In the tertiary realm, learning space discourse over the last twenty years has been vexed by the question Do students actually learn better in Collaborative Classrooms compared to traditional classrooms such as lecture theatres and tutorial rooms? With considerable expenditure associated with the design, construction, training, maintenance, and upgrade of technologies within Collaborative Classrooms, universities need to know if the investment is worth it. Jo Dane discusses the RateMyClassroom tool and the value of tools to support space evaluation.

Flipped Classroom, UNSW Business School. Image: Woods Bagot

‘Collaborative’ or ‘Active’ Classrooms began appearing on higher education campuses at the turn of the 21^st Century to support teachers practicing student-centred learning (for example, collaborative learning, project-based learning, problem-based learning etc). While the terms ‘collaborative’ and ‘active’ classroom are relatively interchangeable, they typically refer to a classroom comprising small group settings where students can work together, access technology (&/or connect their own devices) and in which the teacher is encouraged to move around the room to support student learning. The teacher may provide some instructional learning to the whole class, but then facilitate group work to apply new concepts through a range of student-centred learning activities. This was believed to encourage students to adopt a deep approach to learning.

Continue reading →