Tuesday presentation - 15 minute presentation
paper: due 6/5
05.22.2007
In-class Freewrite
Space affects the way learning occurs. How much light, resources, seating areas are available definitely has an influence of whether learning may or may not occur in that space. For example, if a library was dark and uncomfortable (e.g. Cubberley Library), then people will be reluctant to use that space. Well-lit and comfortable seating areas are more conducive for students to actually use the space and, by law of syllogism, hopefully it will also be a space for learning to happen.
However, I think culture has much of an effect on learning as well. We saw from the reading about the Fifth Dimension that adolescents learned more in the library setting than at the Boys & Girls Club. The library was more conducive to learning because of the "seriousness" of its environment as a learning space. The Boys and Girls Club was more of a hangout place where students could easily slip in and out of activities. It was interesting to read about the influence of these two spaces and their cultures when the point of the Fifth Dimension was to promote learning through an informal structure (i.e. games and fun activities), rather than the the formal classroom setting routine. This makes me wonder what the learning style of the students may have been. How much do learning styles play into learning? Is it totally separate from space and culture, particularly in informal settings? How much do culture and space affect learning styles? How much should we take in consideration of the various learning styles and culture of the organization when designing a space?
MB responds- ''Agreed that the physical makeup of a space is really important. But to tie your two pieces together, I think that is to some extent cultural too. Hmm- and not just cultural, but personal. I remember getting my job as tech director of a charter school in philadelphia-- and the head of school said "I'm sure you'll like your office. There's an airconditioner blocking the window, but techies don't need light" or something like that. I found the janitor and had the air conditioner removed for the cool seasons. Yes, I need light and preferably a view.
As for culture, I think it's a really important question. It's too easy for an architect to sell a vision of a pretty building/space--- and for the administration to sell the vision to the public/the constituents without regarding how the specific people will actually use it. Or what rules and practices might be needed to actually make it work. I've seen lots of supposedly great spaces that aren't used well, either for fault of design or use. ''
05.09.2007
Library Reflection: Jackson Library at GSB
The Jackson Library is a quiet two-level space in the business school building, featuring lots of nooks and crannies that are largely devoted to industry characteristics. One such space is the Trader's Pit located on the first floor and is equipped with a large screen tv and a stock index display to keep the B-school community informed of the latest stock information. There is also a small round table nestled into the a corner of the space, right by the career corner where students can explore various types of jobs available to them post-graduation. There are also handout, post-its, and pens available for students to take and use.
This library is conducive mostly for individual learning. On one side of the first level, there are individual cubi
cles without computers for studying, but have jacks available for laptop use. These bring visuals of the traditional college library experience, where each person is isolated from his classmate. However, there are many armchairs and couches scattered around the entire library, which I assumed provides a comfortable space to work, if one chooses to refrain from using the study carrels. There are many computers (a lot more than the ed school has!) along with major computer station areas on both floors. There are computer spaces that are open (no cubicles) and spaces where each computer is housed in a small cubicle. These cubicles are covered in cloth, possibly to muffle noise. The information desk at the front of the library also serves to help students to guide them to the right resources. However, like other parts of the library, this seemed like an individual's experience.
There are opportunities for group learning, places for collaboration. Around the perimeter of the second floor, there are group study rooms for which students must obtain a key for access. I observed students using these spaces individually. however, these spaces do allow for collaborative work - there are 4-5 wheeled chairs per rooom, along with a desktop computer and a wide whiteboard. Some of the larger study rooms, which can be reserved online, have more seating, larger tables, a desktop computer, whiteboard and a large-screen television. Even more fun than the second flor study rooms was the student lounge located on the ground level. It was partitioned off by a partial glass wall and invites students to work where they can t and chat, providing almost a cafe-esque atmosphere. Adjacent to it was an outdoor area complete with outside heaters to keep the chill away while students relax and unwind from the daily grind that is the business school...and as a place to network, another aspect of learning in the business school!
i observed that many of the computer stations were empty; the libaray itself was pretty empty. I get the feeling that much of the business school has group projects which require students to meet together and interact with each other. However, the Jackson library did not seem like a likely place for group meetings, aside from the group study rooms. It seems like the space was set up to promote individual studying, lining walls with new books, periodicals, and newspapers. So if students have to work on group projects and they choose not to work in Jackson library, I wonder where they CAN go. Would it make more sense to take lots of the open unused individual learning spaces and turn it around to create a more group-friendly enviornment? Or are we limited by the fact that this space is a library, where loud noises are considered inapproppriate?
Dan Gilbert: Nuree, great reflection here, I like how you have highlihgted how the space facilitates the exact opposite needs of most of the users - individual work even though so much student work from GSB is in teams. To me this is especially reflective of some confusion about what the role of the library there is. In the next five years, The GSB is constructing an entire new facility, and adopting a radically different curriculum, I wonder if their library will also change?
Just out of curiosity, I wonder how many faculty, researchers, or phd students use Jackson for their individual work? Or are they more likely to just go down, get what they need, then go somewhere else.
04.11.2007
Reading Reflection
Museum experiences and learning in museums happen in various ways. Packer and Ballantyne studied the differences between solitary and paired people in museum learning experiences. Asking valid questions I would have never thought about previously, the authors poked and prodded to see what the value of either methods could provide in learning. It was interesting to read that there was no big difference between the two but the differences ley more in the different learning styles of the solitary museum goer versus that of the couples. However, if we think back on why this may occur, it may be telling why these people are showing up either individually or as pairs. What are the motivations and reasons why visitors choose to come by themselves or in groups? It may also reflect not only preferences but also learning styles; how can learning occur or be maximized in the museum setting if someone who works well alone came as a pair or vice versa? Can we apply Gardner's ideologies of multiple intelligences here if we're looking at various learning styles? What if, in the case of the science museum, that a female child was originally a quiet and non-questioning child. would that personality trait have made a difference in that study?
Taking the science museum study one step further, Crowley et al. concludes that "simple adult explanations lead to deeper children's learning and that, without adult assistance, children are unlikely to construct explanations on their own (2001, p. 261). How about that students that formulate and construct explanations and thoughts in their head but do not verbalize them? Is the study implying that their level of learning and understanding is lower than those who verbalize and ask questions, if that is a way to assess deeper understanding and ability to construct explanations? Also, as a teacher, I question how much adult assistance leads to deeper understanding; if concpets are explained (a euphemism for told), then are they truly formulating their own thoughts and and building up on concepts around the idea? I always found it difficult to draw the line between teaching and telling. What exactly would constitute the difference between those two? On field trips, the teaching team would have packets for the kids to hold onto during the trip to draw what they saw, answer some questions, write haikus about what they saw. I wonder how much of the packets served to keep the students focused (which I'm sure they did) but also whether these materials and interactions with the students at the museum were prompts for thinking beyond the obvious or were just information thrown at them, telling them what to look for to get a specific answer that WE wanted to hear...
04.11.2007
Museum Reflection
The most memorable museum experience was as an 11-years-old on summer vacation. My family visited Boston for the first time and my uncle took us to the Boston's Museum of Science. It was ten times bigger than the Hall of Science in Queens, NY, and ten times more fun. (I visited the Hall of Science once a year in elementary school so the scene got old.) There was a demonstration that I happened to pass by of a snake. It was the second time I touched a snake but had forgotten what it was like; I was surprised to find that it was dry and smooth. I also made music with a bow and large metal disk. The entire time there, I ran around trying one thing after another, awed by the possibilities of finding something new to try. I even felt that Boston had it better than New York because of the greater number of exhibits, mostly hands-on, that was open and available compared to the limited number and size of the museum at the Hall of Science.
The experience in Boston was also enhanced because there were staff members scattered all over the museum explaining, answering questions, or leading demonstrations. At the Hall of Science, the teachers often let us loose, allowing us to explore but without any kind of scaffolding. We were expected to "learn" from the brief summary of the exhibit posted on the walls.
Matt Nuree, great reflection. I wonder how much of your excitement stemmed from the "ten times bigger" rather than being in a new space. It seems to me the excitement of a new place can act as a catalyst for absorption of information and inclination to engage with the space. I am sure the opposite could be true as well, meaning some people will not engage a new learning space as much as the museum spaces they are used to. Your comments definitely sparked thoughts for me about designing spaces for the continual user and the one time user. How do we design spaces that are exciting for new and veteran patrons alike?
Sara It sounds like you have only been to the Museum of Science with your family and it sounds like you went to the Hall of Science with teachers who weren't very helpful. What about friends your own age, did they talk about the exhibits with you? Getting back to some of the readings for this week, did you feel that there was a social aspect to these trips and if so do you think that these social aspects contributed to the experiences you had? Also, you mentioned that the museum workers at the MoS were helpful, in what way...do you remember any questions that you had that they answered for you? I have been to the MoS but only as an adult (once with my family and once escorting very young children). I did not see very many workers out trying to answer questions for people, so I am wondering if over the years they have cut back on the number of workers they have on the floor.
Alex Nuree, it is so interesting that the Boston Museum of Science is your best museum memory. I grew up in Boston and I don’t really have vivid memories of any museum. I do, however, remember the museum’s tag line: “the Boston Museum of Science, where it’s fun to find out…” I’m sure we must have visited the museum quite a few times but none of those visits have stuck as memorable or even “learning” experiences. Because Boston was my home and because of the frequency with which I visited it, maybe the Museum of Science became my “Hall of Science.” Maybe I would have been intrigued by the smaller size of the Hall of Science in Queens or maybe something else would have caught my eye that is different from anything I had seen in Boston. As Matt points out, the implication then for museum designers is to design a space that will be “memorable” and exciting for the first time patron as well as the veteran patron.
Amanda Nuree, your museum experience reminded me of a trip I took to a museum as a kid when I got to hold a cow's eyeball. Now, this may sounds gross, but it was so scary and fascinating to me, and there were also museum workers around who led the activity and gave us lots of information. I think that anytime you are at a science museum (but especially as a child) these positive and experiential activities really stand out and linger for a lifetime.
NC Thanks for these comments! :)
Matt & Alex, you both definitely bring up a good point. Museum space designers need to take into account how learning can happen for both first-timers and veterans. How can we do this without missing learning opportunities? Is it possible to take into account ALL possible missed opportunities?
Amanda, your cow eye episode did gross me out a little but it surely IS fascinating! When would we ever have the chance to hold a cow's eyeball and really see for ourselves what it looks, feels, and smells like? I don't think it would happen often and science museums are definitely places where we would experience the obvious and abnormal
Sara, you bring up a lot of questions. My experience at the Hall of Science was definitely a social one. My friends and I would run around trying out different exhibits. One particular one I remember had to do with light. and a blank screen in an enclosed space. The light would be on and a string of kids would pose in front of the screen. There would be a flash of light (I think...if my memory serves me right!) and then the lights would go out, leaving us with shadows of each child on the screen, seen under a black light, i think... It was cool to think that light exposure could do something like this. But I never understood how this was done and I'm not quite sure if the teachers knew either. My friends and I would wonder and question each other how we thought these interesting scientific things could happen but we never knew the answer. As for the MoS, I don't think I asked any staff workers any questions but I remember them standing near the exhibits watching the children and offering explanations and help if inquired. I was also a pretty shy kid so i was a bit intimiated to ask questions. Now that I re-think my experience, I'm not quite sure if my memory is quite accurate...but nonetheless, the MoS was so much more fun, partially, as Matt pointed out, because of the novelty and size of the museum but also because there were real live animals that we also got to observe and touch (and in my case, it was a snake).
04.05.2007
Reading Reflection
Rogoff’s proposed sociocultural theory of the “mutually constituting” processes of the individual and cultural development makes sense (2003, p.51). Learning spaces, for example, can reflect the current cultural norm of what a learning space should look like. Traditionally, schools follow the grammar of schooling, in which classrooms look and area arranged a certain way. Many schools may choose to continue this traditional model in which desks and chairs are arranged in rows, facing the blackboard. However, many schools are also veering away from that model and are arranging the desks and chairs so that the environment is more conducive to collaboration. We saw that in Malcolm Brown’s article on learning space design that one net generation trait is group activity orientation. If this is an individual’s process affecting the cultural development of schools, then it is possible that for students in these types of classrooms, where students sit in groups rather than in rows (that usually discourage collaboration), to be convinced that the arrangement is culturally acceptable. Therefore, this design becomes the culture norm, which then guides individuals’ ideas of grammar of schooling and how learning is supposed to occur. Students then become active participants in playing out and applying that accepted norm in the future, shaping what the culture of a school should be.
This change, however, has not been easy. Parents of the Net Generation may be open to the shift from the individual-centered work to the collaborative work focus but when actually applying these ideas, there usually is much opposition because it goes against their knowledge of what schools should be like. While it may be acceptable in their eyes for young children to learn in cooperative learning environments, like parental involvement that decreases as students become older, the thoughts of students working independently in the upper grades tend to trump the colorful, group-oriented working atmospheres in the lower grades. How then can these ideologies of the grammar of schooling be changed? Will we be forever stuck by those who hold by the ideas of the traditional school? Change can be intimidating but how can we convince those who so strongly hold onto the traditional views to see that progressing towards a different perspective on how space is utilized, and ultimately a change in the school culture, can be a benefit and not a loss, not only to the students but also to the future of society?
04.05.2007
In-class Freewrite: What is learning?
Learning is... books, writing, grammar...schools. learning can happen in various ways but is most traditionally seen happen in schools, where students sit and learn, often passively, from the teacher standing in front of the class. But learning can happen anywhere and everywhere. my mom has always been big on taking any moment and turning it into a teachable one. going to the grocery store can provide opportunities to learn. figuring out how much 3 bags of chips may cost...to calculating how much of an ingredient we will need. or even finally learning what a certain vegetable looks, smells, feels like. a lot of people have said airports can be learning spaces. even just observing people and their behaviors can be learning. what are they wearing? where do you think they are going? why? these are all thoughts that can lead one to explore and provide opportunities to learn something new. any new bit of information can be learned.
Dan Gilbert Thanks for this Nuree. Your experience with your mother in the grocery store sounds very much like an example out of the Rogoff article where learning is mediated by all of the differnet cultures that come into play there and then how they intersect each other. For Rogoff the learner can't be separated from the context and vice versa the context doesn't make sense without the learner.