Learning Space Design

"Rethinking classroom design needn't be expensive, but keeping users in mind is key"

Edited by Anne Boddington and Jos Boys University of Brighton, UK SENSE PUBLISHERS, 2011

Dr. Robert Beichner is an award-winning professor of physics at North Carolina State University and is receiving the Prize for his work at the post-secondary level. He has changed how students learn in the science classroom not only on his home campus, but at the more than 100 institutions of higher education that have adopted SCALE-UP, an approach that uses digital technology combined with innovative teaching approaches centered on hands-on activities and roundtable discussions.

SCALE-UP initiative at Nottingham Trent, started this year. The purpose of this website is to share designs for state-of-the-art learning studios, teaching methods, and instructional materials that are based on more than a decade of discipline-based education research.

A resource developed by Cambridge University, which aims to answer the questions: What is inclusive design? Why do it? How to get started?

iTEC is about designing the future classroom. The project, which involves 15 Ministries of Education from across Europe, brings together teachers, policymakers, pedagogical experts - representatives from each stage of the educational processes - to introduce innovative teaching practices.

Dr. Lesley S. J. Farmer,Professor of Librarianship,California State University, Long Beach This paper analyzes the state of learning spaces as they impact library education. Specifically, it reviews the literature about current trends in designing learning environments that facilitate e-learning. The report also lists cited examples of good practice in contemporary school library e-learning spaces.

A blog focusing on school design, but some useful insights for all sectors

A blog run by the University of Lincoln, which helps maintain communication with users during the continued development of the university's learning spaces. Learners are encouraged to engage and give feedback on the projects.

"'American Libraries' celebrates this year's new library designs, featuring stunning architecture, teen tech areas and flexible, collaborative spaces."

"The Learning Space Toolkit is a free resource for anyone involved in the development of technology-rich informal learning spaces." Sections on: roadmap; needs assessment; space types; services; technology; integration.

Re-imagining the design of classrooms as rich learning spaces

A USA-based hub of information and research about learning space design. Much of the focus is on school design, but there's still useful information here.

It investigates the method used by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to assess space needs in the Further Education (FE) sector in England, and researches examples of higher education (HE) space planning and management in other parts of the world."

A recent history of learning spaces in UK colleges and universities

"Designing Libraries The centre for library design and innovation: a resource for library planning and design, a database of library buildings and a marketplace for services."

A YouTube playlist that highlights videos that relate to the Jisc RSC Learning Space Design offer.

This is a useful blog which discusses library design from a user (human) perspective, rather than just bricks and mortar. The focus is on improving the user experience, through working in partnership with them and marketing services effectively.

Sets of photographs of Learning Space design from over fifty colleges and universities in the UK collected by Jisc InfoNet