I’m interested in talking about classroom and class design for the future:
What should the physical space for learning include looking forward? What are our minimum expectations? Does the physical classroom matter any more? [Online and blended/hybrid classes raise complicated questions about what parts of classrooms and the things we do in them (like lecture) matter, which don’t matter, and which need to change as new virtual or physical spaces for teaching emerge, issues raised in part in Rebecca and Caroline’s proposal.] For how long and in what ways will/should the classroom change?
I’m still mulling (see my post here for one exploration of these ideas as well as this one from a colleague and this project on the spaces in which we learn), but this could well be something that goes beyond classrooms to something like “learning spaces of the future” that would combine the physical and intellectual space that classrooms, libraries, and museums occupy now and in the years to come. It might also well overlap in fruitful ways with the proposal to talk about archives in the digital world.
Anyone else interested in talking about learning spaces?
Jeffery, I would love to be part of this discussion.
Definitely interested in talking about this. I’ve spent a bit of time drawing different kinds of spaces I think would be conducive for teaching various digital humanities courses. One of the most frustrating things about teaching my History in the Digital Age course was the set-up of the room: A typical computer lab, with rows of computers facing forward toward a screen. This kind of organization is great for about 20% of the work we did in class (workshops, how-tos) but terrible for discussion of work, critique, and collaboration.
In addition to actually talking about space, I would be interested in discussing how we can actually begin talking with university administrators about spaces we need. As I see more and more buildings go up at Mason, I wonder how often faculty are consulted about the spaces they’ll eventually be asked to use.
I’ve actually been a part of the redesign of classrooms in a renovated building on campus. I can talk about some of the issues we ran in to and some of the innovative classroom designs we came up with.
I’m interested, especially thinking about learning spaces (online and physical) for libraries and museums.
Definitely interested in joining this discussion! This is indeed one of the things that Caroline & I were trying to think through.
I’ve been a part of a number of discussions along these lines in library and museum settings. There’s actually some great Progressive era thought (notably by John Cotton Dana) around the idea of lowering the distinctions between museums and libraries and schools. This is a marvelous topic–absolutely count me in please!
Definitely interested, particularly in virtual spaces as well as non-classroom-based sites of learning.
I am also interested in discussing teaching and learning spaces for libraries. I think it would also be nice to explore how partnerships between instructors and librarians/ curators could possibly help to promote student learning. Please count me in!
I’ve been fortunate to teach my sociology seminar “media culture and society” in a computer lab, which allows students to utilize the sites and tools (google docs, facebook, wikipedia, tumblr etc.) we are discussing. Its a radically different class than it could be in a lecture hall or traditional classroom.
I also teach large lectures and find myself wondering exactly what that kind of classroom space accomplishes (especially when half the students are browsing the web instead of listening to me as a talking head). I’d be interested in participating in this discussion!