Learning+Spaces

Design of Learning Spaces

Throughout history educational tools have evolved, as have learning spaces. Looking at these educational tools it gives inspiration for uses of instructional technology in the future. media type="youtube" key="uYWrnv2aZwU" height="315" width="560"

When planning for the learning spaces that will be used in 2025 it is important to consider many factors that will affect student learning. Many ideas exist about what works well and these are some that have been researched and we believe will be effective. According to //Thirty-Three Educational Design Principles for Schools and Communities Learning Centers// by Dr. Jeffrey Lackney there are many components to be considered. The first element recommended is physical space. “Cluster instructional areas around central cores of shared instructional support and resource spaces. Instructional spaces should act as “alcoves for learning” off centrally located shared resource space (Lackney, 1998).” One example of what this would look like: (Gibler, 2011) This photo is of a middle school in London where they are taking this idea to a new level. They have a traditional meeting space in the room across the hall but this is a place where they can read/work independently but also there are great places for working together and technology can be easily integrated, see the child with the laptop? iPads could be used here as well as other tablet options. According to Professor Heppel, of Bournemouth University and Universidad Camilo José Cela, Madrid, the learning space if vital to learning. He says, “these new spaces, with their agile pedagogies and designed playfulness generate engagement; the students and teachers in them love to work there. That engagement delivers on better behavior, stellar results and delighted parents (Heppel, 2011).”

Another factor to keep in mind when designing the learning space is class size. “The size of the primary learning group in which the child spends the most time makes a significant difference in the quality of education and development. Create instructional areas that allow for 12- 16 learners in early childhood and elementary grade levels, 16-20 learners in middle school grade levels, and 20-24 learners in secondary school grade levels (Lackney, 1998).” This is a picture of a classroom that was just opened that is taking advantage of both small class size and a meeting place, as described above, with learning alcoves located nearby. (Hufton & Crow, 2011)

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