![[03] Rethinking Learning Spaces for the Digital Age](https://images.beamly.com/fetch/https%3A%2F%2Fauth.jellypod.ai%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2FCoverImages%2Forg_01K7DBDW6Z6WY8F3DV1EPJM2Z4%2Fusers%2Fuser_01K7DBDW1MF050KSA7ZE8CDR69%2FbuCRvkYu-w7H23ENXjgDw.jpg?w=365)
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Hello and welcome back to Research Topics on Digital Education.
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I'm Elena Ferri and, as always,
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I'm joined by Elisabeth Kensington,
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Jack Iron, and Martin Nottingham.
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Today, we're diving into the role of learning spaces-both the physical
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and the virtual - in learning processes.
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Lovely to be here,
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Elena.
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We'll discuss together this topic starting from the article "Transforming
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Learning Spaces in the digitalization era: a bibliometric exploration of
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emerging trends"
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published in 2024 on the Journal of e-Learning and Knowledge Society.
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The authors - Roopali Kansal, Prabhjot Kaur,
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Harveen Bhandari - come from the Chitkara University in India.
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They explore the available scientific literature on learning spaces and
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analyze the past, current and future trends of this very interesting field
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of study in education.
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So, let's get started.
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The discussion on the role
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of space in education is not something new.
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However, in the study we are presenting,
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authors affirmed that there was just one publication in 1996,
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and especially after 2020, things just took off.
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Absolutely,
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Elisabeth.
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The pandemic was a catalyst, wasn't it?
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Suddenly, everyone was forced to rethink what a learning space even means.
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I mean, before COVID, most of the research was about physical classrooms,
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but after 2020, there was this huge spike in studies about online and
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blended environments.
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2021 was the peak, if I remember right.
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Yeah,
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and I saw that firsthand at home.
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My kids-well, they went from regular classrooms to learning at the kitchen
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table, and then sometimes in their bedrooms,
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sometimes even outside on the porch.
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It was chaos at first, honestly.
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But, you know, after a while, they started to find their own rhythms.
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My youngest actually thrived with the flexibility,
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but my oldest missed the social side.
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It was a mixed bag, but it really showed how adaptable kids can be-and
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how much the environment matters.
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That's such a good point,
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Jack.
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The research backs that up, too.
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The number of studies on learning spaces jumped from 16 in 2020 to 27
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in 2021, and then it dipped a bit,
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but the focus had shifted.
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It's not just the number of studies,
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is it?
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The themes have changed.
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We're seeing more about user experience,
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well-being, and how technology is integrated into these spaces.
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It's not just about where you sit,
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but how the space-physical or digital-supports learning and engagement.
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That
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brings us to this idea of the learning space as the "third educator."
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I love that phrase.
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It comes from Loris Malaguzzi,
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right?
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The idea is that, beyond family and school,
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the environment itself teaches us.
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It's not just a backdrop-it's an active participant in learning.
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Yes,
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exactly.
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I remember the first time I walked into a flexible classroom-tables on
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wheels, open spaces, little nooks for group work.
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It was a revelation.
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The students just...
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well, they came alive.
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Participation shot up, and even the quieter ones found their place.
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It made me realize how much the space shapes the way we interact and
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learn.
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There's a lot of research supporting that,
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Martin.
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It's not just about aesthetics-it's about how the space supports mental
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processes.
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Yeah, and it's not just the physical stuff,
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either.
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Sometimes it is relevant to think also the value,
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the role that "learning space" acquire for us,
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when they are designed for us and become a valuable part of our daily
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life.
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That's a great point, Jack.
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And it's interesting-some studies show that when students have a say
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in how their space is set up, they're more engaged.
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But often, the design process leaves out the learners themselves.
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It's usually the teachers, designers,
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and management making the decisions.
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Which is a bit backwards,
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isn't it?
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If we're aiming for learner-centered education,
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shouldn't the learners have a voice in shaping their environment?
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Flexibility and adaptability are key,
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but so is participation.
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And let's not forget well-being.
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The research is clear-things like noise,
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lighting, and even furniture can have a big impact on students' mental
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and physical health.
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So, where's the research heading now?
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From what I've seen in the article we are discussing today,
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there are four big clusters: innovative school building design,
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integration of technology, well-being and impact of learning spaces on
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students' cognition, behavior, motivation and achievements.
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Yes,
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and it's interesting-there's a lot of excitement about things like virtual
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reality, the Internet of Things,
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and smart classrooms.
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How digital environments are structured and organized is equally important
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nowadays when many students and professionals use online spaces for their
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training.
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How does all this affect digital learners' well-being?
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Online spaces must be as carefully designed as physical ones.
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Most of
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the studies are still qualitative,
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and if you look at the global picture,
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most of the research is still coming from developed countries-Australia,
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the Netherlands, the UK, the US.
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There's a real gap when it comes to studies from developing nations,
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which is something we need to address if we're going to understand the
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full picture.
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That's a concern, isn't it?
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If we're not looking at well-being,
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we're missing a huge part of the picture.
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And if we're not including voices from developing countries,
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we're not seeing the full diversity of experiences.
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There's a real need for more inclusive research.
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I agree,
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Martin.
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And from a research perspective,
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modeling uncertainty in these rapidly changing environments is a real
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challenge.
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The digital landscape is evolving so quickly-what works today might not
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work tomorrow.
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It's hard to build models that can keep up with that pace,
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especially when we're trying to account for well-being,
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engagement, and all the different ways students interact with their
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environments.
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Yeah,
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and I think that's why we need ongoing studies-like bibliometric analyses
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to track new trends as they emerge.
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Otherwise, we risk falling behind the reality on the ground.
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And maybe,
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as we discussed in our last episode about making educational videos engaging,
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it's about being flexible and willing to adapt.
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The same goes for learning spaces-physical or digital.
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We have to keep experimenting and listening to what students actually
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need.
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Well said, Elisabeth.
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It's about serving students, after all.
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The space-whether it's a classroom,
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a videoconference, or a virtual learning environment-should help them
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grow as learners, as citizens, as people.
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I think that's a great note to
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end on.
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There's still so much to explore,
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and we'll definitely be following these trends in future episodes.
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Thanks, everyone, for the thoughtful discussion.
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And thank you to our listeners for joining us today.
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Thanks,
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Elena.
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Always a pleasure.
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See you all next time.
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Goodbye,
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everyone.
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Take care and keep questioning your learning spaces!
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Goodbye,
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all.
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Keep learning, wherever you are.