Page 158 - Educational Technology A Primer for the 21st Century

150 9 Learning Space Design

9.1 Introduction

Learning is changing in the twenty-first century. Learning happens in classrooms,
homes, communities, and indoor and outdoor settings. The design of a learning
space is important for desirable learning outcomes. Furthermore, technology has
evolved and transformed our lives and society and learning space is enhanced by
current high-quality technologies, such as interactive tutorials, wireless networks,
whiteboards, and mobile devices. Maximizing student’s learning is a top priority in
designing or redesigning a learning space. Well-designed learning spaces support
pedagogical practices that engage, challenge, and equip students with the knowl-
edge, skills, and attributes they need to succeed in a complex and rapidly changing
world.
This chapter will present the definition of a learning space and discuss how to
evaluate learning spaces. In addition, the discussion will focus on how technology
has enabled the implementation of learning spaces, in particular the usage of smart
technologies.

9.2 Learning Spaces

Previous learning spaces mainly occurred outdoors, such as in a forest. For
example, the later Xiang Order (circa 1046—256 BCE), which included private
schools, academies and outdoor venues as well as the Imperial College in China.
The modern learning environment appeared after the class teaching system pre-
sented by Comenius in the sixteenth century in what is now called the Czech
Republic (see http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Comenius).
Since the 1990s, many new information technologies (e.g., multimedia, com-
puters, digital projector, the Internet, courseware, network-based courses, tutorial
Web sites and more) have entered into schools and classrooms. Learning spaces
now constitute an emerging research area. The goal of a learning space is to
promote independent, flexible, and engaged learning by providing learners with
appropriate technologies and pedagogies. How to design and develop an effective
learning space has thus become increasingly critical (Ellis & Goodyear, 2016).

9.2.1 Definition of Learning Space

Learning space refers to a place and the surroundings associated with that place
where teaching and learning occur; it may refer to an indoor or outdoor location, or
to a physical or virtual environment (for example, the Journal of Learning Spaces
located at http://libjournal.uncg.edu/index.php/jls).