New Ideas and Directions

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Designing Learning Spaces that Promote
Engagement
-Engagement By Design -
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Panelists
Homero Lopez, Ph.D. PresidentEstrella Mountain
Community College Roger Yohe, Ph.D. Faculty
Director, Center for Teaching and
LearningEstrella Mountain Community
College Rich Marmon Director, Information
TechnologyEstrella Mountain Community College
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Environments Adapted for Educational Enrichment
Effective schools use their settings to
educational advantage by creating engaging
spaces for learning.  These spaces sometimes
have profound, if not always clearly understood
meaning to students, faculty, and staff! 
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Changes in Teaching Learning
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What Makes a Great Learning Space

• Impacts Student Learning
• Facilities Engagement
• Facilitates the use of Technology
• Allows for Multiple Pedagogies
• Creates Radical Flexibility

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New Ideas and Directions
Studio
Learning Studios depict a dynamic environment
that allows and encourages learning, research,
creativity, collaboration and engagement.
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When we asked our Faculty and Students

• Plenty of desk space
• Good lighting
• Increased computer access
• Storage areas
• More whiteboard space
• Temperature control
• Laptops
• Color and decorations (aesthetics)
• Wireless technology

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Partnerships for Learning Space Initiative
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• The Learning Studio Design A New Mental Model
• Experimentation through Prototyping

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Key Technology Goals

• Ready Access to technology
• Flexibility in use of technology
• Accommodate group work as well as individual
  work
• Improve sight lines

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Learning Studio DesignInvestments in
TechnologyLevels of Technology
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Ocotillo Hall22 New Learning Studios
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Ocotillo Hall22 New Learning Studios
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Access to TechnologyInteractionComfortGr
eater Engagement
Research and Assessment
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Research and Assessment

• Electronic Survey
• 33 Faculty, 435 Students
• Focus Groups
• 57 Students, 5 Faculty

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Research and Assessment
Students
Faculty

• Traditional Classroom
• boring
• dry
• dour
• oppressive
• restrictive
• intimidating
• Learning Studio
• inviting
• welcoming
• comfortable
• open
• clean
• fresh
• relaxing
• joyous
• serene

• Traditional Classroom
• bulky furniture
• long tables
• bolted to the floor
• institutional
• soldiers in a row
• inefficient
• Learning Studio
• interactive
• modern
• flexible
• more aesthetic
• easy to move around
• better for group work
• conducive to learning

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87
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Research and AssessmentTeaching Styles
Degree of Use
Enhancement from Learning Studio
Lecturing
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Fostering Interdependence through break-out group
activity
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Teaching students to take learning into their own
hands
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Provide Instructional Stimuli and Facilitate
Discovery
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Create a forum for open and free student and
teacher dialogue
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Research and AssessmentLearning Styles
Preference
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Learning by Hearing
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Learning by Seeing
Learning by Doing
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Research and Assessment Focus Group Highlight
Findings

• Space facilitated serious study by providing an
  inviting space that fits with the aspirations
  students.
• Studios elicit active involvement more readily
  and reduces passivity, seclusion and boredom.
• Interactive dynamic helped bring about a
  non-threatening atmosphere that encouraged
  peer-to-peer support as well as coaxed timid
  students out of their shells.
• Tools and environment improve the learning
  experience by ensuring more flexibility, mobility
  and accountability in class.
• Faculty found a benefit in customizing the space
  to their teaching style as well as the having the
  options of more tools and methods to reach the
  students.

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Research and AssessmentCommunity College
Surveyof Student Engagement

• Ask more questions or contribute more to class
  discussions.
• Interact more with instructors and peers.
• Be more involved in discussing ideas from
  readings or classes with instructors outside of
  class.
• Be more involved in discussing ideas from
  readings or classes with students outside of
  class.
• Spend more time on task.
• Receive more feedback from peers and faculty.

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Improvement Opportunities

• Laptops are a real winner!
• Wire management an issue - wireless electricity
  needed
• Projection capability from student laptops
• Issues with face to face seating during testing
• Flexibility requires new practices
• Integrated scheduling system to maximize space
  usage
• The more capability, the more training needed

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Faculty and Student Experience
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Institutional Strategies

• Leadership Vision
• Leverage Campus Space as a Strategic Tool
• Involvement of Stakeholders

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Key Approaches

• Experimentation
• Seek Partnerships
• Create Prototypes
• Gather Research
• Develop Best Practices
• Replicate

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Major Outcomes

• Learning Space Model
• Student Engagement
• Student Success

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• QuestionsHomero Lopez, Ph.D.
• Roger Yohe, Ph.D.
• Rich Marmon

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Designing Learning Spaces that Promote
Engagement
-Engagement By Design -