4. Tour de LS-Force

Tour of the Learning Space

This section of the LS-Blog provides and overview of the education context of the Learning Space and the start of the evaluation (both physical and psychological), utilizing the concept of evaluating a space with Heath's Heuristic approach.

Overview of the educational context: The educational context is a university (somewhere) in the realworld. I will let your inquisitive mind determine the exact location.  The space is utilized by students that are either pre or post-service qualified primary and secondary teachers. Students studying language teaching and also Indigenous Teachers (which is the main focus of my essay).

Therefore, while the main-set or learning profile can be defined as teachers, there is in-fact many sub-set of teachers with different goals. These students are aiming to teach children, young adults, non-English speakers and indigenous students. And finally, we should consider the age of the student within the learning space. For example, the typical pre-service teacher is about 20 and the post-service is 30+.  The pre-service students have limited exposure (and experiences) outside the university, and therefore are more-willing to accept the idea or design of the learning space. But for experience teachers, especially working in resource deprived schools, the grander design and layout of the learning space, maybe a bitter pill, as it has no reflection of what is found in their world of teaching.

  

This section is the beginning of my VAST analysis of my Learning Space or SWAMP. The VAST concept analyses the complex relationship between human relationships, activities and the physical space, to determine if the SPACE, will ultimately become a productive site. For me, I am examining a computer lecturer/lab and it worth to me, and other student teachers.

The VAST design consists of four heading: Values, Activities, Site and Technology. Below is the first of the four Heuristic determinations.  In this first part, I discuss how the  "System of Human Relationships" and how people (myself mainly) must be consisted when designing a space. (Note: other parts of the VAST will appear on the next blog page tabs.)

 ************************************

Heath VAST - Values: People have Values

Mixed-Emotions

Feelings: I have utilized  my selected learning space on many occasions. Maybe the question is why not use some other computer lab in the university? Well the main labs are always seem overcrowded and noisy. I need a quiet place to work. Even when students are in groups in my learning space, and talking, I guess the structure and positioning of tables, decreases ambient noise, and so, I do not feel distracted.  It is also close to other amenities, so I can take a break without taking a long journey.  I guess overall in some ways, its matches my work area at home, and therefore, it creates a sense of belonging. This in term stimulates my creative thinking.

Attitudes: An attitude is a belief about something, and it usually describes what we think is the proper-way of doing things. Moreover, a person’s stronger attitude is a predictor of their behavior(McLeod, 2014). Well from my observations, if you are part of a group then you must maintain either verbal or non-verbal communication between group members on a regular basis. The table structure gives you just enough space, to balance how close physically from a cultural prospective you are to another group member, and maintain a protective boundary.   

Individual on the Wall

Groups-Hard-at-Work

Customs: From observation, individual students using the learning space lab, move to the other-wall tables to perform their tasks. Yet, when groups (task or just friendship groups) they migrate to a table body that allows a group to interact. Where student sit, is purely an unconscious act. There is no rules to tell someone where to sit.

Laws: There are in place not just intangible-law-values (politeness and good manners), but real and with genuine punishment. The learning space is regularly checked by security. They verify who you are and your right to use the space. If you cannot comply, then you are removed.



References:



McLeod, S. (2014). Attitudes and Behaviour. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/attitudes.html