Pilot ‘Future Learning Spaces’

A pleasant vibe that stimulates interaction

Interviews, observations, questionnaires and the smiley-machine revealed that students and teachers highly appreciate the rooms for tutorials and active learning activities. Over 80% of student-respondents preferred them over an old-fashioned classroom. The teachers who took part in the pilot study unanimously stated “we want more of these rooms!”

Mobile whiteboards were everyone’s’ favorite. They were used for brainstorming, drawing, note taking, presenting, or small group explanations. Also the group LCD screens and height-adjustable tables were well appreciated, and last but not least: the physical space to actually move around was very pleasant! It made collaboration “so much more easy”, said a TA. Teachers noticed that the groups-based furniture set-up immediately created an active vibe. Moreover, the friendlier, informal style makes the room atmosphere more pleasant, and the simple plants, even though they’re plastic, were often mentioned as a plus.

Sitting or standing comfortably

Comfort quickly became a main essentiality. The sofa-benches in room G0.18a were definite favorite seating. Some teachers even used them to roll the students who were in line to present up to the front! The mobile, lightweight chairs in G0.18a and b, however….they received a mountain of complaints, regardless of their noise-free wheels. Students found their tilted ‘activating posture seating’ quite uneasy. Regular seats are now also offered in these rooms, to accommodate everyone. But sitting is not mandatory! Students also enjoyed the option to work standing up; “because it gives more freedom to walk around and check in with a peer” or “because it feels more active for the brain”, as they said.

Suitable teaching and learning activities

Whereas the rooms were appreciated for tutorials, it came as no surprise that they scored less for traditional passive lecturing. A group setting with rolling chairs was not optimal for a stretch of sitting and listening. Together with the scheduling team, the rooms are now being scheduled for suitable activities as much as possible. Teachers who need an Active Learning Space can specifically ask for them (but do keep students numbers and availability in mind). So far, the rooms have specially been requested by teachers for various highly interactive activities, such as symposiums, student end-product showcases, a pop-up museum, ‘Disney-brainstorms’ (a highly effective and fun method to brainstorm and kick-start a project), pressure-cooker days, poster sessions, and tutorials with team-assignments.

Future Outlook for LabQ

What do the pilot teachers and students want for future Active Learning Spaces in the (new to build) LabQ building? First of all, and unanimously: plenty of accessible writing space such as whiteboards. Next to that they need flexibility, a set-up that stimulates collaboration, and pleasant acoustics. Not to forget, seating options that suit everyone, so preferably a choice of them. Next to this, teachers need to be well-informed about room-options, and technology shouldn’t be too complex. We hope that these pages are a useful first step in that information.

General conclusions:

• Plenty of writing space is an absolute must-have in an Active Learning Space.
• Not all features for collaboration and interaction need to be highly technical or expensive.
• Active Learning Spaces work best – and should thus be used – for active teaching methods.
• Redesigning flexible learning spaces takes a goal in mind and careful, yet flexible, planning.

Overview of the features in the Future Learning Spaces, their effects, and how they were appreciated: