How can you create flexible spaces that actively engage students, provide top-notch operational support services, and make the organizational changes required to move to new spaces, practices, and policies? This keynote presentation by Elliot Felix, Founder of brightspot strategy, answered these questions through presentations, activities, and discussions. It will cover the key trends and case studies, innovative planning tools, and recommended tactics to make progress on all these fronts.

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Creating and Supporting Innovative
Learning Spaces
Learning Spaces Symposium
Penn State
March 20, 2015

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objective
How can you create flexible spaces that
actively engage students, provide top-notch
operational support services, and make the
organizational changes required to move to
new spaces, practices, and policies?

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agenda
Introduction
Planning Challenges
Trends in Learning Spaces
Discussion
Tools for Learning Spaces
Activity and Discussion
Getting Started
Q & A
If you want to tweet about this talk: #LSSPSU15
@brightspotter

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poll: top planning challenge

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trends influencing learning spaces

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a quick story: Project Pomfret
http://www.pomfretschool.org/

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trends
mobility problem-based making
connectivity visualization flexibility

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mobility and blended learning
With students and faculty able to work anywhere, the learning
experience requires an “ecosystem” of connected spaces and
activities.
NC State Hunt Library Georgia Tech Flipped Classroom

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active learning on real-world problems
Students are actively engaged in and out of the classroom,
particularly working on real-world problems to which they can
apply skills and build a project portfolio.
University of Minnesota Active Learning Classroom University of Virginia Darden School iLab

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digital and physical making
The diversity of what students are making and how they are
doing it is increasing, with a greater variety of digital and
physical “products” – videos, websites, apps, devices, etc…
Seattle University Library Georgia Tech Invention Studio

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visualization and simulation
Data gathering, analysis, and visualization are becoming
essential parts of many courses and technology is enabling the
immersive simulation of scenarios and events.
University of Rochester VISTA Collaboratory NCSU Hunt Library

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collaborating at a distance
To work on engaging problems and tap into broader expertise
and experiences, students are connecting to other locations to
learn and collaborate.
NYU Global Videoconference Google Docs

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flexibility and versatility
To accommodate a range of teaching / learning styles and
activities, spaces, technology, and furniture need to be able to
adapt to a variety of different configurations.
Stanford d.school Stanford School of Medicine

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discussion

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discussion activity: 10mins
Turn to your neighbor and discuss: How are these and other
trends impacting what’s happening on your campus and in your
work? After a few minutes we’ll discuss.
mobility problem-based making
connectivity visualization flexibility

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tools to make progress

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tools
There are a variety of tools you can use to plan and operate
innovative learning spaces. Here are two compilations and we’ll
review a few in detail.
• The Learning Space Toolkit
• The Learning Space Rating System
• Personas
• “Elevator Pitch” madlib
• Journey Map

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learning space toolkit
brightspot, in partnership with NC State and AECOM, developed the learning space toolkit to
help institutions and designers create and sustain exemplary, technology-rich informal
learning spaces.
design as delivery
Process Needs Assessment Space Types
Services Technology Integration
More info: www.learningspacetoolkit.org

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More info: http://www.educause.edu/eli/initiatives/learning-space-rating-system
Similar to how the LEED rating system measures environmental performance, the Learning
Space Rating System (LSRS) project provides a set of measurable criteria to assess how
well the design of classrooms support and enable active learning activities.
Campus Context Planning Process Support and Ops
Environment Layout Furniture Tech and Tools
learning space rating system

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personas
Personas are data-driven portraits of hypothetical users that
describe their motivations, behaviors, and expectations.
More info: http://learningspacetoolkit.org/services-and-support/personas-overview/

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elevator pitch
The elevator pitch determines who the space is for, what they
are trying to achieve, what you can provide them, what will be
unique about it, and how they will benefit.
More info: http://www.gamestorming.com/games-for-design/elevator-pitch/

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journey map
The journey map plots user experiences, identifying the
“touchpoints” or moments where users interact with
information, spaces, furniture, tech, staff and each other.
More info: http://learningspacetoolkit.org/services-and-support/journey-map-overview/

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activity: tool test-drive

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journey map test drive: 10 + 10 mins
Turn to your neighbor and use the journey map handout to
plan a future learning experience, identifying the needs for
space, technology, furniture, and support services
Scenario:
Imagine a seminar on the topic
of water. Choose one or more of
the following activities to anchor
the learning experience:
1. Videoconference with external
expert
2. Creating a short video to
explain research findings
3. Debating the politics of water
4. Designing an exhibition

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journey map test drive example
Video conference with class and
guest speaker (with
presentation then Q & A) and
audience polling at key
moments during the talk
Announce
guest
speaker
Set up
camera,
mic, and
screen
sharing
Determine
next steps
and end VC
Post-class
blog post
and group
discussion
with
speaker
response
Seminar room for 24 students,
reconfigurable for central table,
U-shape, and clusters
(configured as “V” for
videoconf.)
Moveable tables and chairs
Course
site
Camera
Mic
Screen
sharing
software
Dual
screens
None Course
blog

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getting started

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user research
Research user needs (and partner with campus experts to do
so) combining qualitative and quantitative methods
Research
Creating new knowledge,
testing experimental
hypotheses, & documenting
new knowledge.
Assessment
Evaluation for accountability,
management, or decision-making
and budgeting purposes, applied to a
specific project/program/context.
Formative:
Monitoring progress FOR
learning to inform what to
do and how to do it.
Summative:
Evaluation OF learning to
document outcomes and
determine value
Generative:
Gaining insights and
opportunities and
providing human-centered
insight, revealing new
ways of framing
opportunities and inspiring
new ideas.
Predictive:
Estimating potential and
helping to estimate the
scale and potential of an
opportunity even when
most variables are
unknown.
Sources: Adapted from Jane Fulton Suri “Informing our Intuition” and various CETL sites (MIT, CMU, KSU)

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leverage resources
Leverage the standards, guidelines, and resources out there so
you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
More info: Learning Space Toolkit: http://learningspacetoolkit.org/roadmap/project-phases/

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participatory planning
Use participatory planning process to involve users and build
consensus.

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same tools for design, ops, and eval
Apply the same tools for design, operations, and assessment so
they are always connected; for example service blueprints.
More info: http://learningspacetoolkit.org/services-and-support/service-blueprint/

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prototype and pilot
Start with prototypes and pilots so you can use a lean approach
to try something, evaluate it, and improve it

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getting started
Here are some tips to address the challenges we discussed,
respond to the trends, and put the tools and techniques to
work, in terms of spaces, service offerings, & organizationally.
1. Research user needs (and partner with campus experts to do so)
2. Leverage the standards, guidelines, and resources out there so
you don’t have to reinvent the wheel
3. Use participatory planning process to involve users and build
consensus
4. Apply the same tools for design, operations, and assessment so
they are always connected
5. Start with prototypes and pilots so you can use a lean approach to
try something, evaluate it, and improve it

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questions?

34. thank you!
elliot@brightspotstrategy.com
@elliotfelix
www.brightspotstrategy.com
@brightspotter