Page 22 - College Planning & Management, September 2017

Site Furniture for a Lifetime
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another and, in some cases, the professor. “Recently, we completed a project
at Drexel University. It was a space that encouraged students and programs to work together. Programs like Psychology and Law share spaces that allow them to interact with real members of an underserved commu- nity.” Aires says. “Sharing between students is a huge part of the learning process.” Mak- ing the lessons applicable to the real-world and sharing different viewpoints is key to fostering an environment of high student achievement. The only way to truly promote this type of atmosphere is by creating a space that is flexible academically and in terms of layout, according to Aires.
Nicole Dress, also a principal at BLTa, has seen a similar shift in flexibility and accessibility in classrooms, even down to the furniture that is chosen. “Furniture now supports school and classroom construction and has caught up with the fact that learn- ing takes place in more ways than just a professor standing on stage lecturing.” She notes that everything plays a role in creating an engaging space. Acoustics and furniture are just as important as window placement and lighting; everything works together.
A term that often comes up when speak- ing of all these elements in combination is “next-gen” learning. “Next-gen learning comes down to making things that are personalized, letting students go at their own pace using the tools they want to and taking advantage of all the new technolo- gies being developed,” says Aires. He is also quick to note that there is no one-size-fits-all ideal inherent in next-gen learning and that it can mean different things for different students. The one constant, however, is that the concept leads to greater engagement and high achievement in the classroom.
BACK TO BASICS
Classrooms equipped for next-gen learn- ing may emphasize new technologies, but basic design principles still play a key role. Good acoustics can be every bit as impor- tant as all the latest technologies. “These spaces, to promote next-gen learning, need
to be acoustically sound and accessible. You cannot create a truly engaging environment in a non-sound-resistant space,” notes Dress.
When putting student engagement first, educators and architects alike must look at the openness of the space — specifically envisioning how easily students would be able to collaborate in it — regardless of what kind of furniture or technology may be brought in. “There has to be good lighting. Consider whether there may be too many windows though, strike a balance if possible, these are some of the things you have to think about,” confirms Aires. “You have to consider whether the space will be engaging and suited to different learning styles.”
Some students learn best when listen- ing to a lecture, while others need to see information on a screen in front of them. There is a third group that absorbs the most information when working in a group setting, solving problems together. A truly engaging learning space should seek to balance the different styles and not to favor one over the other. Open and flexible spaces play a critical part in striking this balance, much like the group tutoring spaces BLTa incorporated into recent projects at the Villanova Learning Center and Penn State Eberly Center for Excellence.
It is clear that open and flexible spaces are important, as is creating an environment that is open to collaboration and project- based learning. But what is on the horizon when it comes to designing atmospheres conducive to high achievement and col- laboration? According to Aires, “there will continue to be a shift to smaller, more open classroom spaces.” He also notes that there are new technologies being developed that could impact the on-campus classroom land- scape. “Augmented and virtual reality will be big in education, I think. Especially for technology- and project-based programs.”
As the factory model of education dimin- ishes, design professionals and architects like Boggio, Dress and Aires will be respond- ing to new pedagogies with learning spaces that are quickly adaptable and promote ever-greaterstudentengagement. CPM
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DESIGNING FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT