LEARNING SPACES: WHAT ARE THEY? AND HOW DO THEY WORK?

Angela Hunt S00117559 EDFD459 The Learning SpaceASSIGNMENT #2

What is their purpose?

We are in the process of changing our school forthe better by steering ourselves away from atraditional way of being, where the focus is onoutput to one that is equitable for all learners.

However vital to this change is having anunderstanding of the five learning spaces andhow they have the potential to presentpossibilities but also eliminate opportunitydependent on how they are incorporated into theschool’s curriculum.

It is our responsibility as educators to understandthe different elements that must co-exist in orderto ensure that the environment is thought of as anactive participant in the educative process, just asstudents, teachers and pedagogy are.

The choices we make today about our schoolenvironment will greatly influence both theteaching and learning that is due to take place inthe future.

LEARNING SPACES: WHAT ARE THEY? AND HOW DO THEY WORK?

Today:

Are 21st Century Learning spaces different? Why?

What do we have to consider?

THE CLASSROOM AND THE SCHOOL

Traditionally schools were designed with a focus on input and output to ensure students had the skills to participate effectively in society however global needs have changed significantly during this time and so education has to be situated differently (Shcratzenstaller, 2010).

There are a number of factors that influence the physicality of the classroom including, the aesthetics of the room itself (Read, 2010); access to resources; the number of students in each class; and the teaching style that the school or individual teacher has chosen to adopt (Cinar, 2010; Shcratzenstaller, 2010).

So, in terms of our school, we need to think about our collective needs. What is the function of the school?

Many classrooms today have been transformed from being teacher centred; filled with tables in straight rows and the teacher up front to more child centred spaces that offer flexibility and adaptability dependent on the lesson at hand.

The key to the success of any classroom, is ‘knowing’ the students and how they learn best. Research has found that students can identify elements that they find welcoming in an environment in particular, spaces that offer both comfort and engagement as well as providing them with choice and visual stimulation (Read, 2010). If we as educators expect our students to learn, we need to consider these requirements as we plan.

We need to think about having learning spaces that can easily change dependent on the learning outcomes for each session and/or provide choice for both teachers and students.

Well thought out spaces can provide opportunities for collaboration, individual work and ICT incorporation at the same time. However, it should be remembered that no matter the layout chosen all students have the right to achieve (Cinar, 2010) and it is the role of us as educators to do this.

Should we limit ourselves to being contained in rooms? Do we limit the students if they are contained? (Nair & Fielding, 2005)

Athelstan Community Primary.Image source: http://www.rm.com/generic.asp?cref=GP1864287

Smart Classrooms. Image source: http://www.calvin.edu/~dsc8/smart_classrooms.htm

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Excursions and incursions if planned well (Lorenza, 2009), can provide opportunity for our students to have truly authentic learning experiences that can engage and motivate them to learn more about the world they live in (Johnson, 2009).

The more rewarding experiences will be determined by educators preparations prior to the lesson as this is where they help situate the learning by providing contextual information and set expectations for learning to take place. Lorenza (2009) believes that teachers should feel ownership over the experiences rather than leaving it up to the curators/guides etc. as they should be the ones to lead the learning. However, at the same time it should be remembered as these spaces are already developed community of practices that there are a number of resources to act as enablers for teachers, to help further enhance students learning ( Johnson, 2009; Lorenza, 2009).

Students have to go on the journey in order to fully realise what their prior learning

connects to.

Another point of consideration is the option chosen. Will it offer students with a chance to experience something in a way that they would not be able to in the classroom? Will all the different types of learners in the classroom be able to gain understanding from it? (Johnson, 2009).

Experiential learning is an enabler for students that is why the experience must be relatable and provide practical learning in which tangible outcomes extend the curriculum. Cognitive growth gained from social interactions with peers, teachers and experts in the field (Lorenza, 2009) are also a strength as it helps transform perspectives and challenges thinking (Smith, 2009) while doing so in a safe environment.

Sovereign Hill Gold Rush TourImage source: www.melbourne.vistorbureau.com.au

National Gallery of Victoria. (2014). Outer Circle: Student Programs.Retrieved from: http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/701124/NGV_SCHOOLS_OUTERCIRCLE_2014.pdf

THE ELECTRONIC LEARNING SPACE

We are living in a digital age and the students we teach need to have the opportunity to work with ICT in order to become active participants in their world (Murray & Olcese, 2011). The classroom environment should be one that is designed to facilitate motivation; and research shows that the successful incorporation of these technologies has the potential to engage learners in meaningful ways (Murray & Olcese, 2011; UNESCO, 2012).

The electronic learning space allows for teachers to better assist their students as it can be integrated with what is learnt in the physical classroom. The e-education model (Jung & Latchem, 2011) and web 2.0 learning frameworks (Bower, Hedberg & Kuswara, 2010) offer guidelines for how best to achieve this in the classroom. The electronic learning space can be used as a tool for assessment, collaboration and inquiry.

Collaboration is often mentioned in research as a pedagogical affordance that electronic learning spaces offer (Lye, Abas, Tay & Saban, 2012; Murray & Olcese, 2011). This is because not only can students work together on projects (UNESCO,2012) but they can also share their ideas with teachers and peers in an online format. An online dialogic that if used well can further extend thinking.

Teachers and students can delve further into their learning of a topic by locating resources that complement what they have learnt, and sometimes even challenge their perspectives with alternate viewpoints.

The only trouble is, as mentioned before all of this requires educators to be willing to learn about technologies and understand that it can be used as an extension to their lessons (Murray & Olcese, 2011). This requires time, and the constant development of their own skills to ensure that students gain the most from the electronic learning space but also do so in a safe and familiar environment (Lye et al, 2012).

Image source: cloud.lib.wfu.edu

Museum Victoria Australia. (2014). Marvellous Melbourne- Gold Rush Town. Retrieved from: museumvictoria.com.au/marvellous/gold/

THE INDIVIDUAL LEARNING SPACE

The individual learning space is where students take on the responsibility for their own learning (Smith, 1996). Educators can support their students to establish the foundations for autonomous learning, however, students are ultimately the ones who decide how much they would like to attain.

As we move away from teacher led learning, the focus becomes ensuring that students feel supported to achieve things by and for themselves (Smith, 1996). Students progress through their learning at different paces and in different ways. The curriculum offers a guide to where they should be heading towards, and if used appropriately it is a continuum that can be viewed as a scaffold.

Bouchard’s 4 dimensions of learner autonomy (2009, as cited in Kop & Fournier, 2010) highlight: motivation, connection, goal setting, value of learning, and the different modes of delivery, as being things needed in order to be a self directed learner.

The role of the educator is that of a facilitator of learning, introducing ideas to the class to spark their interest and motivate students to want to find things out for themselves( . They are also there to provide feedback and challenge students to reflect on what they have learnt and how they can learn better-be this through individual goal setting (Bouchard, 2009) or situating their thinking within the taxonomy of learning and reflection, as they themselves do (Pappas, 2010).

Educators must accept that not all students will be able to sit at their desk to work and so should be flexible with their teaching to allow for students to create a space that they feel comfortable in while also providing them with opportunity to learn.

These environments can be within the physical classroom or be assisted with Web 2.0 technology, with appropriate structures in place to assist students as they move toward a sense of personal agency and direction (Kop & Fournier, 2010).

THE GROUP LEARNING SPACE

Designing lessons around shared learning experiences is more common in education, as we move from traditional learning environments into those that will assist students develop skills needed in today’s society. Before introducing the task, the teaching and learning goals need to be recognised (Slavin, 2010 as cited in Dumont, Istance & Benavides, ).

What is the purpose of the lesson? What do we hope the student’s will get from this? How best will they learn? What will they be assessed on? All are questions to help decide on the use of peer tutoring, cooperative or collaborative learning for the lesson.

The terms ‘cooperative’ and ‘collaborative’ are often used interchangeably however they have some major differences.

Cooperative learning is a structured approach to group work that relies on 3 factors: Team rewards, individual accountability and that all students have an equal opportunity for success.

The role of the teacher is to provide an environment that students feel comfortable learning together in, before setting expectations, demonstrating individual roles and providing learning intentions. In the classroom this can be achieved in many different ways eg. Jigsaws, learning investigations and groups to help master new learning (Slavin, 2010).

Collaborative learning as mentioned as a key pedagogical component of previously discussed learning environments can require more work in order to be done well however, can also be an extension of the skills students have developed in a cooperative learning environment.

The physical layout of classrooms has changed because learning has been identified as being socially constructed. Students learn from each other (positive interdependence) and can help further each others thinking while also being actively engaged with the tasks at hand.

Collaborative learning is a socially constructed method that can be used across multiple platforms. In the Web 2.0 electronic learning space students and teachers can interact via Wiki’s working towards a common goal and challenging each other’s ideas for a better understanding of the theme but also of each other (Murray & Olcese, 2011; UNESCO, 2012).

Collaborative learning: Research Summaries. Image Source: www.journeytoexcellence.org.uk

Cluster Learning Areas.Image source: schoolstudio.typepad.com

REFERENCES:

Cinar, I. (2010). Classroom Geography: who sit where in the traditional classrooms? Journal of International Research, 3(10), 200-212.

Johnson, J. (2009). Beyond four walls: experiential and situated learning. Teacher, (198), 18-20

Kop, R. & Fournier, H. (2010). New dimensions of self-directed learning in an open- networked learning environment. International Journal of Self-Directed Learning, 7(2), 1-20

Lorenza, L. (2009). Beyond four walls: why go beyond the bounds of the school? [online]. Teacher. (198), 22-25

Lye, S., Abas, S., Yong Tay, L. & Saban, F. (2012). Exploring the use of online space in an elementary school, Educational Media International, 49:3, 155-170, DOI:10.1080/09523987.2012.738009

Makialo- Siegl, K., Zottmann, J., Kaplan, F. & Fischer, F. (2010). Classrooms of the Future: Orchestrating Collaborative Spaces. Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

Murray, O, & Olcese, N. (2011). Teaching and learning with ipads, ready or not? TechTrends, 55(6), 42-48

Nair, P. & Fielding, R. (2005). The Language of School Design: Design Patterns for 21st Century Schools. Minneapolis, MN: Design Share

Pappas, P. (2010). The Reflective Student: A Taxonomy of Reflection. Copy/Paste. [Online]. Retrieved from: http://www.peterpappas.com/2010/01/reflective-student-taxonomy-reflection-.html

Read, M. (2010). Contemplating design: listening to children’s preferences about classroom design. Creative Education, 2, 75-80

Smith, M. (1996). Self-Direction in learning, Infed.org. Retrieved from:http://infed.org/mobi/self-direction-in-learning/

UNESCO. (2012). Turning on Mobile Learning: Global Themes. France: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.