The Six Learning Spaces

The Six Learning SpacesEDFD459 | Professional Development Artefact Chelsea McGrath | S00170550

Figure 1. (Friedman, 2016)

+

INTRODUCTION

As teachers we need to understand that the classroom, students, education and the world is constantly changing. With these changes teachers need to be constantly adapting and moving with the times, to ensure that their students are gaining the best education and learning experience possible. There are six learning spaces that are vital in shaping a 21st century learner:The PersonalThe E-SpaceGroup, Collaborative, CooperativeThe Classroom and The SchoolBeyond the ClassroomThe LiminalAs we are introduced and discover more about each learning space, we will learn about the strengths and challenges of each and we will discuss the approaches and strategies that should be considered in the redevelopment.Figure 2. Personal image2

+

THE PERSONAL SPACE

The personal learning space is very individual and is dependent on the unique needs of the learner. Everyone learns in a different way and has their own specific wants and need when it comes to their learning and studying space.The personal space can be seen as a self-learning, self directed and self-efficient space, where we take control of our own learning (Smith, 2013).There can be many aspects that contribute to the individuals preferences in their space. Some of these factors can be lighting (natural, artificial), setting (home, work, public), sounds (silent, background noise), temperature (warm, cool) or the equipment being used (notes, computer, both). By the learner tailoring these factors to suit their needs, they are creating their personal learning space.

Figure 3. (National LDS Homeschool Association 2016)

+

Strengths and ChallengesSTRENGTHSFor Teachers:By teachers knowing and understanding their students personal space, they can better tailor their learning to what best suits them and their needsFor Students:More self-directed and self-efficient in their learning (Smith, 2013)Learn how to take control and manage their own learningStudents gain a self-efficacy, meaning they belief in his or her ability to succeed in a particular situation (Cherry, 2016)Students can be more comfortable and engaged in their learning when in their own personal space

CHALLENGESFor Teachers:Teachers cant easily clarify problems or misconceptionsFor Students:Lack of support and guidance from peers and teachers Everyone is different and learns in different ways, meaning that everyone has a different personal learning space

4

+

Figure 4. (Personal image) This is my personal learning space, my desk in my bedroom. I like to be in natural lighting, sometimes with candles and lots of water. My laptop is usually my main focus and I have all the documents I need around me. Figure 5. (OCallaghan, 2016)Everyone learns differently and has a different learning style, so it makes sense that everyone has their own personal space that works best for them. 5

+

Approaches and Strategies to Consider Teachers should gain an understanding of their students personal learning space, this could be done through a survey, private discussions or open class discussions. By doing this they can better accommodate each students needsStudents should also participate in activities that explore what their needs are in their personal learning space. Two strategies could be to get students to write the dos and dont for their personal space or for students to participate in a trial and error activity of different types of personal spaces to figure out what they really needThe personal space connects to the classroom and school space. This being because once teachers know their students personal learning space the classroom layout, design or rules can be maneuvered or changed to better suit the individuals needs (Deed, Lesko & Lovejoy, 2014). This change in environment will help students to use and engage more with their personal learning space as it is more inviting in this new classroom setting. (This connects to the video shown on slide 17)

6

+

To incorporate the personal space more in the classroom, when doing individual tasks allow students to move freely and find a space that best suits their individual learning needs. Students need to be encouraged to engage with their personal space at any time in the classroom, as it enhanced their understanding of their own learning and what works best for them (Deed et al, 2014)Personalized learning spaces are the result of the duality of open learning contexts and personalized learning approaches. (Deed et al., 2014)

7

+

THE E-SPACE

Technology is becoming a necessity in the classroom and is a vital part of childrens lives, learning and education.The E-space refers to learning online by using and interacting with different technology and software such as blogs and twitter.Technology has become ever present in the classroom and it is changing the classic classroom setting, as well as the way students are learning (Britt & Paulus , 2016). Teachers need to embrace the use of technology in the classroom, as it is an essential part of children's learning and development.

Figure 6. (Gonchar, 2014)

+

Strengths and ChallengesSTRENGTHSFor Teachers:Gives teachers a broader range of resources and access to different content and software (Britt, & Paulus, 2016)Allows teachers to give effective feedback on student learningAllows teachers to easily store and access student assessments and portfolios (Britt, & Paulus, 2016)For Students:Develops students skills and understanding of technology which can enhance their learning (Britt, & Paulus, 2016) Allow students to easily work independently or collaboratively with peers and teachersGives students the opportunity to easily access resources and information

CHALLENGESFor Teachers:Keeping students safe while on the internetKeeping student information, work and portfolios private (privacy issues)Keeping student focused, on task and away from distractionsMay distract from the importance of handwriting skills and using hardcopiesFor Students:Cyber safetyStudents from low socio-economic background may feel intimidated using and interacting with the technologyNot all students have the same skill level using the technology and software

9

+

Figure 7. ( Thackray, 2014)Students engaging with technology safety and using the iPads to participate in learning. Figure 8. (Xander, 2015)Technology is a great way to to keep the students engaged in their own learning and it allows students to build their technology and software using skills.

10

+

Approaches and Strategies to Consider Teachers need to have an understanding of their students E-space, this could be done as a survey or an online questionnaire. Some questions that should be considered are:- What technology do they interact with? (laptop, iPad, phone, etc)- What software are they using? (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Google docs, any educational programs- Are they activity on the internet? (all the time, sometimes, only at school)Teachers need to know this information so we have knowledge on how tech savvy our students are, as well as gaining an understanding on what software could be brought into the classroom to make the students more engagedStudents should be interacting with the E-Space everyday. With this redevelopment, teachers need to be aware that they need incorporate E-Learning into their content and educational environment (Britt & Paulus , 2016)- Using blogs to post work and assessments- Using the iPads to research their inquiry topic- Getting students to interact with different educational apps- Exploring different software and ways to present their work11

+

Figure 10. (Raj Dhingra, 2012)Ted Talk on the importance of technology in education, it shows real life examples of how it improved learning and emphasises the need to technology in all classrooms. 12

+

Further ResourcesTwitter is a great platform for all educators to be on, as you are able to share resources, interact with other educators and gain insight from them, you can stay up to date on professional organisations and you will be participating in online professional development As teachers there are a lot of professional development resources we can use and learn from to better understand technology and software and how to interact with it safety and properly.Lynda - a website you can sign up for and has a section dedicated to Education and E-Learning Training and Tutorials this is a great site for teachers as it showcases a wide variety of software that is available and it allows teachers to gain a deeper understanding of their software and how to use it the best wayApple Educators - a great resource where you are able to purchase lessons, courses and resources developed by Apples Distinguished Educators (follow the link Go to iTunes U)Google Educators - as a teacher you can develop and enhance your Google tools skills training (fundamentals or advanced) or become a Certified Educator (Level 1 or Level 2)Microsoft Educators - you can participate in Microsoft training courses or you can certifications in a wide range of Microsoft software13

+

GROUP, COLLABORATIVE,COOPERATIVEThe group learning space is where students work collaboratively and cooperatively with peers (partners or small groups) to build a deeper understanding and knowledge on their focus topic.Children are about to bounce ideas of each other, work together to complete a task, as well as build their social and communicative skills.Collaborative Space: Students work together to complete the set task as a whole, this being that each student works to complete all aspects of the task.Cooperative Space: Students will work together to complete a set task, but sometimes students may find information on their own and are often assessed individually (Slavin, 2010).

Figure 11. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2016)

+

Strengths and ChallengesSTRENGTHSFor Teachers:Gives teachers the opportunity to instill teamwork and team building skills in their students (Slavin, 2010)It allows the teacher to build communication skills within their classroomFor Students:Students learn to take responsibility and work cooperatively with each other as well as support and challenge their peers and their thinking (Slavin, 2010)Opportunity to develop and extend their knowledge by building on their own & their peers understanding (Your Voice, 2010)Students learn from their peers, see how others are thinking or how they are approaching the taskCHALLENGESFor Teachers:There can be a lack of support to guide students critical thinkingIt can be difficult to assess individual participation (Your Voice, 2010)For Students:Some students work better individually, so they can work at their own speed and complete the work to their ownstandards (Your Voice, 2010)Some students may find it difficult and distracting to work in noisy environmentsStudents may be easily distracted by being put into groups, could be seem as a social time instead of learning time

15

+

16Figure 14. (Corrigan, 2014)Explains more of the benefits of collaborative learning spaces

+

Figure 12. (Nielsen, 2016)The cooperative space allows students to develop their own concepts, as well as working together to complete a set task.Figure 13. (Wong, 2011)Collaborative and group spaces allows students to work and build ideas together to achieve the deepest learning.

17

+

Approaches and Strategies to Consider To gain a better understanding of how to incorporate group, collaborative and cooperative learning spaces teachers could organise a visit to a school that has a strong reputation for group work. This will give the staff the opportunity to talk to other educators about how to best include this spaceIn the redevelopment every day should have an element of group or collaborative work. This will allow students to activity engage with their peers and will emphasise how working together is extremely beneficial and building ideas and concepts deepens their understanding (Slavin, 2010)Some ways you could incorporate group, collaborative and cooperative learning spaces is by using:- Literature circle in English - Have mini group discussions about the task- Using this space in an inquiry unit is great as it really gets the students thinking and engaging with the topic- Brainstorming or role playing activities18

+

THE CLASSROOM AND THE SCHOOLThe classroom and school space refers to the place and environments where students do most of their learning and developing.Teachers need to understand the importance of creating a welcoming and comfortable space for their students to flourish in (Read, 2010). There are a number of key factors to consider when designing a classroom layout: colour, materials, furnishings, temperature, lighting, sound, texture, flexibility, choice and freedom to move (Read, 2010).Classroom and school designs need to serve the students and their learning styles, students should be in an environment that is beneficial to their education and overall learning (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013)

Figure 16. (Turner, 2015)

+

Strengths and ChallengesSTRENGTHSFor Teachers:Teachers are able to cater the classroom to their students needs and learning stylesAllows teachers to easily interact and engage with their studentsGives teachers the opportunity to easily maneuver the setting to better suit the type of learning. E.G. Independent, self-directed, group, collaborative, cooperative or team teaching (Biddick, 2014)For Students:There are multiple areas for students to learn and engage, that may better suit their learning style (Biddick, 2014)Allows students to take charge of their own learning and create learning experiences (Read, 2010)

CHALLENGESFor Teachers:Limited funding to assist/create effective design of the classroom and the schoolTrying to cater for all the learning styles and learning capabilities in the classroom (Read, 2010)For Students:The classroom or the school may be overwhelming for some studentsIf there are a lot of students in the classroom, it may hinder student potential and participation

20

+

Figure 17. (Henebery, 2015)Open plan learning environment.Figure 18. (Read, 2010)Classrooms should be visually stimulating for students, as it gets them thinking and engaging with the content and can add to their understanding (Read, 2010).

21

+

Approaches and Strategies to Consider With this redevelopment, students need to understand that they are able to move freely within the classroom. This meaning that when students are working individually or participating in group or collaborative work they need to be able to find the spot/position in the classroom that will work best to enhance their learning (Read, 2010)Teachers need to listen to what their students would like in their classroom and their preferences with the classroom layout (Alterator & Deed, 2013). By listening to the students requests it should benefit the each student individually, as their personal learning space and needs can be better metTo gain a better understand of different classroom and school designs teachers could locate schools that use designs, layouts or techniques that you would like to use or incorporate into the classroom/school. This will allow your staff too physically see the setting and layout and other educators can inform and explain the overall benefits22

+

22

Figure 19. (OCallaghan, 2016)Showing and explaining some of the benefits of open plan learning, that has a focus on the individuals needs.23

+

Further ResourcesIf as a school you would like to start using open-plan spaces, focus on personal development or individual needs or open learning, it is obvious that extensive research and planning must happen before anything can be changedThese links show some great and innovative classroom and school designs. Students and teacher can see the benefits of these new student centre environments:- Future-proofing New Zealand classrooms- Children rate modern classrooms at revamped Auckland school- Desk redundant in modern classroom- Candlebark and Fitzroy Community School24

+

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Learning doesnt always just occur within the four walls of the classroom. Learning outside of the classroom can enrich students knowledge and understanding of the subject matter they are focusing on (Johnson, 2009).Beyond the classroom refers to learning outside the school/classroom space. This space allows students to have a hands on experiences in different settings such as excursions, field trips, camps and incursion.

Figure 20. ( FCC Environment 2015)

+

Strengths and ChallengesSTRENGTHSFor Teachers:Gives teachers the opportunity to extend the students content knowledge and gives them access to extendedresources (Bentley, 2012)Allows teachers to bring outside information and knowledge to the students and back into the classroomFor Students:Makes learning more engaging for students and they can clearly see the relevance to what they are learning in class (Johnson, 2009)Allows students to explore their creativity and imaginationStudents are able to interact with a new environment (Johnson, 2009)

CHALLENGESFor Teachers:Cost for the school and the parents/guardiansLimited support/funding available to allow for beyond the classroom learning experiences (Bentley, 2012)Legal, health and safety responsibilitiesFinding time during the school scheduleFor Students:For low socio-economic families the cost may be too high to let their children participate, meaning students may get excluded from the learning experience

26

+

Figure 21. St Kevins College, 2015)Camps, excursion and field trips allow students to interact with a new environment and gets them to connect the information they are learning in class to the outside world.Figure 22. (Greenvale Primary School, 2015)Excursion to the Melbourne Museum.

27

+

Approaches and Strategies to Consider The best way to integrate beyond the classroom space is by connecting it to the inquiry unit. So what the inquiry unit is for each term or semester try to have one or more beyond the classroom experience planned to go with it. Even if it is not a big excursion, any beyond the classroom experience is better than noneBeyond the classroom space can also be included in the standard English and Mathematics curriculums. Teachers need to may this space connected to as many aspects of education, so that students can see the important of this space and benefits it is in their learning and development (Johnson, 2009)Make sure there is every opportunity for students to interact with the beyond the classroom space (Bentley, 2012). Students could even do their own beyond experiences when they are at home. Give students ideas or things to research that will get them out of the house and into a different environment28

+

29Figure 23. (Reach Out, 2014) Explaining some of the benefits of bringing learning outside the classroom. Showing how beyond the classroom space doesnt just have to excursion and field trips, it can be any curriculum and any activity.

+

Further ResourcesThe Victoria Government has some great information on school policies and student safety when participating in excursions or activitiesThere are some excursions and incursions at could be used within an inquiry unit or general studies:- Dinosaur unit: dinosaur diggers incursion, dinosaur walk at the Melbourne Museum - Insect unit: reptile encounters incursion or minibeast incursion - Nature unit: visit to the local park or nature reserve to observe and interact with the environment- Science unit: visit to science works- Space unit: Expidition to the M.A.R.S base (VSSEC) excursion or STARLAB incursion- Mathematics: using the outside environment for mathematical equations and tasks

30

+

THE LIMINAL

The liminal space can be described as the in-between space of not knowing to knowing (Liminal space, 2016). One way it can be explained is:1. You are standing on one side of a tunnel - this is the point of not knowing or understanding2. You then have to travel through the tunnel - this is the processing and constructing of learning (the liminal space) 3. You then exit the tunnel - you now clearly know, understand and comprehend the contentThe liminal space is an extremely important learning space as it is where students go through the process of learning (Meyer, Land & Baillie, 2010).

Figure 24. (Gardening Class. 2013)

+

Strengths and ChallengesSTRENGTHSFor Teachers:If teachers can see that students are in the liminal space, they can know the are in the process of learning and making connectionsFor Students:They are actively participating in their learning by thinking, processing, engaging and making connectionsIt is an individual space, meaning their take responsibility for their own learning and understandingCHALLENGESFor Teachers:It is an intangible space so teachers ay find it hard to know where their students are at or whether their students are within this spaceFor Students:Everyones liminal space will be different lengths, as every processes and comes to understanding at different times, so students may feel uncomfortable if they still dont understand a concept (still in the liminal)May not understand this space because it isnt physical and it is a more complex space

32

+

33Figure 26. (Agnesi, 2013)The liminal is very personal learning space as students will be at different stages of their process of learning. Figure 25. (Price-Mitchell, 2015)It can feel uncomfortable and annoying when you or students are stuck in the liminal space.

+

Approaches and Strategies to Consider The liminal space is an extremely important space where the process of learning occurs (Liminal space, 2016). Teachers need to have a strong understanding of the liminal space and need to be able to recognise when students are in this spaceTo get students to start understanding the liminal space there should be a class discussion on what you feel and think when you are unsure, dont know or are trying to understand a task, concept or ideaAs teachers in this redevelopment you need to make sure your students understand the importance of the liminal space. You could get them to conduct research into the space or present their understanding of it to their peers to further and deepen their knowledge34

+

35Figure 27. (http://www.ee.ucl.ac.uk/~mflanaga/popupLiminality.html)Diagram showing the steps of learning.

+

CONCLUSIONAll six learning spaces need to be incorporated into the students learning and environments. The learning spaces work together to shape students into critical thinkers who have social skills and initiative, as well has being able to take responsibility for their learning.As teachers we need to show, use and teach these learning spaces to our students. With this redevelopment you should be aiming to include and incorporate all six learning spaces into your students learning environments.All six learning spaces are connected to each other and work with each other to benefit the learner. Students need to understand these spaces as they are vital for their education, their understanding, their knowledge and their learning.

36

+

References Including digital images and video filesAgnesi, T. (2013). Children in classroom. Retrieved from http://tonyagnesi.com/2010/09/tommy/children-in-classroom/Alterator, S., & Deed, C. (2013). Teacher adaption to open learning spaces. Issues in Educational Research, 23(3), pp. 315-330. Bentley, T. (2012). Learning Beyond the Classroom : Education for a Changing World. London, US: Routledge. Biddick, N. B. (2014). Working in open plan learning spaces. Teacher Learning Network Newsletter, 21(1), 23-25.Britt, V. G., & Paulus, T. (2016). Beyond the Four Walls of My Building: A Case Study of #Edchat as a Community of Practice. American Journal of Distance Education, 30(1), 48-59. doi: 10.1080/08923647.2016.1119609 Cherry, K. (2016). Self Efficacy: Why Believing in Yourself Matters. Retrieved fromhttps://www.verywell.com/what-is-self-efficacy-2795954Cinar, I. (2010). Classroom geography: who sit where in the traditional classrooms? Journal of International Research, 3(10), 200-212CORE Ministry Video. (2012). Benefits of a class blog. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/51651056Corrigan, P. (2014). The benefits of collaborative learning. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRtQUKSdxrMDeed, C., Lesko, T. and Lovejoy, V. (2014). Teacher adaptation to personalized learning spaces. Teacher Development, 18(3), pp.369-383.37

+

Friedman, S. R. (2016) Spend time reading instead of gaming. [digital image]. Retrieved from https://samthefriedmanblog.com/2016/08/09/7-reasons-for-children-to-spend-time-reading-instead-of-gaming/Gonchar, M. (2014). Should Parents Limit How Much Time Children Spend on Tech Devices?. Retrieved from http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/should-parents-limit-how-much-time-children-spend-on-tech-devices/?_r=0Henebery, B. (2015). Do open plan classrooms really benefit learning?. [digital image]. Retrieved from http://www.educatoronline.com.au/news/do-open-plan-classrooms-really-benefit-learning-207098.aspxJohnson, J. (2009). Beyond four walls: experiential and situated learning. Teacher, 198, 18-20.Liminal Space. (2016). What is a liminal space?. Retrieved from https://inaliminalspace.org/about-us/what-is-a-liminal-space/Meyer, J. H. F., Land, R., & Baillie, C. (2010). Threshold Concepts and Transformational Learning. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense PublishersNielsen, M. (2016). Capturing Ordinary Days:Elementary Age Work. [digital image]. Retrieved from http://montessoriguide.org/elementary-age-work/OCallaghan, J. (2016). Future-proofing New Zealand classrooms. [digital image]. Retrieved from http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/76900902/Future-proofing-New-Zealand-classroomsPappas, P. (2010). A Taxonomy of Reflection: Critical Thinking For Students, Teachers, and Principals (Part 1). Retrieved from http://www.peterpappas.com/2010/01/taxonomy-reflection-critical-thinking-students-teachers-principals.htmlPrice-Mitchell, M. (2015). Self-Awareness: How Kids Make Sense of Life Experiences. [digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-moment-youth/201508/self-awareness-how-kids-make-sense-life-experiences38

+

Raj Dhingra TedxTalks. (2012). Can Technology Change Education? Yes!: Raj Dhingra at TEDxBend. [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0s_M6xKxNcReach Out. (2014). Teaching outside the classroom (primary science resource). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp4YpBChXXY Slavin, R. E. (2010). Co-operative learning: what makes group-work work?, in Hanna Dumont, David Istance and Francisco Benavides (eds.). The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice (pp. 161-178). OECD Publishing. Smith, M. (2013). Self-direction in learning. Retrieved from http://infed.org/mobi/self-direction-in- learning/Thackray, L. (2014)Groundbreaking school which starts classes at 8am and sends students home at lunchtime reports amazing results. [digital image]. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2732467/No-Big-Lunch-Sydney-schools.htmlTurner, J.(2015). Is it time to apply the less is more theory to classroom displays?. [digital image]. Retrieved form http://images.pcmac.org/Uploads/MCPSS/MobileCounty/Departments/Forms/Twitter%20for%20Educators.pdfUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (2016). Group Learning Improves Decision-making. [digital image]. Retrieved from http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/news/2016/01/group-learning-improves-decision-makingWoolfolk, A. E., & Margetts, K. (2013). Educational Psychology (3rd Australian ed.). Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Education Australia. Wong, B. (2011). A Simple Bully Buster: Cooperative Learning. [digital image]. http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/a_simple_bully_buster_cooperative_learningXander. (2015). How technology has changed the way in which children learn. [digitial image]. http://xander.co.za/blog/how-technology-has-changed-the-way-in-which-children-learn/Your Voice. (2010). Does 'Group Work' Work? : Is It the Best Way for Children to Learn?. [digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdt-b4yMp-M&feature=youtu.be

39

+