Learning Happens Everywhere!
While doing research for our higher education project I came across an article that had some tips for designing learning spaces.
It is important for designers to understand that learning is happening everywhere now! This is facilitated by new technologies, different types of furniture, and finishes. These elements should be adapted to personal and collaborative learning environments
As the article says "every seat is the best seat". I also think that "seat" is relative. . Learning no longer occurs just in a classroom! It occurs wherever one can sit, pull up a chair, lean, or pause or a quick conversation.
1. Enhance Collaboration
Furniture arrangement can determine what type of learning takes place in a space. Collaborative spaces should enable students and faculty to work and learn with each other. Furniture that can easily be moved to form small groups may be ideal. Or perhaps furniture that is arranged to create small groups or large collaborative groups may be ideal.
2. Foster Engagement
The article says that learning, especially collaboration, is a social activity. Remember when our teachers in grade school told us "school is not for socializing it's for learning"? This article suggests that we learn better BY socializing. We make connections with the instructor and our peers that aid in our learning process. Spaces that allow engagement remove barriers, are mobile, and encourage interaction with peers nearby and with an instructor that can walk around and touch base with individuals or groups.
3.Flex to meet more varied needs
Flexible furniture allows a space to be adapted to a student's or instructor's needs. Furniture in a space can be mobile to fulfill the temporary needs of a space's occupants. Then the furniture can go back to the way it was originally laid out. This flexibility enables active and inactive learning. Different furniture that is flexible can also create zones that signify things like "this space is for quiet study" or even "this space is for collaboration".
4. Make technology work for you
Technology should not dictate where one learns or teaches. Technology should enhance the learning experience not hinder it. Explore mobile and interactive technologies but don't be afraid to say "this is too much technology would this even be used" or "this configuration takes away from the design and/or intended use of the space".
5. blur the lines between learning and work
Try designing spaces that mimic the layout of corporate office environments. Many of them are open offices and they utilize touch down workstations, warm up/cool down areas, areas to relax, areas to have focus time, and more. I would also add, don't be afraid to use bright colors or patterns in community spaces in a higher education project. Classrooms with too many patterns or colors can be distracting but community, or public spaces, can be more fun.
Source:
Jackson, Derrell. Interiors and Sources. "Learning Happens Everywhere". 31 March 2015.
<http://www.interiorsandsources.com/article-details/articleid/18632/title/learning-happens-everywhere.aspx>. 01 March 2015.
