In-between dominant learning spacesa gap in our thinking about interstitiality and learning

APT 2016 - Mind the Gap 50 minute workshop, July 2016

Andrew MiddletonHead of Academic Practice & Learning Innovation, Sheffield Hallam University

@andrewmid

IntroductionSeeing space differently

Aim and objective

We will prove that technology and media can disrupt

instrumental thinking about the learning space

We will,

Generate stories to discover new spaces for new ideas of

learning

Envision learning in the digital-social age and what this means

for learning space and place

IntroductionChallenge: Push discourse beyond 'space as a technology'

Context Co-ordinating the University’s Furture Learning Spaces agenda

Tendency to focus on or gravitate towards the technological and

operational (i.e. space, devices, VLEs, social media)…

Not the experience of learning

Danger: Who is looking after ‘Learning’, ‘Becoming’ and

‘Belonging’?

Learning between dominant moments

Let’s look at roles involved in developing learning spaces….

Who's involved and how do they think?Who is looking after learning?

The urgent matter of overcoming

organisational complexity to get on the same page by finding a

common languageStudent

body

Catering Managers & other

important people

Educational Developers Estates

TimetablingInstitutional Leaders IT

Learning Technologists Library

Students Union

Academics

Suppliers and

Architects

?

Researchers

If we talk about learning what do people understand by that?

BTW - We will spend £millions on learning spaces without really understanding their value!

BinariesGuess the binary

Fill in the blank

Teaching and… Physical and… Passive and… Formal and… Synchronous and…

How useful are these binaries in understanding learning and space?

Change the ‘and’ for an ‘or’

Common binaries

Physical Virtual

Borderland spaces of becoming

Social

Independent

Teach

Learn

Asynchronous

Synchronous

Open

Closed

Informal

Formal

Provided

Active

Passive

Public

Private

Dominant

Liminal

Hill, J., Thomas, G., Diaz, A. and Simm, D. (2015) Borderland spaces for learning partnership: Opportunities, benefits and challenges. Journal of Geography in Higher Education. ISSN 0309-8265

“Borderland spaces are permissive spaces, allowing genuine dialogue to take place and offering opportunities for co-inquiry and reflection between students and faculty (Lodge, 2005). “

Third Space“the necessity of thinking beyond initial categories and initiatory subjects and focusing on those interstitial moments or processes that are produced in the articulation of ‘differences’ - Bhabha (1994, p. 269)

Open

Closed

Informal

FormalDominant

Liminal

Hill, J., Thomas, G., Diaz, A. and Simm, D. (2015) Borderland spaces for learning partnership: Opportunities, benefits and challenges. Journal of Geography in Higher Education. ISSN 0309-8265

“Borderland spaces are permissive spaces, allowing genuine dialogue to take place and offering opportunities for co-inquiry and reflection between students and faculty (Lodge, 2005).”learning in the

rich spaces in-between binaries

Between binaries

Borderland spaces of becoming

Physical Virtual

Lefebvre's Spatial Triad Seeing space differently

Representational spaceSpace as it is perceived - ideas, imagination, theory and vision

Representations of spaceSpace as it is conceived and intendedThrough signifiers such as maps, plans, models, and designs

Space is a product of the,• Perceived• Conceived and the• Lived

Space + Time

Representations of spaceSpatial practice

of a societydaily routine and realityas lived and evidenced

Finding the In-between spaceValuing the private, social, apparently inconsequential and the neglected space

In-Between Space“Lifts, doorways, stairwells, toilets and cupboards – these are the spaces that have been neglected in our examination of work space, yet these are spaces that are used and experienced most days

in most organizations – these spaces are everywhere” (Shortt, 2014, p. 2).

Third PlaceNeutralLeveller

ConversationAccommodating

AccessibleRegulars and friendship

UnpretentiousA home from home

Oldenburg (1989)

Third Space

boundary crossing

bridging

transiti

on and navigation

negotiation

“the official and unofficial

spaces of le

arning

contexts”

Gutiérrez et al. (1999)Liminal Space

ThresholdTransition

RitualPassing

TranslocationDisplacement

Turner (1969)

Hybrid Space

Contiguous situations

Multiple purposes

Multiple roles

Multiple perspectives

Multiple modalities

Multiple hybrid identity

Vulnerable

Stommel (2012)

= Digital= Non-Digital

formal interstice non-formal

‘bridging’ or connecting experience of learning across formal/non-formal spaces

Bridging the interstitial experienceFinding the digital

formal interstice non-formal

Connectivist hybrid classroom

Dominant Spaces

applying digital learning e.g. tweetchat

The InterstitialValuing the private, social, apparently inconsequential and the neglected space at the intersection of other spaces

The Digital In-Between Spacethe glance at the phone, email or calendar

the Facebook moment, the tweet you view, send or retweet

the like or retweet of your message while you were awaythe note you make with your camera

the connection you spot in the digital or physical spacethe connection you make…

Interstitialan intervening space

or actionapparently less consequential

small space or intervaltemporal or spatial

a momentan interfacea breatherreflection

The Digital Interstitial

RICH DIGITAL MEDIA

USERGENERATED

MEDIA

BYOD

MOBILE LEARNINGOPENNESS

SOCIAL MEDIAFOR

LEARNING

Social Open Learning Environment

disrupts Models of Formal of Delivery

disruptsOne-to-Many model

disruptsDependency on Text

disrupts Provided Content model

disrupts Provided “Classroom" model

disrupts Provided Technology model

++

++

+SOLE

Transformation

+

Storytime: Where do you learn? Share stories in which personal and portable digital technologies and media play a pivotal role at the intersection of formal and non-formal physical, digital hybrid learning space

Discuss where you learn best, or where you have to learn out of necessity Make some notes about spaces or places and for each one identify important characteristics

The Digital Hybrid Learning Space – a Manifesto!You need to convince managers to rethink the digital learning strategy…

A Manifesto for Future Learning Spaces - how we communicate ideas about Digital Learning spaces to institutional colleagues with non-learning roles. We discussed:• Learning happens in and out of the classroom and the design of all provided learning

space needs to address diversity and complexity as a design problem.• Learning is:

• directed, self-directed, self-determined and sometimes uncertain• deliberative and planned, reactive and spontaneous, and implicit and tacit• lifewide and diverse, taking different forms, at different times, in different places, for

different people• often serendipitous• flexible and generative, rather than prescribed or assigned

• (Continues on the next page)

The Digital Hybrid Learning Space – a Manifesto!You need to convince managers to rethink the digital learning strategy…

A Manifesto for Future Learning Spaces - how we communicate ideas about Digital Learning spaces to institutional colleagues with non-learning roles. (continued):• Learning can be inhibited by being overly constrained• Learning happens and can be stimulated by moving between spaces and in adjacency to

spaces of different designations• Learning happens at different paces and in different places in self-designated spaces• Learning can be enhanced by connection to meaningful external authentic contexts,

including virtual, professional and real world contexts• Learning often happens alongside 'knowledgeable others' in open and easily accessible

physical and digital spaces• Access to learning space needs to flexibly account for time constraints and other

commitments of students and staff wherever they are in the world• Learning spaces are eclectic where assessment practices promote curiosity and

personalised learning• Deep learning never takes place in designated space – learning is personal!