The journey of change of the physical and virtual spaces in the Mount Alvernia iCentre

1. +
Designing Learning Spaces for Student Engagement
@icentremta
@katschrav
@helenstower1

2. Our Story..

3. +
What do we Value?
Users
Change
Community
Access
Learning
Culture
Environment
http://youtu.be/pEX43d43D2A

4. +
“Libraries are pivotal parts of any
school, but the ability for them to
advance life learning is the critical
element that differentiates an
outstanding library design”
-Paul Katz

5. +
Physical Spaces –
Our Starting Point..
-Teacher-Centred - Inflexible - Uninviting – Wasted Space

6. +
Technology Access
-Teacher-Centred - Inflexible - Uninviting –Wasted Space

7. +
What did we need?
 To prepare students for ‘tomorrow’s world’ in environments that
support learner-centred pedagogy (Murray, 2007, p.19).
 An interdependence between pedagogy, space and technology
(Radcliffe, Wilson, Powell & Tibbets, 2009, p.3).
 Spaces that didn’t impede the engagement of the learner (La
Marca, 2010, p.3).
 Learning spaces that enable users to engage critically with
information, see themselves as active participants in the
production of knowledge and continue that participation beyond
the borders of their school, into their home and wider
community (Remy, 2004).

8. +
What did the users say?
Key Stakeholders: Leadership team, staff and students
 Furniture needs to aesthetically pleasing, ergonomic and comfortable.
 There needs to be more access computers, particularly for the year levels
who are not yet taking part in the 1:1 laptop scheme.
 Both individual (quiet) and group (collaboration) working areas need to be
provided.
 Technology should be available to aid both individual and group study
while providing minimal disruption to other users.
 Access to new technologies and virtual spaces would be preferable.
 Reading areas need to comfortable and relaxed whilst study areas needs
to be more formal.
 The area needs to feel welcoming.

9. +
What did we target?
1. Flexible Teaching Spaces

10. +
2. Collaborative Spaces

11. +
3. Individual Spaces

12. +
4. Seamless Integration of
Technology

13. +
5. Experimedia

14. +
6. Reading Areas and News Café

15. +
7. Signage

16. +
8. Furniture & Aesthetics of Physical
Space

17. +
Virtual Spaces
cc licensed (BY SA) flickr photo by Tim
Klapdorhttp://flickr.com/photos/timklapdor/10987048513

18. +
Virtual Spaces –
Our Starting Point..
Static environment - Slow speed of change - Formal structure

19. +
What did we need?
 A digital space that is underpinned by pedagogy (Hunt, Huijser
and Sankey, 2012, p. 183).
 A space that flipped the existing paradigm of the school library
and transcended the physical space to bring services and
programs to every student and teacher wherever learning takes
place (O’Connell, 2011, p.35).
 A space that created new patterns of social and intellectual
interaction based in a philosophy of learner-centred and
education-centred design (Istance & Kool, 2013, p. 47).
 A space that was attractive to teenagers – a youth market that
want visually-stimulating, convenient and easy-to-access
resources (Hennah, 2007, p.43)

20. +
What did we target?
1. A networked space – iCentre website

21. +
2. Collaborative Spaces – Social Media
“As a parent, with the media focused on the negative aspects of social media, it gave
me great confidence that Sarah will learn how to use these tools properly under your
tutelage. So I just wanted to thank you for an informative and interesting session.”

22. +
3. Embedded rather than separated
technologies

23. +
4. Seamless access to resources
- eBooks, audiobooks & databases

24. +
5. News & reviews

25. +
7. Aesthetics of digital space
- graphic design & style guide

26. +
Something was missing?

27. +
Virtual Spaces – recommendations for
future
 Co-creation & co-design – the
user is an integral part of the
design team (Sanders & Stapers,
2008, p.9).
 A period of extensive observation
– data about what users do & do
not do in digital learning
environments to inform the
design process (Brown & Katz,
2011, p.382)
 Broad collaboration in the design
process to create a sense of
ownership in the finished product
(Hunter, 2006, p.65).
Australian Library and Information Association via
Twitter

28. +
Virtual Spaces – recommendations for
future
 Prototype – make ideas
tangible, share them for
experimentation & receive
feedback to refine a space
before its final implementation
(IDEO, 2012, p.57).
 A framework for feedback &
evaluation needs to be built-in
to the design rather than
‘tacked-on’ to ensure
continuous improvement
(Oblinger, 2005, p.18).
Jo Quinlan, Aug 8 2014, via Twitter

29. +
To Be Continued..
“[don’t suffer from] a mentality of
perfect products, rather than the high-tech
mindset of make it, launch it, fix
it” – Rosabeth Moss Kanter

30. Reference List
Brown, T., & Katz, B. (2011). Change by design. Journal Of Product Innovation Management,, 28(3), 381-383. Retrieved August 27, 2014, from
xhttp://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=59161877&site=ehost-live
Hennah, K. (2007). Merchandising and image: The bigger picture. In In La Marca, Susan (Ed.), Rethink: Ideas for inspiring school library design (pp. 43-60). Carlton, Victoria: School Library
Association of Victoria.
Hunt, L., Huijser, H., & Sankey, M. (2012). Learning spaces for the digital age: Blending space with pedagogy. In M. Keppell (Author), Physical and virtual learning spaces in higher
education: Concepts for the modern learning environment (pp. 182-197). Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.
Hunter, B. (2006). The eSpaces study: Designing, developing and managing learning spaces for effective learning. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 12(2), 61-81. doi:
10.1080/13614530701330398
IDEO. (2012). Design thinking for educators. Retrieved August 25, 2014, from http://www.designthinkingforeducators.com/
Istance, D., & Kools, M. (2013). OECD work on technology and education: Innovative learning environments as an integrating framework. European Journal of Education, 48(1), 43-57. doi:
10.1111/ejed.12017
Katz, P. (2007). Library design: inspirational places of lifelong learning. In S. La Marca (ed.), Rethink! Ideas for school library design (pp. 30 - 35). Carlton, VIC: the School Library
Association of Victoria Inc.
La Marca, S. (2010). Designing the learning environment: Learning in a changing world. Camberwell, VIC: ACER Press.
Murray, C. (2007). Changing landscapes: schools of the future. In S. La Marca (ed.), Rethink! Ideas for school library design (pp. 19-29). Carlton, VIC: the School Library Association of
Victoria Inc.
Oblinger, D. (2005). Leading the transition from classrooms to learning spaces. Educause Quarterly, 1, 14-18. Retrieved September 27, 2014, from
http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/leading-transition-classrooms-learning-spaces
O'Connell, J. (2011). What is Web 3.0?: The next generation semantic web. Part 1. Scan, 30(3). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from
https://heyjude.files.wordpress.com/2006/06/oconnell_scan30-3.pdf.
Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). (2008). OECD work on future educational environments. Retrieved from www.oecd.org/dataoecd/4/11/41533001.pdf.
Radcliffe, D., Wilson, H., Powell, D., & Tibbetts, D. (2009). Learning spaces in higher education: Positive outcomes by design. Brisbane, QLD: The University of Queensland and the
Australian Learning and Teaching Council.
Sanders, E. B., & Stappers, P. J. (2008). Co-creation and the new landscapes of design. CoDesign: International Journal of CoCreation in Design and the Arts, 4(1), 5-18. doi:
10.1080/15710880701875068
Sturm, B. (2008). Imaginary geographies of childhood: school library media centers as secret places’. Knowledge Quest 46(5), 46 – 53.