INF536 – Assignment 1 – Observation & Analysis
Observation/Inspiration
Observation: 60 minutes from 9.00 – 10.00am, during a school day.
During the observation session the space was utilised as a thoroughfare, with students processing through the space to access the classrooms two and three. 30 students processed through the learning space, individually and in small groups.
Groups of 3 to 5 students worked independently throughout the space. Students gravitated to the edges of the room, favouring the corners, shunning the limited seating options preferring to sit or lay on the ground, in a circular configuration.
The noise level escalated too loud quickly, with sound reverberating off the high ceiling and wooden floors.
It must be noted, that although not observed the space is also used as an assembly area for liturgies and performances as well as explicit instruction and Occupational Therapy sessions.
Why Redesign?
Phillipe Stark (2019) describes design as the possibility to invent a new story. Education at present is doing just that. Educators, learners and administrators are currently trying to reimagine an education system that prizes creativity, innovation and problem solving (Brown & Thomas, 2011), moving away from the Industrialised model that has been dominant for the last 200 years (Mitra, 2013). With this shift in focus the creation of learning spaces within our schools in recent years has also changed. This space caters for the 21st learning ideals (Brown & Thomas, 2011), it does not however take into account how the room would be used on a day to day basis by its current users.
The need to create a prototype and test within the design thinking process (Kuratko et al., 2012) is limited in the arena of school learning space production. The lack of opportunity to build a prototype of this space, allow its current users to test it and rebuild it can be seen as what Kuratko calls a ‘restraint’ (Kuratko et al., 2012). There is however an opportunity to redesign how the space is used in its’ current from through consultation with its current users (Brown, 2009). Whilst undertaking this consultation it is important to also take into account the possibility of an entirely new use for the space, “…concepts that lie in the unknown, including the unknown attitudes and practices of people in the future,”(Wall, 2019). Wall is challenging designers not to limit themselves to the known, to their own understandings but to move forward to create a new story for future users/learners (Stark, 2019).
Design Solutions
Using knowledge of the design thinking process (Brown, 2009) and more specifically through the creation of A Point of View (POV); a meaningful and actionable problem statement that allows the designer to ideate in a goal-oriented manner (“Stage 2 in the Design Thinking Process: Define the Problem and Interpret the Results”, 2019), the following design solutions are suggested.
| Functional Problems with the Space | POV (Point Of View)
A meaningful and actionable problem statement (“Stage 2 in the Design Thinking Process: Define the Problem and Interpret the Results”, 2019) |
Possible design solutions |
| The learning space is a thoroughfare. | Learners need a path because they have to use the learning common to access classrooms 2 and 3. | Introduce designated traffic flow areas. Tape on the floor or a hallway rug would clearly mark the traffic zones.
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| Students were only using the edges of the space.
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Learners need space defining design elements because they are unsure of how to utilise the whole space. | Rugs demarking the space a small group can work on could be placed across the floor.
Note: The use of rugs instead of furniture means the space could still be multifunctional
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| The space was easily filled with noise. | Learners need sound insulating elements because the current amount of sound interferes with their learning. | The addition of rugs would lessen the reverberation of sound throughout the room |
A human centred design thinking approach (Brown, 2009) would enable the designer to create solutions that allow learners to effectively and creatively use this learning space to its full potential (Davis, Docherty & Dowling, 2016).
References
Brown, T. (2009) Change by design: How design thinking transforms organizations and inspires innovation. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/9480893/Change_by_Design
Brown, J. S., & Thomas, D. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. CreateSpace, Scotts Valley.
Davis, J., Docherty, C. A., & Dowling, K. (2016). Design thinking and innovation: Synthesising concepts of knowledge co-creation in spaces of professional development. The Design Journal, 19(1), 117–139. http://doi.org/10.108/14606925.2016.1109205 http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1080/14606925.2016.1109205
Kuratko, D., Goldsworthy, M. & Hornsby, G. (2012). The design-thinking process. In Innovation acceleration : transforming organizational thinking (pp. 103-123). Boston: Pearson. Retrieved from https://doms.csu.edu.au/csu/file/39f80d54-a2d1-454c-9f00-6c44f886944b/1/kuratko-d.pdf
Mitra, S. (2013). School in the Cloud [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_build_a_school_in_the_cloud?language=en
Starck, P. (2019). Design and destiny. Retrieved 22 July 2019, from http://www.ted.com/talks/philippe_starck_thinks_deep_on_design
Stage 2 in the Design Thinking Process: Define the Problem and Interpret the Results. (2019). Retrieved 22 July 2019, from https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/stage-2-in-the-design-thinking-process-define-the-problem-and-interpret-the-results
Wall, J. (2019). INF536 Designing Spaces for Learning. Module 2: Space as change agent. Topic 2.3: Designing for the unknown [course notes]. Retrieved from: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?course_id=_39859_1&content_id=_2894793_1
Wood, A. (2019). Learning Common Description [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xDK5Yj6b2Q
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for a great post.
I absolutely agree with your statement that “this space caters for the 21st learning ideals (Brown & Thomas, 2011), it does not, however, take into account how the room would be used on a day to day basis by its current users”. I believe that this highlights the importance of including the school community (staff and current students) in the design brief process.
Thanks for the observational drawings, photos and video, I can definitely see that the space is full of potential and designed with 21st Century learning in mind through the creation of an active and flexible learning space. I made a similar observation about noise in the Library space I observed and I wonder to what extent sound is considered when creating open-plan learning spaces. While we want open, flexible learning spaces they do not always allow for multiple groups to be using the space at the same time due to the noise created. When designing learning spaces, sound must be a key consideration as noise can be distracting and significantly impact teaching and learning (Barrett. Et al. 2015).
I agree with your design suggestions of designated spaces and the possible use of floor coverings to indicate the uses of the various areas. Some storage solutions might also be useful as it looks like a lot of educational materials and resources are kept in this space? Have you looked at From the Campfire to the Holodeck: Creating Engaging and Powerful 21st Century Learning Environments by David Thornburg’s (2013)? Thornburg has some great ideas about designating learning spaces (both physical and virtual) into areas including a campfire, watering holes, caves and life.
Barrett, P. Davies, F. Zhang, Y. Barrett, L. (2015). The impact of classroom design on pupils’ learning: Final results of a holistic, multi-level analysis. Building and Environment. Volume 89. P118-133. Retrieved from https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0360132315000700
Thornburg, D. (2013). From the Campfire to the Holodeck : Creating Engaging and Powerful 21st Century Learning Environments. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=645067&site=ehost-live
Jessica, you must have a sixth sense mentioning Thornburg, our school basis its classroom organisation around his campfire, waterhole, cave theory. It is a little hard work to start with, developing the students capabilities and explicitly teaching self-regulation techniques, but it is well worth the effort. Thanks for your comment.
Thanks Amanda – a clear description and your suggested changes are simple but could be effective. Students do need visual cues as to how to use a space and the rugs could do this very easily.