Slides containing a selection of activities related to learning spaces in HE. A selection of these activities could be used in a workshop with the presentation, University Learning Spaces - Disciplinary Perspectives – Introduction.

1. Disciplinary Thinking
Learning Spaces - Activities
velcr0, via Flickr, CC-BY http://www.flickr.com/photos/velkr0/3472576304/
1

2. Activities to introduce the topic
and encourage discussion
mages 1: Places for learning?
mages 2: Teaching space audit
avourite learning space
hotostories 2

3. 1. Places for learning?
ook at the photographs of teaching spaces (on the following
slides)
hoose 3 or 4 and, for each of these, jot down notes on the
following:
• What conception of teaching and learning do you think informed
the design of this space? (What kind(s) of learning is this space
intended to support?)
• Where (if at all) does this sort of learning fit into your discipline?
Give an example.
• How flexible is this space?
• How many people could it accommodate?
• Do you and/or your students work in this kind of space?
• What would you and the students be doing in a space like this?
Where do you go in the space? Are there distinct areas for
teacher and/or students? 3

4. Distinctive Classroom By Daniel Nugent - http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannohung/4576122/
4

5. National Museum of Natural History by YoTuT - http://www.flickr.com/photos/yotut/3575655214/in/photostream/
5

6. Language lab – by Eric E Castro – http://www.flickr.com/photos/ecastro/3017586278/
6

7. The Interactive Classroom by azwaldo - http://www.flickr.com/photos/azwaldo/3263873581/in/photostream
7

8. My classroom in Bonn by Evan Bench - http://www.flickr.com/photos/austinevan/2296270551/
8

9. Edinburgh library by learningspaceTK - http://www.flickr.com/photos/learningspacetoolkit/7139329703/
9

10. Renovated Library Space, SSW, by University of Michigan MSIS - http://www.flickr.com/photos/umich-msis/6443297929/
10

11. Cook and Llewelyn Mews, by University of Exeter – http://www.flickr.com/photos/26126239@N02/6813044228/
11

12. Test: lab setup, by Armandas - http://www.flickr.com/photos/armandas/5703556260/in/photostream
12

13. Outhouse - Temperate Field Study Centre, by Ecotrust Canada - http://www.flickr.com/photos/37457628@N00/3419194475/
13

14. Outhouse - Temperate Field Study Centre, by Ecotrust Canada - http://www.flickr.com/photos/37457628@N00/3419194475/
14

15. Photo by University of Michigan MSIS
Bert’s Student Study Lounge, Shapiro Library, by University of Michigan MSIS - http://www.flickr.com/photos/umich-msis/6443297367/in/photostream/
15

16. 2. Teaching space audit
ake a photograph of a physical space that you teach in
ist all the things that are in the room
ark on the list the item that is least necessary to the teaching and learning
(If you had to remove something from the room what would it be?)
ark on the list all the other things that could be dispensed with.
hat model(s) of learning and teaching was this room designed to support?
ow do you actually use it?
s there anything you would like to have in the room that is not there now?
How would this addition improve the teaching and/or learning?
ow go through your notes and consider what they tell you about learning
and teaching in your discipline, in the spaces that you currently use. If 16

17. 3. Favourite learning space
5 minutes free writing
Topic: A place where you like to work. Where is it
and what is it like? What equipment/furniture is
there? Any other features or facilities? What kind of
work do you do there? Why do you like working in
this place?
Discussion: Was the place you chose very specific to
your discipline or could anyone work there easily? Do
your students work in places like this?
17

18. 4. Photostories
ollect digital photographs of the spaces where you and
your students work. Take photographs yourself and
ask your students to do the same. You could also
involve colleagues.
pload the images to a place where you and your
students – and colleagues perhaps - can view them.
This might be in your VLE.
nvite students and/or colleagues to a half-hour
discussion.
18

19. Ownership & institutional priorities
These two short activities aim to raise
awareness of the range of people – apart from
students and tutors – who have an interest in
the spaces used for teaching and learning.
5. Competing interests
6. Learning space language
19

20. 5. Competing interests?
Who are the people who have an interest in the
learning spaces located in your department or
disciplinary area? Spend 2 minutes jotting down
your own list and then compare notes with
someone else.
• If you are not sure, start by listing the people you
would need to consult in order to make changes
to a room in which you teach (minor and major
changes).
20

21. 6. Learning spaces and language
ollect together four or five descriptions of the
learning environment in your own and other
institutions (200-300 words in total). An
institution’s online prospectus might be a good
source.
ind the 3 most commonly occurring words
(exempting words such as ‘a’, ‘the’).
ou could do this yourself by counting the instances of
particular words, or you could get a visual representation
by pasting your descriptions in to Wordle (
www.wordle.net ). Does this suggest anything about how 21

22. Reflection and action
The writing activities in this section could be
used for assessment, perhaps as part of a
portfolio.
7. Reflection
8. Making a case for change
9. Ideal learning space
22

23. 7. Reflection
Write about 200-500 words in response to this
question:
How does space impact on my teaching and my
students’ learning?
23

24. 8. Making a case for change
Choose one of these:
1.Draft a case for developing and refurbishing
one learning space in your department, to put
to the Head of Department.
2.Draft a manifesto on learning space in your
discipline. The target audience for this would be
other academics in your discipline.
24

25. 9. Ideal learning space
Choose one of these
1. Write a near-future prospectus entry for
your department, imagining that you are
writing at a time when physical and virtual
learning spaces are ideal for the discipline
2. Write 200-300 words describing your ideal
teaching space
25

26. Learning Resource Metadata
Field/Element Value:
Title Disciplinary Thinking - Learning Spaces: Activities
Slides containing a selection of activities related to learning spaces in Higher
Description Education. A selection of these activities could be used in a workshop with the
presentation, University Learning Spaces - Introducation.
Theme Learning Spaces
Subject HE - Education
Author Jane Hughes & Colleen McKenna: HEDERA, 2012
Owner The University of Bath
Educational developers in accredited programmes & courses in higher
Audience education.
Issue Date 20/04/2012
Last updated Date 03/07/2012
Version Final
PSF Mapping A1, A4, K3, K4
License Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.
ukoer, education, discthink, disciplinary thinking, hedera, university of bath,
Keywords omac, learning spaces, classroom design, mobile learning, e-learning, learning
environment, student experience, learning technologies, e-learning
26