Learning spaces and environments

The term learning environment encompasses learning resources and technology, means of teaching, modes of learning, and connections to societal and global contexts. The term also includes human behavioral and cultural dimensions, including the vital role of emotion in learning, and it requires us to examine and sometimes rethink the roles of teachers and students. The focus on information technology in education is expanding from the enhancement of learning spaces to include factors beyond hardware, software, and the network. The learning environment is a composite of human practices and material systems, much as an ecology is the combination of living things and the physical environment.

To combat the coronavirus, schools across America moved students outdoors. Here’s a look at four new learning environments.

Austin Community College's ACCelerator, a technology-enabled learning environment, occupies a large space previously dedicated to a shopping mall. Pedagogy in the new space focuses on the individual student, providing ultra-personalized learning and immersive student services.

Open windows and doors, use fans, and set your aircon to pull fresh air from outside.

Spaces can energise or demotivate. Using them to nurture well-being should be seen as an investment not a cost, says Derek Clements-Croome