LibGuides: Learning Space Design: Food for Thoughtful Planning

Educause on Learning Spaces

A significant contribution to developing interest in learning space design was Diana Oblinger's Learning Spaces, published as an ebook by Educause in 2006.

The Educause Library also is an ongoing source for a wealth of resources on the topic of Learning Space.

Progressing with limited resources

The transformation of learning spaces can be accomplished incrementally and even in the face of resource limitations. A fine case is presented by New Mexico State University in the guide, Assessing and Improving Students Spaces on a Shoestring Budget.

The Learning Spaces Collaboratory (LSC)

The Learning Spaces Collaboratory describes its work as "collaborating in translating findings from contemporary research and practice in the field into roadmaps for shaping and assessing built environments for learning in the undergraduate setting." LSC recently published a long-awaited and comprehensive learning spaces planning guide, Planning for Assessing 21st Century Spaces for 21st Century Learners. A wealth of additional resources, a selection of which appears below, is openly available through its website.

Trends in Learning Space Design

Innovation in learning space design is being modeled on campuses across the country, and a few initiatives have achieved particular distinction.

SCALE-UP at NC State University
The stated goal of the SCALE-UP initiative, or Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs, is "... to establish a highly collaborative, hands-on, computer-rich, interactive learning environment for large-enrollment courses." However, it generally is acknowledged that its basic principles apply in smaller settings as well.
TILE
TILE, standing for Transform, Interact, Learn, Engage, is an initiative being furthered at the University of Iowa. Its stated emphasis is on the development of "... technology rich spaces that support a wide variety of pedagogies to facilitate student success by promoting active learning, in-class collaboration, inquiry-based learning, and peer instruction."
•Increased interaction with faculty
TEAL
The TEAL, or Technology Enabled Active Learning, project at MIT was path-breaking when it was launched in the late 1990's.

The "Blended Librarian"

Steven J. Bell and John Shank introduced the concept of the blended librarian in 2004, defining it as, "an academic librarian who combines the traditional skill set of librarianship with the information technologist’s hardware/software skills, and the instructional or educational designer’s ability to apply technology appropriately in the teaching-learning process." The role of the academic librarian in leading and furthering change, notably including the design of learning space campus-wide, continues to evolve.

The Blended Librarian: A Blueprint for Redefining the Teaching and Learning Role of Academic Librarians
Bell's and Shank's 2004 article that introduced the concept of blended librarianship.
The Blended Librarian in the Learning Commons: New Skills for the Blended Libary
In this 2009 article, the intersection of blended librarianship and learning space design is introduced within the context of the library as a learning commons.
Making an IMPACT: Campus-Wide Collaboration for Course and Learning Space Transformation
This 2013 article describes the vital role librarians have been playing at Purdue University in a campus-wide transformation of learning spaces driven by the project called IMPACT, or Instruction Matters: Purdue Academic Course Transformation.