Designing Spaces for Learning
Identifying opportunities for improvement in a digital learning space
The purpose of this design portfolio is to document my learning in the subject Designing Spaces for Learning as part of my Masters of Education (Teacher Librarianship) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). I will critically analyse a learning space design within my professional context in line with contemporary policy and scholarly literature in order to identify and document design problems that currently exist. I will begin by describing the space and undertaking a user needs analysis, before considering the existing space in terms of relevant design theories and concepts. Based on this I will describe the core issues that need to be addressed in the learning space in order to align with best practice for the context. This will then be used to create a problem statement based on design methodology which summarises these issues.
The learning space under consideration is a school library's virtual learning space, which can be seen in the images above. The school is a co-educational government secondary school located in the southern suburbs of metropolitan Brisbane. It has a relatively small population of just over 800 students from years 7 to 12 and benefits from several community and corporate partnerships. Although the focus here is on the digital elements, the links between the physical and virtual space cannot be ignored, indeed the issues with the learning space are mirrored in each of these areas.
The physical space is large and welcoming and is frequently accessed by both staff and students. Unfortunately, the potential of the library as a learning space is severely limited by its conceptualisation as a building with (text)books. Across all site materials -- including the publicly available website, the intranet portal and the Staff Handbook – the library is mentioned only as a place for meetings and borrowing textbooks. Circulation data confirms this focus, with textbooks comprising the vast bulk of student borrowing.
The digital space is likewise characterised by underdeveloped potential. Oliver v5 (Softlink) Library Management Software (LMS) was introduced at the end of 2018, and boasts an intuitive, modern interface that reflects popular online streaming sites along with many inbuilt functions designed to personalise the system and connect students with books they might enjoy. Unfortunately, it has been used primarily to catalogue the existing physical collection. The cataloguing of digital resources has been limited to those both freely available and aligned to EQ’s digital suitability policy, such as Project Gutenburg eBooks. A recent subscription to the LearnPath feature – an information curation tool allowing the creation of learning guides with text, images, embedded digital and interactive resources, links to library resources, and other content – further enhances the potential of this as a digital learning space. However, at this point only the generic learning guides curated and provided by Softlink have been integrated into the system. A lack of qualified staff and the vision of the library as a building with (text)books has resulted in a learning space that does not align with contemporary design theories and concepts.
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According to Design Thinking principles, effective learning space design begins with the analysis of learners and their needs (Gibbons, 2016). Evans & Saponaro (2012, p. 40-1) acknowledge that, although providing invaluable information, detailed user needs studies are often difficult and time consuming. As such, the following is grounded in general data regarding the school catchment’s demographics and student achievement. These assertions are then supported by qualitative data in the form of observation and informal discussion, primarily with students in Years 9 and 12, a small sample of teachers, and the ICT Technician. In line with Bligh & Crook’s (2017, p. 82) promotion of a participatory design, a much more rigorous consultation process ideally be undertaken before significant design decisions were made.
The student population derives from a highly diverse community including Pacifica, Vietnamese, African, and Indigenous populations. There are higher than average disability rates within the community (ABS, 2018). This is reflected in the student population, which includes a variety of physical disabilities, including sight and hearing loss, as well as neuro-diverse students and those with learning differences. It is essential that the diversity of our users is reflected in any design decisions. The Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) places the community in the highest 10% for Socio-economic disadvantage (ABS, 2018). A significant level of educational disadvantage is evidenced by the very low value assigned by the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). This is reflected in NAPLAN results which generally fall below the national standard (ACARA, 2019). With 69% of students also identifying a Language Background other than English (LBOTE), supporting literacy is an ongoing priority. Educational disadvantage and literacy challenges make it vital that the space appeals to user interests and include content and structures appropriate for reluctant and emerging readers. Concerningly, a quarter of households in the community do not have access to the internet at home (ABS, 2018). This is actually higher than the rate of computer access reported in an in-school survey completed in 2020 in preparation for remote learning during the pandemic. Interestingly, a significant proportion of students in my informal discussions reported access to the internet via smartphones. This has implications for a virtual learning space. It makes exposure to digital formats very important while also necessitating sensitivity regarding computer literacy and an acknowledgement that some content will often only be accessibly from within the school, or will need to be mobile compatible. During this ‘empathize’ phase of design thinking process (Stanford Design School, 2010), the analysis of user needs has highlighted the alignment between the virtual learning platform and the potential to create learning experiences which foster digital literacies in a space which is complimentary to, but not constrained by, curriculum and assessment requirements.
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS]. (2018, June 29). Region Data Summary. Retrieved February 20, 2020 from https://itt.abs.gov.au/itt/r.jsp?RegionSummary®ion=310011274&dataset=ABS_REGIONAL_ASGS2016&geoconcept=ASGS_2016&measure=MEASURE&datasetASGS=ABS_REGIONAL_ASGS2016&datasetLGA=ABS_REGIONAL_LGA2018®ionLGA=LGA_2018®ionASGS=ASGS_2016.
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Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2019). My School. Retrieved February 20, 2020 from https://www.myschool.edu.au/school/47194.
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Bligh, B. & Crook, C. (2017). Chapter 7: Learning Spaces. In E. Duval, M. Sharples & R. Sutherland (Eds.). Technology Enhanced Learning Research Themes (1st ed. 2017.). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02600-8
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Evans, G., & Saponaro, M. (2012). Collection Management Basics (6. ed.). Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.
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Stanford Design School. (2010). An introduction to design thinking—Process guide. In Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University. Retrieved from https://dschool-old.stanford.edu/sandbox/groups/designresources/wiki/36873/attachments/74b3d/ModeGuideBOOTCAMP2010L.pdf.