4/4/07 Reaction: I was struck by several important issues discussed in these three articles. First, was the idea that learning is a process by which students scaffold and build upon knowledge (so every single step in that process is truly vital). Second, that the process of learning is not the same for different students (so there should be many opportunities for students to engage with the material). And third, that formative and ongoing assessment is crucial in order to really evaluate students' learning and transfer.
Coming from a teaching background, I am definitely familiar with these ideas and I have thought about them in the context of my own classroom, with a sense of what would help my students learn best. But for me, thinking about how to apply these ideas outside of the classroom (or in a non traditional learning space) might be the biggest challenge. How do you assess learning in a museum or a park when there is no pre-determined student group, or when you are developing something online for an unknown set of learners? How can you test transfer or even provide opportunities for different learners to feel supported? These particular challenges and constraints for creating and designing effective learning spaces are just some of the critical issues I hope to be able to address throughout this course.
Dan Gilbert Thanks for sharing. Your questions about how to assess learning outside of fixed space and curriculum of a classroom are some of the key issues that we hope to discuss this quarter. I would challenge you to pick projects and teams that explore spaces other than schools and then do some reflection on how those compare with your own experience teaching. There are opportunities for assessment, its just that all of the stakeholders need to think creatively about what and how we can measure.
4/5/07 Free Write: Learning to me is something that can be done in the classroom and beyond. However, I tend to resist technology and find myself wary of using new technological advances in my own learning (or as a teacher). I think this is probably because I think of learning as something really organic, that involves collaboration, bouncing ideas off one another, getting your hands dirty, and being immersed in an experience. So party I think I am slightly intimidated by this class because I feel that there is pressure to integrate technology into learning design. I also, though, believe in multiple intelligences and the notion that people have individual learning styles. So while new advances in technology are scary to me, I suppose they could be useful to someone else. But I'm still not convinced.
Dan Gilbert Good point to resist technology for the sake of technology, and for emphasizing the organic and social nature of what learning is. While technology is a component of thinking about space, it is far far less important than thinking about the activities that learners are engaged in.
4/11/07 Museum Experiences: I think my best/favorite museum experience would be the time I spent in the Zoological Museum in Florence, Italy. Quite a while prior to my trip I picked up a book about these amazing 17th century wax anatomical models. The book became one of my favorites and I was entralled by the exhibit, which was housed in Italy. I even got a tattoo of an anatomically correct heart (based on one of the models). About a year later I was presented with an opportunity to go to Florence and Rome and I was so excited because I knew I'd have the chance to see these models in real life. The museum itself was not fancy, but I took a lengthy walk to get there and wandered around by myself. I loved every minute of the experience because I already knew a lot about the models and their history. They were meaningful to me and I was able to take the time to relish the experience. I think that for me, museum-going is best when I am by myself and can take in the experience in my own time. Not all museum exhibits hold as much meaning for me as this one, but I have definitely found that I have the best time and get the most out of it when I have some background knowledge or understanding and I am alone and can go at my own pace. I was glad to see that the articles about museum visits reflected the difference in peoples' learning styles and personalities.
Sonia Geerdes Hi. I've never been to Italy, but it's high on my list of priorities. I think that you're right about knowing something before you go - that that helps you to have a more meaningful experience. The same type of thing happened to me this summer when we went to these ancient caves in India - I had been reading about them, and it was so incredible to actually see them in person. It's funny, too, how this kind of learning style effects other parts of our lives, like relationships - Trevor never reads anything, so I'm always the tour-guide, but it works for us. P.S. I'm still curious about your tattoos - and the stories behind them. -sg.
YH Hi Amanda. I agree with you that we get more out of our visit if we read up some information on what it's about before the visit, and also if we know what we are interested in. I think the first point is definitely important for planning good learning experiences for a students' visit. Like you, I have the best experiences when I'm on my own but I think it also depends on the theme. Themes with children in mind seems to work well to have the group experience and learning together. Kids seem more willing and open to trying/playing things with fellow kids than adults. So there is learning value in that regard.
Amanda YH, thanks for bringing that up--I think there is a difference in learning together and with a group--especially when the museum invites collaboration, like a science museum, for example. I was thinking much more about art museums when I wrote that reflection, but I think that if I were going to a museum where there were lots of activities and exciting things to encounter, it would be really fun and a good learning experience to go with a group.
5/8/07 Library Assignment: I chose to visit the Jackson Library at the Business School. The first thing that struck me was how large and inviting the space is. There are couches and comfortable chairs near the entrance, tons of cubicles and computers, and shelves of new and interesting books to browse through. The library was surprisingly empty, as I assumed more people would be using it, especially during business school eam time. Most of the students there were working independently (presumably on school work), but I did see a couple of people lounging around and reading the newspaper, etc. There are spaces where students can work in a group, including small study rooms that can be reserved on an as-needed basis. Also, I noticed that the decor and the wall art recognized that this is a business library. For example, one framed poster that hung on the wall depicted the "geneology of silicon valley" while another display case illustrated business school-related milestones. Other framed images of Stanford hung around as well, perhaps giving students some recognition for being members of the business school community. While much of the learning seems individualized, there were groups and couples sitting together discussing projects. The tone was quiet, but obviously they felt comfortable talking to one another. The reference desks were in an open and entrance to the library and people consistently went to the librarians to ask questions. One reason for this may be that because the library is large, one needs assistance finding materials moreso than in Cubberley or another smaller library. I overheard a librarian offer to walk a student to the area where her desired book/reference material was located. This library is also well equipped with technology: there are large flat screen monitors on the walls airing CNN and others are located in the private conference rooms for students to use. Students also have lockers available for them to use in keeping their materials safe.
To improve on the space, I would like to see additional sitting areas and perhaps larger conference rooms from the ones I saw. Because I am not a business student, I am not sure of other needs that might prevail in using the space. This observation definitely made me aware of access to information (business school students have a lot of it). How might libraries that don't have as much to begin with (in terms of allocacation of resources) create an equally inviting and useful space?
I also visited the Education Library in Cubberley (even though I've been there before). I did this because I wanted to contrast contrast my observations of Jackson with another location). I observed approximately six students, all of whom worked independently on computers (either their own personal computers or the library's computers). Some worked on writing assignments while others used the internet. All the students worked silently. Of the ten or so large wooden tables, only two were being used, with one person sitting at each. It appears that the learning that happens here is mostly individualized, research-oriented, academic, and intrapersonal. The space itself is not very inviting to any other kinds of learning. It is much to quiet to promote active, kinesthetic, or collaborative learning. There are no comfortable spaces that could invite people to lounge around and stay awhile. Even the large tables that do exist are too long and rectangular to offer an environment that would be conducive to group work. What I do like about this library is that it is small and that it houses all of the education related books. I know I can come here to find most anything I need and the librarians are always happy to help me research materials. Due to the low volume of visitors, there are always enough computers to use and these offer access to all of the scholarly journals as well as the internet. However, not all of the computers allow word processing, and this hinders the amount of work I am able to do in this space.
Since this is the only library/resource area specifically targeted to education students, I would like to see the technology enhanced. It would be great to have better equipped computers, perhaps ones with Microsoft Office and Photoshop, as these would enable students to do more of their coursework in the space. Furthermore, I think that this library should strive to broaden its notion of a "learning space." Not only do students want to do research and find academic sources, but they also need better spaces where they can meet, collaborate, and work together on projects. To me, this is the most important thing that is lacking in this particular library space.
Dan GilbertNice work, visiting Cubberley for some contrast was a great idea, please share with our group. It is interesting that even though Jackson wasn't very crowded when you were there it sounds like there was a general feeling that some amount of interaction was okay. I haven't heard a single person ever say that about Cubberley. I also like your suggestion that the space needs to be inviting to learning styles beyond individual, quiet, self-directed approaches, and one would hope that the School of Education library should be the leader in promoting a space that supports multiple learning styles. Good work.
5/22/07 Freewrite: What can space really do in the ways of learning? Why this set of readings? Space can promote learning, provide a context for learning, and encourage new ways of thinking and doing. I think space can also hinder or limit learning, create obstacles, and disempower those involved in the process. When I think about a learning space, I have a broad view of the kind of learning that may occur. Certainly classrooms and schools can be learning spaces, but so can parks, fields, kiosks, homes, etc. To encourage learning, spaces should be safe and respectful, provide expectations for users, promote opportunities for inclusion, and empower users (Community Programs for Youth Development article, p. 4). I think this set of readings illustrated learning as contextual and social. I was encouraged to think about programs as learning spaces... the idea that a learning space can be interactional and collaborative (or that a learning space actually may be the interaction or the collaboration--that the "space" is what exists among or between the participants). Beyond that, the readings discussed that learning is not as simple as face to face interaction, but the sociocultural context in which the interaction occurs.
Eliabeth: When I think of learning spaces, I almost always jump to their limitations. I think that the typical school classroom (which we've seen so many examples of here) tends to hinder rather than enhance learning. Learning is something that happens in spite of the space, if it happens at all. I'm intrigued by the idea of programs as spaces within themselves. How does that work in people's homes? In churches? In Weight Watchers meetings? It seems to lend credence to the idea that any environment is a learning space, and that, while good design is a great benefit, it is not pivotal. On the other hand, I go back to the classroom idea...I think it might depend on how much time one actually spends in a particular space (and I think we've spent too little time talking about that in this class). A space that is designed for students to sit in for 6 or 7 hours per day should be designed much differently -- and much more thoughtfully -- than spaces that are meant to be visited as an event, like a museum or zoo.