User-Centered Design of Learning Spaces on a Diverse, Urban, Commuter Campus

Auraria Library

Meg Brown-Sica Associate Director of Technology Strategy and

Learning SpacesAuraria Library

The Auraria Campus• Campus

– 48,183 FTE– 99% Commuters– 80% hold jobs– Average age: 27-29– Students from the University of Colorado Denver and

Metropolitan State College graduated with the highest average (UCD #1, MSCD #2) amount of loans owed compared with other public four-year colleges in the state.

• Community College of Denver– Federally designated as a “Hispanic Serving Institution.”

• Metropolitan State College of Denver – Undergraduates only– On the way to being designated as a “Hispanic Serving

Institution.”• University of Colorado Denver

– Graduate and undergraduate programs

Inspiration

Erika Rogers is a retired Professor of Computer Science at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA, and the former Director of the Cal Poly University Honors Program. She is currently doing research and consulting through ChezVous Technology. Her background includes a BA in French from University of Western Ontario and a BMath in Applied Math and Computer Science from University of Waterloo. She received her Masters in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology in the area of Computer Graphics, and completed her Ph.D. at Georgia Tech in the area of Artificial Intelligence.

Erika Rogers

Research Workshops Summer 2009

• Data Collection Studio I• Data Collection Studio II• Participatory Action Research Workshop

• Data Analysis Studio

"Essentially Participatory Action Research (PAR) is research which

involves all relevant parties in actively examining together current

action (which they experience as problematic) in order to change

and improve it. … Participatory action research is not just research

which is hoped that will be followed by action. It is action which is

researched, changed and re-researched, within the research process

by participants. Nor is it simply an exotic variant of consultation.

Instead, it aims to be active co-research, by and for those to be

helped. Nor can it be used by one group of people to get another

group of people to do what is thought best for them - whether that is

to implement a central policy or an organizational or service change.

Instead it tries to be a genuinely democratic or non-coercive process

whereby those to be helped, determine the purposes and outcomes

of their own inquiry." 

- Wadsworth, Y.

(1998)

Placemaking: The Project for Public Spaces

Bambi L. Yost

Learning Landscapes Project

PROJECT SUMMARY:In this study, aerial maps were used to investigate Denver neighborhoods through children’s eyes. This community-based research project taught inner city children about the power of mapping and voicing preferences and concerns. Using aerial maps, hand-drawn maps, photographs and other methods of exploration, children created their own maps of school grounds and surrounding neighborhoods, revealing quantitative and qualitative data in a creative and informative way. This research serves to empower students and to educate city officials about the benefits and deficits of inner-city living for Denver youth. Special emphasis was placed upon places of play and physical activity, as well as on places of prey and gang activity.

Research

Furniture Preference51%

48%

42%

32%

22%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Soft Lounge Group Study Booths FlexibleFloor

Modular

Half of all patrons prefer Soft Lounge Furniture, followed closely by Group Study Furniture.Among those who prefer the Soft Lounge Furniture, half also indicated that they linked the Group Study Furniture equally well.There is no difference in furniture preference based on technology used by patrons or class requirements (e.g. group study).Follow-up questions should determine furniture preference by floor of the library (first or second) or activity (individual study, group study, café use, etc).

% Prefer Furniture(Prefer = rating of 8 or higher)

Technology Used

88% of all survey respondents use a laptop.

Of those who use a laptop, over 80% also use a cell phone, Smartphone or PDA.

Those who use a Smartphone are more likely to also use other technology, such as scanners, audio devices, and video equipment.

88%

77%

47%

21% 21%

12%8%

5%

13%15%

34%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Laptop

Cell phone

Audio deviceScanner

Smartphone

Built-in computer camera

Multiple monitors

Video equipement

E-book readerPDA

Other

Potential Services Offered

Almost three-fourths of all survey respondents would like to have more laptop plug-ins available.Those who would like a Writing Center were significantly more likely to also want Tutoring services.Follow-up questions should determine preference for services based on age, student type, frequency of use, etc.

73%

59%55%

43%39%

29% 28%25% 24%

18%

31%

38%

54%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Laptop plug-ins

Writing Center

Eating areaTutoring

Reserve research help

Scanning stations

Computer/application help

Class presentation practice area

News and weather station

Addition software

Representatives from IT Dept

Ability to reserve computer

Video editing equipment

Class Requirements

Of those who engage in group work/study, 87% also give presentations in their classes.For students in classes that require presentations, they were not more likely to want a presentation practice area in the library than other students.

73% 71%

39%

32% 32%

24%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Groupwork/study

Presentations Audio/visuals inassignments

Use of citationsoftware

Statisticalanalysis

Use of socialapplications

Favorite Study LocationFavorite Location for

Studying• The Auraria Library is the

preferred location for study and research among respondents.

• One-fourth of respondents specifically mentioned the 1st floor of the library.

Why Favorite• Reasons for choosing a favorite

study/research location include:

• Less noise

• Availability of computers

• Good Lighting

107

59

16 14 125

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

AurariaLibrary

Home ComputerLab

StudyRoom

Restaurant Office

137

49

2616

10 7

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Less noise Computersavailable

Light Space tospread out

Coffeeavailable

Electricaloutlets

Technology Needs for Group Study

Respondents are most interested in having a projector available for group study sessions.

12

8

5

5

3

3

2

1

4

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Projector/Monitor

Wireless Access

Electrical outlets

Whiteboards

Specialized Software

Computers

Printers

Scanner

No other technology

Open-ended Question

count of responses

Desirable for Group Study

Respondents gave the highest rankings for Laptop Plug-ins and Closed Rooms.

9.99.3

8.4 8 7.9

5.7 5.54.5

3.7

6.97.6

8.1

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Lapto

p Plu

g-ins

Close

d room

Quiet

White

board

Room fo

r 3-4

peo

ple

Flexi

ble fu

rnitu

re

Large

scre

en/m

onitor

Rooom fo

r 5-1

0 peo

ple

Apple c

ompute

rs

Open a

fter 1

0pm

Open b

efore

8am

Room fo

r 10+

peo

ple

Average Rating1=least desirable, 12=most desirable

“Re-Imagining the Auraria Library”

Kickoff Meeting

• At the Library• Invited the Original Library

Planner• Invited Campus and College

Planners• Toured the Library• Presented Data

Auraria Library Program Essentials and Design

Priorities

Auraria Library Program Basics

• Learning Materials Collection• Access and Discover Library

Resources• Learning Spaces and

Computer Resources• Services for People with

Disabilities

Auraria Library Facility Design Priorities

• Library as Service• Library as Resource• Library as Place

Architecture Student Work

Precedent Studies

Programming

Student Proposals