Liverpool John Moores University Teaching and Learning Conference, 17th & 18th June 2015
How does a university come to understand how space shapes learning? This short paper reflects on the methods we have developed at Sheffield Hallam University which have involved senior managers, students, developers, teachers, information specialists, researchers, facilities managers, and others, in walking the campus together in open conversation. A series of ongoing ‘space walks’ have modelled active informal and liminal learning; literally using the spaces actively to learn and reformulate the ways we, as a university, reimagine learning. By walking the formal, informal and blended campus, as a response to committee meetings, we have challenged our ways of thinking. Using smart technologies to capture our thinking, we have walked and talked, listened and observed, and picked up and moved things together. This way of learning has changed the dynamic of important and organisationally complex discussions as we have reviewed not only our learning and teaching spaces, but our thinking about good teaching itself. Alongside our mixed group walks we have begun to develop a set of design principles and a typology of learning spaces which we can use together to design and evaluate our spatial and temporal needs. The presentation will explain what we have done so far and will include some extracts of the video conversations we make as we walk.
In response to this presentation we will consider how we are learning together in this conference today and the influence of the spaces we are using on the way we are learning and what is learnt.
Together we will reflect on the space we are in, and those we have already experienced. In our work we have learnt space is often invisible to the learner and teacher. Our discussion will reveal its influence.
The participants will consider:
• the significance of the physical and virtual spaces they use as teachers and learners;
• the relationship of active learning to informal learning as part of a shift away from over formulated and delivered learning;
• mobile ethnography as a rich, qualitative research methodology.
Enzyme, Pharmaceutical Aids, Miscellaneous Last Part of Chapter no 5th.pdf
Spacewalks: a mobile ethnography, principles and typologies to learn about learning spaces
1. Andrew Middleton
Head of Academic Practice & Learning Innovation
@andrewmid
Spacewalking
a mobile ethnography, principles and typography to learning about learning spaces
jordi.martorell CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
2. Introduction
What comes first? Who comes first?
Learning spaces - a story of disconnects
L&T
IT (infrastructure, development…)
AV
Facilities
Timetabling
Online
(…Academics?)
(…Students?)
Yet investment decisions are made!
Found Animals Foundation CC BY-SA 2.0
3. How does a university come to understand
what space means?
What does space mean to you?
In pairs compare your answers
Doug CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
6. Spacewalking..?
Invite a group e.g. senior managers, subject group, students,
mixed...
Schedule 2 hours well in advance
Devise a route to feature 'beauty spots' or 'problem spaces'
Invite each walker to nominate a "viewpoint" or pause space
Meet at the start point and model the methodology
Start walking and talking!
Keep to a 'map' (schedule)
Facilitate the walk: always bring it back to learning
Tim Green CC BY 2.0
9. Revealing the invisible
Facilitate by having a language - typology
Discuss:
Learning space principles
Dominant teaching and learning approaches
Capacity
Flexibility
AV
Components (furniture, walls, surfaces, carpets, etc)
Ambience
Connections (physical/virtual. formal/informal, etc)
Andrew Middleton CC BY
10. SHARE
Sheffield Hallam Active Reflective Engaged
Groupwork tables e.g. SCALE UP or TEAL 3x3
Pair work and break out methods, and peer support
Integrated personal and provided technology
Immediate in-class feedback from tutors and peers
Flipped learning methods informing deep and active in-class
learning
Problem-based and enquiry-based with class-wide discussion
Student-led active learning
Facilitative teaching - teacher is not anchored, navigates the
room
Peer observation and co-production
etc
11. Conclusion
Being together
Heutagogical - self-determined routes and conversations
Addressing complexity through authentically situated
conversation
Shared language (evolving)
Reflecting on active learning in actual spaces
We are co-operative walkers!
Dachalan CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Editor's Notes
What comes first - space or learning?
Who owns the learning space agenda at a university?
Decisions are made about new and existing physical and virtual estate
Does this explain why the virtual learning estate receives so much attention in academic development?
2. How does a university come to understand how space shapes learning?
"What does space mean to you?"
[In pairs compare your answers.
List responses]
[Diagram - circle with the following dichotomises]
Physical-Virtual
Formal-Informal
Social-Independent
Psychological-Instrumental
Co-operative
Active-Passive
Learner defined - Teacher defined
Synchronous-Asynchronous
Open-Closed
Provided-Personal
Flexible-Inflexible
So, it's complex! [Third Space 'blended campus' in middle]
Spacewalking - What
Invite a group (e.g. Senior managers, subject group, mixed group of users)
Schedule 2 hours well in advance
Devise a route to feature 'beauty spots' or 'problem spaces' [ensure a good mix]
Invite each walker to nominate a "viewpoint" or pause space with rationale
Meet at the start point and model the methodology
And start walking and talking!
Facilitate the walk: always bring it back to learning
Spacewalking - What
Invite a group (e.g. Senior managers, subject group, mixed group of users)
Schedule 2 hours well in advance
Devise a route to feature 'beauty spots' or 'problem spaces' [ensure a good mix]
Invite each walker to nominate a "viewpoint" or pause space with rationale
Meet at the start point and model the methodology
And start walking and talking!
Facilitate the walk: always bring it back to learning
Spacewalking - What
Invite a group (e.g. Senior managers, subject group, mixed group of users)
Schedule 2 hours well in advance
Devise a route to feature 'beauty spots' or 'problem spaces' [ensure a good mix]
Invite each walker to nominate a "viewpoint" or pause space with rationale
Meet at the start point and model the methodology
And start walking and talking!
Facilitate the walk: always bring it back to learning
Revealing the invisible - Reflect on this space
Describe this space and its teaching and learning characteristics
Learning Space principles [characteristics in SHARE]
Dominant pedagogies
Capacity
Flexibility quotient
AV
Components
Ambience
We are using these characteristics to construct a Typology which we will connect with Timetabling, staff development and space management and Future Learning Spaces research
The use of groupwork tables;
Active groupwork strategies e.g. SCALE UP's 9 and divisible by 3; pair work and break out methods, and peer support;
The integration of personal and provided technology to facilitate independent and group work and immediate in-class feedback from tutors and peers;
Flipped learning methods in which in-class activity is informed by pre-class enquiry and review of concepts and data to enable deep and active exploration of concepts through problem solving, further enquiry and class-wide discussion;
Use of problem-solving methods and frameworks e.g. the GOAL framework for problem solving (Gather, Organise, Analyse, Learn);
Student-led active learning;
Facilitative teaching role in which the teacher navigates the room and is not anchored to particular positions;
Frequent opportunities for in-class formative feedback from peers and tutors and self-reflection through the observation of peers;
Strategic, tutor-allocated group formation (e.g. mixed ability groups);
Use of group roles (e.g. manager, scribe, questioner, or other roles);
Enquiry- or problem-based learning approaches.
This way of learning has changed the dynamic of important and organisationally complex discussions as we have reviewed not only our learning and teaching spaces, but our thinking about good teaching itself.
The Typology gives us all a shared language
The Principles establish what is important for active learner-centred pedagogy
The walks reveal us to be human and co-operative!