LCN601: Designing Spaces for Learning
Assignment 1: Learning Space Design Analysis
My context is a public comprehensive 7-12 high school in Western Sydney, NSW with close to 2000 students. The school opened in 2015 and has had one cohort complete their Higher School Certificate (HSC). The second cohort will complete the HSC in 2021. The student body is diverse with 59% students from a language background other than English and over 35 languages spoken by students and their families. The size of the school makes it unique—each grade has around 300 students which means, statistically, students should be able to find a community of likeminded peers. The reality is, of course, that students spend five hours a day with the same 20-30 students. Two breaks of 30-minutes allow just enough time for students to eat, drink, speak to a teacher, and spend a little time with their friendship group that is likely formed in their core class. To this end, there is an imperative to provide extra-curricular activities and opportunities and create learning spaces to support the development of a positive school community and so students can meet peers with similar interests, beyond their core classes, in a neutral environment. There is also a need to support students who may not have had any success finding a friendship group in their core class.
My face-to-face teaching load, as Teacher-Librarian, is less than the staff teaching Key Learning Areas. Part of my role, therefore, is to engage students in the library space and support them with accessing the resources and with their assignments. My role of curating the library collection extends to extra-curricular activities which I run twice a week focusing on practical creative skills. The learning space I am focusing on in this instance is one of these groups, the face-to-face Pen & Paper group, that I established in Term 1, 2021 and the subsequent online environment I created when greater Sydney was required to stay at home during the lockdown period to prevent the transmission of the Delta strain of Covid 19.
For more information regarding the demographics of the student body, please see the current school plan:
The students who attend Pen & Paper are predominantly in Year 7 and Year 8 and there are two students who are regular library users, from Year 9 and Year 11, who also attend periodically. What I have found, during the time I have worked in education, is that relationships are important when students are determining how to spend their free time. Students from my classes, possibly after they have assessed whether they engage with the way I approach lessons, are more likely to attend the extra-curricular activities I coordinate. The take up from other grades is much slower.
The students who attend regularly are all in different classes and while many of them are confident in all areas of their studies, it is evident, through being their Communication Skills teacher that the confidence in Pen & Paper does not always translate into their approach to classwork. Several require support when developing their ideas in the written form but thankfully their motivation is high, and they are not dissuaded from partaking in the activities even when they do not feel confident in all aspects. The group of students who attend face-to-face Pen & Paper were invited to a Google Classroom for the activity. In the online learning space, possibly because we are not engaging in tangential conversations about writing during the meeting, there is more writing being shared. The relative anonymity of the space, I think, also supports this. Students, and rightly so, can be reluctant to share their writing with others before they have developed a mutual respect and trust. I have shared the code to the group with the wider school community but as many students are finding the transition to online learning difficult, I understand that adding another online space, even one that exists as an interest based low pressure environment, may still be overwhelming, and only a few students have joined. For this reason, too, I chose Google classroom, rather than creating another ‘class’ on the schools Learning Management System, Canvas. This avoided adding to the noise of existing timetabled classes in this space.
This reflection will explore the physical learning space Pen & Paper as well as the movement to an online platform and consider ways the space could be more useful, interactive, and engaging for existing members and how to appeal to potential members in the rest of the student body.
A contemporary and participatory approach to learning spaces is integral to the creation of an inclusive, engaging, and supportive space for students embarking on formal and informal learning experiences (Casanova et al., 2018, p. 291). Pedagogies focusing on the learner ideally also involve the student and their teachers in the ideation phase of the development of the learning space (Casanova et al., 2018, p. 290). This process acknowledges that a carefully constructed learning space has positive impacts on learning and that the users of the space have value to add to the design process (Casanova et al., 2018, p. 290). It is evident, when reflecting on the learning space for the extra-curricular writing group, Pen & Paper, that there are elements that work effectively in terms of current thinking around learning space design, but there is room to improve and the students who attend likely have many valuable ideas of what would work for them (Casanova et al., 2018, p. 290).
Pen & Paper is an additional humanities-based activity outside the English and Communication Skills classroom. The physical and online space is free from the constraints of the syllabus so can be responsive to the needs and interests of learners which aligns with the work of Crook and Bligh (2017, p. 80) who suggest informal learning spaces are inherently valuable. My experience working with the NSW English Syllabuses and time in the English classroom has been useful when determining activities to engage and challenge the students who attend Pen & Paper to ensure that students are honing their skills while focusing on writing styles and texts that they are passionate about (Juliani, 2015, p. 113). The work of Nancie Atwell (2015, p. 85) has informed my practice and the development of the face-to-face learning space operates as a modified Writing Workshop. Consideration is made for student choice, so the structure of the learning space gives students designated time in which to work on an existing or new writing project or engage in the short activities. The introduction of different styles of writing or the use of particular techniques draws on the modelled, guided, independent gradual release of responsibility scaffolding (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2009, p. 22) so students have support and explicit teaching, if required, until they have acquired the new skills and are confident to employ these in their writing (Hmelo-Silver et al., 27, p. 104).
At its heart, the learning space aims to build the confidence of those who are interested in writing but maybe unsure about how to take the leap from consumer to creator (Juliani, 2015, p. 113). The role of the teacher is significant in providing support within the space as well as constructing an online space with more flexibility (Zhang, 2021). Student choice in writing is a significant factor in students developing and honing their writing skills. The ability of the teacher to give explicit feedback and peers providing some feedback as well gives insight into the piece of writing composed and can be a great collaborative skill for students to develop within the writing community (Atwell, 2015, pp. 54-55). Atwell’s In the Middle (2015, pp. 77-78) purports that students are more likely to write and write well when given the freedom to choose both content and form, so this is an underlying premise, as well, the provision of a prompt/activity/exemplar text but the freedom and flexibility to focus on different projects or discussion.
Social and active learning strategies are at the core of the learning space, but this is an area that could be improved in the online environment (Brown & Long, 2006, pp. 116-117). When on site, Pen & Paper meets during lunch time on Thursdays for the whole of the half an hour break (see image right side bar). Students bring their lunch, and we use the tables in computer lab adjoining the library, unless there is a last-minute room booking and the group finds another location in a quiet corner of the library or a meeting room (Brown & Long, 2006, pp. 116-117). The computer room has a large screen and projector which makes it possible to include multimodal prompts and display texts for critique and discussion. From here, students complete a short writing activity or share their progress of their latest writing project (Bligh & Crook, 2017, p. 70). The learning space doubles as a realistic setting – discussing ideas with peers while having lunch is an authentic experience (Bligh & Crook, 2017, p. 70).
To maintain consistency and encourage participation in the learning space every week I bring along different types of paper, a range of pens, pencils, crayons, and textas (Brown & Long, 2006, p. 117). I also issue each student with a ‘Writer’s Notebook’ and instruction guide with suggestions on what types of things they could include, and we revisit this throughout the term. Access to technology, beyond the computer room, is easily a positive in this learning space as the school was established with a ‘Bring Your Own Device’ policy. All students have a laptop provided by their family or if needed, a long-term loan from the school which does make it easier for students to partake in an online environment (Bligh & Crook, 2017, p. 1; (Brown & Long, 2006, p. 117). I provide a range of prompts, sometimes these are printed for students and sometimes they use resources from the library and often collect catalogues when I visit the grocery store, so we can do some idea generation in response to everyday items. The tactile approach works quite well because the group is not only about writing but allowing students to participate and make friends with students in different classes (Brown & Long, 2006, p. 117). Considering how to provide the variety possible within the face-to-face environment in the online space is an element I am grappling with currently.
Many of the students who participate in Pen & Paper also attend a range of other extra-curricular activities, so I have established Pen & Paper as a ‘drop in’ group with little pressure to attend every single week. Many of the other extra-curricular activities students sign up for are strict with attendance which means they are unwilling to attend others lest they overcommit themselves and run out of time to complete their homework and assessments, attend after school activities, and spend time with their friends and family. I learned quickly that I needed to take a much gentler approach with Pen & Paper, so students did not feel pressure to attend when they had full schedules and therefore wouldn’t attend at all. I create an overview of the term (see image right side bar) for the group to give some structure to the meetings and allow students to plan accordingly (Zhang, 2021). Each meeting I reiterate that they should come along when they can, and decide which topics they like the best—those involving sensory writing about sweets or biscuits are very popular which aligns with the ‘café’ culture approach espoused in the work of Bligh & Crook (2017, p. 70). I keep the conversation going when I see one of them in class or the library to reinforce the importance of their writing as part of their identity (Atwell, 2015, p.27).
Maintaining routine and consistency in an online environment is as important as doing so in a physical environment but not so much as to impede or contain (Bligh & Crook, 2017, pp. 73-74). The development of an online space, while wholly necessary during remote learning, also allows learning to transcend the four walls of school, much like the way society operates beyond school (Juliani, 2015, p. 7). The online environment gives students the autonomy to access materials when and where they want – increasing flexibility and access and this is a learning space that I will maintain on our return to face-to-face (Juliani, 2015, p. 8). The use of Google Classroom replicates some of the functionality of social media, in that there are comments, and reactions available for immediate feedback and the display of pieces of writing as a post also iterates the ‘social media’ feel of the space (Ellis et al., 2018, p. 4). Students have some control over their presence in this world and they can choose their own avatar. The ‘asynchronous’ nature of the online space allows for students to access when they have the inclination, but it is possible that without the structure, accountability, and regularity of scheduled meetings that this is ineffective for some students (Zhang, 2021).
As aforementioned, students were invited to the online Google Classroom learning space if they had attended a face-to-face meeting and there have been several invites to the wider school community. Canvas is used for timetabled classes and this differentiation of platform for the extra-curricular space was to ensure that Canvas wasn’t sending more notifications to students about non-compulsory requirements. Given that many are struggling with the extended time online, I needed to create another space away from where they are spending their school days. I have found Google Classroom to be functional but does not allow for the interactivity, nor the development of a unique aesthetic, and in many ways, as reflected in the work of Bligh and Crook (2017, p. 70) it has fallen somewhat short of my expectations.
The careful consideration of the learning space has a positive impact on education outcomes and to this end this research and reflection has given me pause to learn and consider what can be changed to better meet student needs in both the physical and online environments (Ellis et al., 2018, p. 4). If drawing on the classroom design process of Todd & Wiggs (2016, p. 6) a vision statement for the space could be:
The creation of designated space for Pen & Paper in a physical location in the library is something I have found difficult due to competing interests and perceived ownership of the space which means it is neither aesthetically pleasing or in any way efficient (Todd & Wiggs, 2016, p. 3). For this vision to be enacted the physical space needs to be an area that is permanently allocated, where materials can be stored, students can sit comfortably, and there is some safety in the structure, so students know exactly where to go so they are not faced with the arduous and stressful task of searching for the group. Ideally, there will be writing resources such as dictionaries, rhyming dictionaries, magnetic poetry, alongside the different types of paper and writing implements, available for students and displays that may inspire which could also be replicated in the online space (Todd & Wiggs, 2016, p. 3).
While I have noted limitations in the Google Classroom I have established, I do have greater carriage over the online environment which will certainly take the place of the physical for the time being. While there is access to several Learning Management Systems (Google Suite, Microsoft Office365) via the NSW Department of Education many writing based apps, and blogging platforms are blocked and students cannot access them when using school computers or Wi-Fi. I need to investigate other options for authentic publishing in order to provide more opportunities for students to write and be read by a wider audience (Brown & Long, 2006, p. 126). Google Classroom serves to connect the community and students are able to post their writing and engage in feedback processes but when considering the resources provided to students, in acknowledgement of ‘beauty’ being a human need, there needs to be a space to store and share resources in a visually appealing manner which could be fulfilled by Google Sites and as an extension some interactivity provided by another tool in the Google Suite, such as Jam Board (Todd & Wiggs, 2016, p. 3).
The level of interactivity needs further consideration as engagement levels will not increase without the development and maintenance of the community (Brown & Long, 2006, p. 117). An immersive environment employing a diverse range of online tools is extremely effective for language learning and these tools will increase the effectiveness of the learning that occurs in the extra-curricular learning space (Alexander et al., 2013, p. 53). If the learning space is going to be at all useful and inspiring for student writers there is work to be done.
Alexander, S., Barnett, D., Mann, S., Mackay, A., Selinger, M., & Whitby, G. (2013). Beyond the classroom: a new digital education for young Australians in the 21st century. Digital Education Advisory Group. https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2013-05/apo-nid34413.pdf
Atwell, N. (2015). In the Middle. Heinemann.
Bligh, B., & Crook, C. (2017). Learning Spaces. In E. Duval, Mike Sharples, & Rosamund Sutherland (Eds). Technology Enhanced Learning (pp. 69-87). Springer.
Brown, M., & Long, P. D. (2006). Trends in Learning Space Design. In D. G. Oblinger (Ed.), Learning Spaces (pp. 116-126). Educause.
Casanova, D., Di Napoli, R., & Leijon, M. (2017). Which space? Whose space? An experience in involving students and teachers in space design. Teaching in Higher Education, 23(4), 488-503. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13562517.2017.1414785
Ellis, R. A., Goodyear, P., & Marmot, A. (2018). Spaces of Teaching and Learning: An Orientation. In R.A. Ellis & P. Goodyear (Eds), Spaces of Teaching and Learning (pp. 1-11). Springer Nature Customer Service Center LLC.
Hmelo-Silver, C.E., Duncan, R.G., & Chinn, C.A. (2006). Scaffolding and achievement in problem-based and inquiry learning: A response to Kirscher, Sweller, and Clark. Educational Psychologist, 42(2), 99-107.
Juliani, A. J. (2015). Inquiry and Innovation in the Classroom. Routledge.
NSW Department of Education and Training. (2009). An introduction to quality literacy teaching. https://newcastleearlycareerteachers.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/intro_qlt_v2.pdf
Todd, F. & Wiggs, B. (2016). Rethinking Classroom Design: Create Student-Centered Learning Spaces for 6-12th Graders. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Zhang, M. (2021). Teaching with Google Classroom (2nd ed.). Safari, an O’Reilly Media Company.
Pen & Paper Overview:
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