Sweet… Attractive…?

Architects

• Feilden Clegg Bradley• Long association with the University

(but contract potentially subject to tender/OJ etc)

• Interested in a striking building

Quote from Peter Clegg

• ‘.. A strong aspirational brief from you and from the University….a very strong brief in terms of how you wanted the spaces to work, and they were radical, multi-use spaces… recognising the fact that learning was not confined to laboratories or lecture theatres or seminar rooms or the conventional kinds of formats,… but it was relaxed, and that people learned by actually chatting to each other…that was quite a radically new brief for us to have - the architectural interior design aspects - to create a really attractive space.’

Local community• Visual appearance important• Environmentally-sustainable

building• A regeneration instrument?• Interest groups e.g. local

residents, Cheltenham Civic Society

• Business conference aspirations

Can we facilitate community engagement strategies?

‘The building will provide a variety of spaces designed to support the

development of capable and enthusiastic active learners’

• Collaborative, innovative and social learning

• Flexible environment for students and staff• Student owned space• Self supporting in layout and management• Accessible for diverse student groups• Exhibition and celebration space

Purpose signified through the interior design

• Lived and learning space (Al-Mahmood et al)

• Detail thought through from the start• Stimulating but not ‘cluttered’ feel

• University colours for background• Indicative (highlight) colours by floor signifying

busyness through to reflection, informal through to formal

• Para-natural materials -wood, glass, steel• Thought-provoking e.g. signpainted quotations

Ground floor

First floor

Second floor

Buzzy Lively

Crisp

Relaxed

Food & drink

Focussed

Reflective

Dynamic

Interactive

Targeted Shared

(more) Formal

Structured

Flex

ibili

ty

Connected

Professional

CeAL Building Floor ThemesExternally facing

Staffing and support• Designed to be self-supporting

–Screens–Information Management System

• Staff Support–Learning skills and technical support

»Learning Mentors»CeAL staff

–Roaming–No fixed service point

During construction• Repeated drift away from mission, towards

assumptions about traditional layout and furnishing styles (ie ‘lecture theatre’, ‘seminar room’, ‘laboratory’, staff offices)

• Need to keep reminding everyone about the pedagogic purpose, in straightforward language, without ambiguity

• Some lack of clarity on appropriate communication lines, responsibility, autonomy and authority

• Very time consuming

• How do we evaluate success?

Evaluation of the building as a learning space

• Approaches used– Observation

• Photographic records• Recording of use – use and numbers• Learning mentors blog

– ‘student perspective’

– Module evaluations– Learning Space Questionnaire

• All users

Level of activity, Year 1• Slow start to academic year• Daily pattern – 11am-4.00pm focus – social factor

• Drop-in use concentrated in open access room

Observations on student use

• Early use by individuals– Taking advantage of ‘quiet’ space

• One girl was using CE002 all the time I was here, and so I asked her why she was using this building, and she replied because it is quiet...sure is! (October, 2006)

• Increasing group activity– Group activities– Social space

• Said they much preferred working here over the Learning Centre because of the kit, the desks, the fact they can talk, etc. (November, 2006)

Q 3. What do you usually do here?

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Social Study-related Individualrelaxation

Individualstudy

Other

Q4. What are you doing here today?

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Q6. What could be improved?

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Students say…‘Just want to use it more’‘All in all a really lovely building. The facilities here are excellent’‘More sofas – they are amazing!’‘More of the same!’‘This space is most like a good work environment – a lot of the

others including the learning centre are more like a call centre’‘Facilities are fantastic’‘I like the relaxed atmosphere of this building, and how it is quiet

but not silent’‘I am very impressed. All the facilities are available and utilised

well’‘It’s great’

Students say…‘The aesthetic appearance of the building is off-

putting’‘ <need>More quiet space, bookable rooms’The lighting quality is poor – the atmosphere it

creates is cold and impersonal. Temperature is often too high or too low’

‘I don’t like the lavatory facilities – no urinals’‘A chocolate machine would be a bonus’‘This building already feels under-used, unloved,

scruffy and depressing’

Students say…

‘Laminate flooring so the chairs with wheels could really get a speed on them…’

‘An on- site hot tub and sauna…’‘Squash court and lap dancing club..’

Learning mentors blog, Year 1

• Used as means of communication between learning mentors and CeAL staff

• Proved a valuable source of information– Mentors observation on level and nature of

activity – ‘student observations and reflections’There were no lectures on, so I feel that most

people therefore use this building (at the moment) to eat, socialise, check work and to meet before lectures in the building. (November, 2006)

Observations on the learning environment, Year 1

• Students welcome the informal nature of the environment– comfortable, relaxed atmosphere– encourages discussion

• Good presentation space for students• Has created opportunity for ‘change’

(Kember & Kwan, 2002)• Staff more likely to want ‘fixed’ environment• Intimidating building

– Reluctance to use ‘office space’ and enter teaching rooms (elsewhere on campus these are locked)

Issues• Provision of mixed teaching/learning space

– Interpretation by students as ‘off-limits’– Learning space versus teaching space with rows

of chairs– Compete with ‘bums on seats’ view

• Time needed for staff and students to explore how the space might be used

• Support expectations from academic staff– Expect a conference facility

• Overcoming ‘building management systems’– Lighting, heating, security

Visitors say…‘Keep inviting me back! I like it here…’ (USA)‘Very inspiring environment…’ (Netherlands)‘Fabulous building and wonderful facilities’ (UK)‘What a great example of how to use the technology and space

to engage and inspire students and their teachers!’ (Australia)‘I am very envious of these superb facilities – this bodes well

both for student learning and for the business of staff development…’ (New Zealand)

‘This is a wonderful building with impressive facilities. I liked the contrast between classical buildings on campus and this super modern one’ (Japan)

‘Oxford has no buildings like this’ (UK)

More…‘An interesting and impressive contribution to the debate about learning spaces and how space interrelates with pedagogy. This building is a contribution to that debate and very welcome it is…and welcoming’ (UK)‘My short visit has been eye-opening, in terms of…how creatively space can be used’ (South Africa)‘It was wonderful to see the building but very reassuring to witness the library with which it is being used’ (UK)‘Open spaces for opening minds!’ (USA)

‘We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings

shape us’ Jamieson et al, 2003

Kotter’s Eight Stages of Change

1. Establishing a sense of urgency2. Creating a guiding coalition3. Developing a vision and strategy4. Communicating the change vision5. Empowering broad-based action6. Generating short term wins7. Consolidating gains and producing

more change8. Anchoring new approaches in the

cultureKotter, 1995

The Ladder of Divine Ascent metaphor

St. John Climacus’s text explains the ‘journey to Heaven’ as involving many challenging steps. The icon shows monks on the ladder, demons trying to pull them off, the mouth of Hades swallowing up those who have fallen off, the angels lamenting over those who have fallen, and people on the earth praying for those on the ladder. Christ is depicted at the top of the ladder, waiting for the successful ones to enter His holy Kingdom.

Contact DetailsCeAL Co-Director

Carolyn Robertscroberts@glos.ac.uktel: 01242 714559

CeAL Website

http://www.glos.ac.uk/ceal/index.cfm