11. Future Design

Learning Space Problems to be Addressed

As I have addressed in the main essay on the context of the learning space, culture, integration issues etc, can impact the success of indigenous students in higher educations institutions.There in fact may have been a misconception that while there are key issues in schooling indigenous children (attendance, learning etc), those who progress to higher education have no such problems. Yet, from my research 68% of indigenous students starting educational courses, fail to complete their studies. 

Empty-Walls

It is seen that indigenous students  need connection to a place. Aboriginal people have interactive positively with the natural environment for a long time. Therefore, there is a need that the learning space incorporates the feeling and emotion of mother nature.  This can could be achieved with carefully selected artifacts within the learning space, as you can see from my gif, apart from color, the walls are empty.

Cabinet-Culture

Yet, the entrance to the learning space had a cabinet that contained work of indigenous students. But this is only a transient area, and therefore, within the actual learning space students of all cultures are not given greater connection to local culture, which also, would improve engagement of learners.

Talking Circle

Finally, in aboriginal traditional the community sits in a circle to discuss or yarn stories of their life and culture. 

 

But as you can see from my sketch design of the learning space, there is no room for students to form into one circle and discuss a lesson. Therefore, the layout of the furniture should be considered as part of the context to connect to indigenous learners within the university.

Room Layout Sketch

        Finally, for assignment two, I will develop methods that will improve the engagement of key actors utilizing the learning space. Moreover, the actors, such as indigenous students that from my first assignment research, appeared to have poor attrition rates, in higher education institutions. Therefore it is necessary for me to develop methods of redesigning the learning space, as to create positive synergies within this space and the institution, as a whole. The improved design will incorporate integrated universal design principles. 

    As part of this development process, I will firstly develop a design proposal document (which will be a new addition to my existing blog), to ensure all stakeholder understand what is going to happen; and provide a detail timeline, in how this will be achieved etc. My final proposal will be developed after I have shared my learning space problems and design ideas with fellow students, so as to, get their opinions and ideas in how I should proceed with the new redesigned learning space.

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Graphic References:


[Talking Circle] Retrieved April 5, 2015 from http://legacy.wlu.ca/images/events_images/10126/10126_sharing.jpg