Informal Spaces
campus
Courtesy: Abin Chaudhari DESIGN STUDIO
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n traditional campuses, learning spaces translate into structured areas such as classrooms, laboratories, conference rooms and studios. But a paradigm shift on the learning landscape has rendered traditional categorisation redundant. Boundaries between disciplines and departments have blurred, activities have blended, information is available 24x7 and multitasking is the need of the hour, signalling a shift to learning settings outside the classroom. The traditional classroom, with seating at one end and a lectern at the other, is no longer the end-all of learning. A rising emphasis on collaboration, teamwork and group projects ensure that more learning is taking place outside the classroom these days. A lot of learning that happens in informal places—a bench in a corridor, a library carrel or in the cafeteria. Educators and designers have taken note and are reconceptualising the campus as a series of diverse learning spaces. Larry MacPhee, Associate Director of e-learning at Northern Arizona University, says, “A large number of students do well in traditional classroom set-ups with minimal engagement. But there are others who, despite potential, cannot learn in this manner. An informal set-up makes learning more interactive, engaging and fun—factors that may help such students fare better.” Informal learning spaces, be it designed ones such as cafes, food courts and group study areas or inadvertent ones such as corridors, gathering spots, points of dispersal and pathways, foster communication, interaction and collaboration. They support chance encounters, a variety of conversations, and allow reflection and contemplation. Students who’re meeting up at a café or having a discussion outside a class need not be planning a party; they could be debating the last lecture. MacPhee, who has been consulting on the design of learning spaces for five years, says, “Students today expect a dynamic learning environment. But most classrooms are designed for traditional instrucApril 2012 EduTech
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