Presentation deck for JAMcArthur's presentation at the Next Generation Learning Spaces Conference in Nashville, TN, February 25, 2015. The presentation is based on McArthur's article "Practical Spaces for Learning Spaces from User-Experience Design" available here: https://jamcarthur.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/practical-lessons-from-user-experience-design-for-spaces-for-learning-mcarthur.pdf

1. Managing Competing
Agendas
in Learning Space Design
Next Generation Learning Spaces Conference
February 25, 2015 • Nashville, TN
John A. McArthur, Ph.D.
James L. Knight School of Communication
Queens University of Charlotte

2. Guiding Questions
• A space is always communicating with its
users. Should a space tell users how to
behave, reveal the design for its
experience, or invite users to participate?
• Next generation learning spaces should
be designed to promote learning
experiences. What principles guide the
development of user-centered spaces of
learning?
• Making spaces flexible seems efficient, but
are multi-use or multi-audience spaces
more likely to be beneficial for everyone
or functional for no one?
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

3. Guiding Questions
• A space is always communicating with its
users. Should a space tell users how to
behave, reveal the design for its
experience, or invite users to participate?
• Next generation learning spaces should
be designed to promote learning
experiences. What principles guide the
development of user-centered spaces of
learning?
• Making spaces flexible seems efficient, but
are multi-use or multi-audience spaces
more likely to be beneficial for everyone
or functional for no one?
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

4. Human-Centered Systems
References
• Human-centered Systems as defined in Cooley, M. (2000). Human-centered systems. In
R. Jacobson. Information Design. Boston, MA: MIT Press.
• Applied to Learning Space Design in McArthur, J. (2011). Practical lessons from user-
experience design for spaces of learning. American Clearinghouse on Educational
Facilities Journal, 2(1), 65-76.
• Purpose
• Ownership
• Coherence
• Malleability
• Engagement
• Responsiveness
• Inclusiveness
• Panoramic
• Transcendence
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

5. Purpose
The space should be designed
with learning (not teaching) in
mind.
Some examples:
• Considering pedagogy-
based assessment in the
design phase of the
building.
• Embedding pedagogy in
the design and furnishings
• Drive learning space
design according to
purpose.
• Developing a “portfolio of
learning spaces” for varied
purposes
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

6. Ownership
The design phase should integrate
the views of students, faculty,
facilities mangers, tech support;
and/or the building should offer
access opportunities for each of
these parties when needed and
often.
Some examples:
• Forming user-councils to
address practices in the
space.
• Allowing access to both
formal and informal spaces
for all users at regular,
predictable times.
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

7. Coherence
The space should managed by a
team of representatives, selected
from each of its user constituencies,
who are responsible for relaying
information about the space to its
users.
Some examples:
• Empowering user-councils
to address changes in the
space.
• Creating routes and
channels for information
delivery within and about
the space.
• Developing a culture of
users (a flexible space
should be frequently
modified).
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

8. Malleability
The space should be modifiable to
meet the needs of its variety of
users.
Some examples:
• Investing in flexible
furniture and technology
• Guaranteeing ubiquitous
wireless access to the
Internet
• Designing convertible
spaces which can
expand/contract to serve
different sized groups
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

9. Engagement
The space should have areas
devoted solely devoted to
experimentation and innovation
Some examples:
• Designating areas for
individual and group work
• Providing materials to
encourage creativity
(whiteboards and writing
surfaces, post-it notes,
software, haptic or
interactive displays,
augmented reality)
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

10. Responsiveness
The space should include in-house
tech support and necessary student
services.
Some examples:
• Locating information and
technology support and
students service in
dedicated spaces within the
building.
• Delineating on-site contacts
for each learning space.
• Offering real-time
connectivity and rapid
response to user requests.
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

11. JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces
Inclusiveness
The space should be comfortable,
aesthetically pleasing, and inviting.
Some examples:
• Assessing color, lighting,
temperature, and aroma
within a space.
• Planning for acoustic
concerns.
• Developing appropriate
levels of comfortability in a
space: interpersonal
distance and ergonomics.

12. Panoramic
The space should fit into the overall
model of campus architecture. It
should allow pass-throughs to and
from other functional areas.
Some examples:
• Balancing a common
elements of university
facility design with purpose-
driven space.
• Connecting to the place-
based heritage of the
institution.
• Demonstrating quality
wayfinding practices.
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

13. Transcendence
The space should be designed to
facilitate interaction between
faculty & students and among
various disciplines.
Some examples:
• Locating offices near formal
learning spaces
• Assigning diverse disciplines
to the same spaces
• Creating informal learning
spaces close to the formal
ones (cafes, corridors, etc.)
• Arranging nodes, anchors,
bottlenecks, meeting points,
intersections
• Considering sociopetal and
sociofugal arrangements for
impact
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

14. Guiding Questions
• A space is always communicating with its
users. Should a space tell users how to
behave, reveal the design for its
experience, or invite users to participate?
• Next generation learning spaces should
be designed to promote learning
experiences. What principles guide the
development of user-centered spaces of
learning?
• Making spaces flexible seems efficient, but
are multi-use or multi-audience spaces
more likely to be beneficial for everyone
or functional for no one?
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces

15. Managing Competing
Agendas
in Learning Space Design
Next Generation Learning Spaces Conference
February 25, 2015 • Nashville, TN
John A. McArthur, Ph.D.
mcarthurj@queens.edu
@JAMcArthur
JAMcArthur.com
@ JAMcArthur #LearningSpaces