Packing Slip 
item |
"Learning Studios" Radical Flexibility for the Next Generation of Learning Spaces |
contact |
Homero Lopez (Estrella Mountain Community College) homero.lopez@emcmail.maricopa.edu |
credits |
Sally Buxton, Vice President Administrative Services Kathleen Iudicello, Ph.D., Division Chair Liberal Arts Faculty Joyce M. Jackson, Dean Academic Affairs Rich Marmon, Director Information Technology Randy Mauldin, Director College Facilities Planning and Development Randy Naughton. Director Facilities Roger Yohe, Ph.D., Faculty Director Center Teaching & Learning |
college(s) |
Estrella Mountain Community College |
discipline(s) |
all |
summary |
Maximization of learning opportunities through design of innovative learning spaces |
details |
(This initiative is Estrella Mountain's 2006 Innovation of the Year.) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Estrella Mountain and its corporate partners undertook a major project to maximize learning opportunities for students through the design of innovative learning spaces. The project provided faculty and learners an opportunity to experiment with learning spaces embedded with radical flexibility in space, furnishings, and technology. Results are being assessed for future institutional direction. TIMELINESS Today’s college student has very different ideas about how and where learning takes place. As a result, traditional classrooms designed specifically for knowledge delivery no longer work. Recognizing this, Estrella Mountain Community College is striving to meet the changing needs and expectations of students and faculty through the design of creative and dynamic learning spaces. In 2005, Estella Mountain began its third phase of expansion as part of a district-wide voter approved general obligation bond program. With over $71M allocated in Phase III (a ten year building program) for construction, capital, and land, the college committed to the design of new, and the reinvention of existing spaces that not only enhance student learning, but continue to meet the needs of the students and community members they are designed to serve. COLLABORATION Over the past year, Estrella Mountain partnered with two corporate entities, Herman Miller Inc., a leading global provider of office furniture and services and Goodmans Interior Structures (AZ), a third-generation family-owned company and an Arizona-based Herman Miller partner. Following three guiding principals, the leverage of physical space, engagement of stakeholders, and a concept known as “radical flexibility”, the college and its partners aimed to leverage physical space and create facility design priorities that reflected effective pedagogies for teaching and learning. Estrella Mountain Liberal Arts faculty had experimented with classroom space in the past and had successfully introduced flexibility and integration of technology into two classrooms. Guided by existing teaching and learning pedagogies practiced by the Liberal Arts Division, the college and its partners were able to conduct a major transformation of the two classrooms into new prototype learning spaces. Now dubbed Learning Studios, these prototypes created a substantial level of involvement for all stakeholders and helped prepare the way for environmental change. CREATIVITY During the Learning Studio project, the partners examined and addressed all aspects of a learning environment including, furniture, technology, color and arrangement. The college team examined a wide range of business oriented furnishing and interiors, custom designed products and adapted others to an educational setting. College leaders set the tone during design discussions so that teaching and learning considerations always remained the primary focus during the difficult planning stages. As a result, the college was able to create informal learning spaces within formal instructional settings that support small-group dynamics, peer review and collaborative learning. The completed Learning Studio prototypes were then wrapped in captivating colors, textures and finishes and opened to faculty and learners in fall 2005. EFFECTIVENESS The Learning Studio project allowed EMCC to engage all stakeholders (faculty, students and staff) to obtain input on what specific elements create a dynamic learning space. This process ensured that the needs and expectations of faculty and students were incorporated. The college held meetings, formed focus groups, and conducted surveys to discuss instructional pedagogy and delivery strategies. From this input emerged consensus for classroom design, media/technology, flexibility, furniture, lighting, electrical access, wireless access and other desired classroom teaching aspects. The outcome of this process also resulted in a concept known as radical flexibility. Radical flexibility is the desire to free faculty and students, so they have the ability to customize the learning environment to the teaching and learning pedagogy, delivery system and technology needs on demand. Since the creation of the two Learning Studios prototypes, Estrella Mountain has been collecting and assessing feedback from learners and faculty for incorporation into Phase III development. Ocotillo Hall, the first capital project in Phase III, highlights the ongoing learning spaces initiatives by including twenty two (22) new Learning Studios, designed directly from the feedback and concepts of the prototypes. Ocotillo Hall opened in January, 2006, and demonstrates how the college was able to bring forward key areas of innovation in teaching and learning. One key concept in Ocotillo Hall, brought forward from the prototypes, is the seamless integration of technology into the learning environment. In order to truly maximize engagement, Estrella Mountain needed to untether technology users. In the Learning Studio prototypes, desktop computers were replaced with laptops providing uninterrupted sightlines, while wireless capability and proper electrical wire management systems further encouraged mobility and collaboration among learners. As a result, Ocotillo Hall now involves the greatest concentration of wireless technology on campus. QUALITY The Learning Studio project increases “quality” in the teaching and learning experience for both students and faculty at Estrella Mountain by creating a dynamic learning environment that allows and encourages learning, research, creativity, and collaboration. The Learning Studio project enhances student engagement, increases access, and provides quality and innovated options to facilitate teaching and learning in a radically flexible learning environment. The more actively engaged students are, the more likely they are to persist in their college studies and achieve at higher levels. Understanding this, Leadership at Estrella Mountain recognized the power an institution has in leveraging physical space, whether it is formal or informal, to promote student engagement and advance teaching and learning. They know that learning spaces that utilize appearance, color, texture, arrangement and technology can be used to make students want to linger and learn. EFFICIENCY At Estrella Mountain, the goal with any new project or renovation is to design spaces that not only promote student engagement, but advance teaching and learning. The purposeful creation of the Learning Studio prototypes allowed the college to examine, assess and learn more about how spatial relationships, ergonomic design and seamless access to technology can increase student engagement. Faculty and learners were encouraged to visualize, play, experiment, test and assess these prototype spaces before the Institution began making significant investments in Phase III capital projects. LEARNING In September, 2005, the Learning Studio prototypes and additional informal learning spaces around Estrella Mountain received attention when the campus hosted two meetings on the design of learning spaces. The first conference, Educause’s ELI (Educause Learning Initiative), gathered over 80 participants from institutions nationwide. The second conference provided a District wide forum, hosted by the Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction (MCLI). Conference participants at both sessions were able to interact, discuss and evaluate the Learning Studio prototypes, while examining how all colleges can promote student engagement through the design of learning spaces. This spring, Estrella Mountain will present its findings as a case study at several national conferences. Conference participants will gain knowledge about an ongoing learning space research project from the College’s perspective, while exploring and learning new ways to think about learning spaces, including the impact on teaching and learning and student success. REPLICATION The Learning Studio project and all of its components are designed to be replicated. Following three guiding principals, the leverage of physical space, engagement of stakeholders, and a concept known as “radical flexibility”, the college, through a unique partnership, has created a national model of learning space design that promotes engagement and the advancement of teaching and learning. Estrella Mountain, through continued assessment, is creating a culture of evidence available for sharing, modification, and replication. Note! As a professional courtesy to the owner of this package, if you use some aspect of this package or have some thoughts about it, please share your feedback via the comments form below. |
web links |
http://innovate.maricopa.edu/ |
supplements |
Estrella Mountain Innovation 2006 (document) Note! As a professional courtesy to the owner of this package, if you use some aspect of this package or have some thoughts about it, please share your feedback below. |
comments |
Most recent comment about this package:
On Mon Apr 10, 2006 at 1:57PM Rich Marmon <rich.marmon@emcmail.maricopa.edu> said: |
shareback |
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extra |
Last modified: Apr-07-2006 Date created: Apr-07-2006 Visitor count: 5159 Dublin Core Metadata record  This package is included in the Innovation of the Year Awards 2006 special collection. |
Maricopa Learning eXchange
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/mlx/slip.php?item=1797
