LITERATURE REVIEW:
Research has been undertaken on the topic:
"How can teachers use flexible learning spaces to cater for different learning styles?"
Motivating this Action Research was the movement across Australia of many classes into new buildings funded by an Australian Federal Government Initiative called the Building the Educational Revolution [BER] (DEEWR, 2011). Expectations from State Education Departments provided guidelines for 21st Century teaching and learning pedagogies to be implemented in conjunction with the new learning spaces.
References:
DECS [Department of Education and Child Services], South Australia, Learning to Learn. Retrieved on October 22,2011, from: http://www.learningtolearn.sa.edu.au/
DEECD, [Department of Education and Early Childhood Development], Victoria. Building the Education Revolution: 21st Century Schooling. Retrieved on October 22nd from http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/directions/buildingrevolution/aboutber/learningspaces/default.htm
DEECD, [Department of Education and Early Childhood Development], Victoria. Making the most of flexible learning spaces. Retrieved on October 22nd from
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/directions/buildingrevolution/forschools/usingspaces.htm
DEECD, [Department of Education and Early Childhood Development], Victoria. Research into the connection between built learning spaces and student outcomes. Retrieved on October 22, 2011 from: http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/publ/research/publ/blackmore_learning_spaces.pdf
DEEWR [Department Education, Employment and Workforce Relations], Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved on October 22nd from: http://www.economicstimulusplan.gov.au/education/pages/default.aspx
DET [Department of Education], Western Australia. Classrooms First. Retrieved on October 22, 2011 from: http://det.wa.edu.au/classroomfirst/detcms/portal/
The research was organised into the following themes:
A. Linking learning spaces with learning outcomes
B. The role of learning styles in designing instruction
C. Learning Style Models.
A: The work of Kenn Fisher indicated that when we incorporated learning spaces into lesson design, student learning outcomes could be improved. This was supported by the New York school system when they reformed education with their response to the 'No child left behind' ideals. They also found that designing classroom space with purpose was conducive to student learning styles and improved student learning.
Fisher, K. (2007). PEDAGOGY AND ARCHITECTURE. Architecture Australia, 96(5), 55-57. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Fisher, Kenn. (2007) Space and Place: Learning Environments for the Ne(x)t Generation. Teacher: The National Education Magazine, Volume 4-6, 8. Retrieved on October 21st, 2011 from: <http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.lib.monash.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=771013124440562;res=IELHSS> ISSN: 1449-9274.
B. There was varied opinion in the role of learning styles when lesson planning. The main summary from the literature was to be aware that it was not just catering for learning styles that improved student learning outcomes. Quality teacher practice was at the forefront. Strategically planning, goal setting, quality feedback could only happen if you knew your students, including their learning styles. It was also noted that the thousands of articles on learning styles indicated it was still a topic of interest and could be useful when planning instruction.
C. Three learning styles models were investigated.
The Dunn and Dunn learning styles inventory instrument [LSI] has subscales that are intended to measure categories such as environmental effects (sound, light, temperature), emotional characteristics, psychological characteristics, and sociological characteristics, such as preference for working with peers or alone.
Fleming (2001) developed the VARK learning styles inventory, which aims to measure instructional preferences independent of personality characteristics, information processing strategies, and social interaction strategies in the classroom. This learning styles model measures four different perceptual preferences for the input of information, which are visual (V), aural (A), read/write (R), and kinesthetic (K).
The Index of Learning Styles [ILS] was developed by Felder-Silverman, (Felder and Spurlin, 1995) and classifies students as having preferences in one of four dimensions: sensing; visual; active; and sequential. It is a 44 questionnaire, now undertaken online, which creates a learning profile for each individual.
Each of these learning styles under investigation met tests of validity.
GAPS in the research: Little research on learning styles has been undertaken in Primary School settings. Predominantly, research study participants were university students or older than middle years students. Research on physical felxible learning spaces seems quite recent and mainly focuses on secondary settings or universities or libraries. Very little research exists that links the use of learning spaces to cater for different learning styles. The term learning styles can be interspersed with learning modalities, learning diversities and/or learning characteristics.
Discussion:
21st Century Pedagogy is about meeting the needs of the current and future generations of students to support their development as independent life long learners. Teachers are coaches, facilitators and need to understand the important characteristics of these net generation/millennium/digital native learners. (Brown, 2004; Murray, 2006; Oblinger, 2004). Developing learning and knowledge and stimulating inquiry suggests physical environments in which this happens should provide a positive contribution. The nature of learning is changing. It’s increasingly becoming more to do with student-centred learning. “Traditional school building designs are best suited to students as passive receivers of knowledge. New building designs are being developed that reflect the emerging paradigm shift” (Tidswell, 2004, p.6). In 21st century schooling, our learning environments need to match 21st century teaching and learning. Tidswell (2004) builds on this literature review by proposing the following environmental characteristics: VARIETY – different types and sizes of spaces for different group processes and project based learning. FLEXIBILITY – spaces that have a variety of functions. ICT – easy access to multiple sources of ICT. INFORMAL LEARNING – opportunity for spaces to provide movement for the purpose of developing positive social skills, individual/group study and recreation time. FURNITURE – different configurations, flexibility, easily moved, comfortable and use friendly. A paradigm shift is occurring in 21st century pedagogy from the teacher owning spaces and controlling student learning outcomes to flexible learning spaces and working with teams and looking at needs of students and how they work together for maximum learning achievements. Fullan (2010) proposes that you can’t mandate change. This means creating a shared vision and working and learning collectively and constructively to enable change to occur. Flexible learning spaces need to be able to motivate learners. Teachers need to provide personalised and inclusive environments and be flexible in the face of changing needs. Understanding the learning styles, learning diversities and learning characteristics of this and the next generation of learners is part of designing effective instruction. After undertaking the literature review, there was a concern that the use of the term learning styles in the question ‘How can teachers use flexible learning spaces to cater for different learning styles?’ may not reflect 21st century learning principles. Should it be replaced with learning modalities, learning characteristics, learning diversities? The decision to maintain the usage of the nomenclature of learning styles was further supported by Scott(2101), who found that the sheer volume of articles and studies on learning styles – and many of them positive – indicated that the use of the term learning styles “points towards it being a respectable and proven educational tool” (Scott, 2010, p.11). Cautions for further research would be [i]whether accommodating learning styles is more effective for underachieving students, [ii]to be aware of the danger of labelling and stereotyping students and [iii] to take into account other factors such as quality teaching, including feedback, when designing instruction.
Finally, there would appear to be a real need to consider how we can use flexible learning spaces to cater for different learning styles.
Research has been undertaken on the topic:
"How can teachers use flexible learning spaces to cater for different learning styles?"
Motivating this Action Research was the movement across Australia of many classes into new buildings funded by an Australian Federal Government Initiative called the Building the Educational Revolution [BER] (DEEWR, 2011). Expectations from State Education Departments provided guidelines for 21st Century teaching and learning pedagogies to be implemented in conjunction with the new learning spaces.
References:
DECS [Department of Education and Child Services], South Australia, Learning to Learn. Retrieved on October 22,2011, from: http://www.learningtolearn.sa.edu.au/
DEECD, [Department of Education and Early Childhood Development], Victoria. Building the Education Revolution: 21st Century Schooling. Retrieved on October 22nd from http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/directions/buildingrevolution/aboutber/learningspaces/default.htm
DEECD, [Department of Education and Early Childhood Development], Victoria. Making the most of flexible learning spaces. Retrieved on October 22nd from
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/directions/buildingrevolution/forschools/usingspaces.htm
DEECD, [Department of Education and Early Childhood Development], Victoria. Research into the connection between built learning spaces and student outcomes. Retrieved on October 22, 2011 from: http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/publ/research/publ/blackmore_learning_spaces.pdf
DEEWR [Department Education, Employment and Workforce Relations], Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved on October 22nd from: http://www.economicstimulusplan.gov.au/education/pages/default.aspx
DET [Department of Education], Western Australia. Classrooms First. Retrieved on October 22, 2011 from: http://det.wa.edu.au/classroomfirst/detcms/portal/
The research was organised into the following themes:
A. Linking learning spaces with learning outcomes
B. The role of learning styles in designing instruction
C. Learning Style Models.
A: The work of Kenn Fisher indicated that when we incorporated learning spaces into lesson design, student learning outcomes could be improved. This was supported by the New York school system when they reformed education with their response to the 'No child left behind' ideals. They also found that designing classroom space with purpose was conducive to student learning styles and improved student learning.
Fisher, K. (2007). PEDAGOGY AND ARCHITECTURE. Architecture Australia, 96(5), 55-57. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Fisher, Kenn. (2007) Space and Place: Learning Environments for the Ne(x)t Generation. Teacher: The National Education Magazine, Volume 4-6, 8. Retrieved on October 21st, 2011 from: <http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.lib.monash.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=771013124440562;res=IELHSS> ISSN: 1449-9274.
B. There was varied opinion in the role of learning styles when lesson planning. The main summary from the literature was to be aware that it was not just catering for learning styles that improved student learning outcomes. Quality teacher practice was at the forefront. Strategically planning, goal setting, quality feedback could only happen if you knew your students, including their learning styles. It was also noted that the thousands of articles on learning styles indicated it was still a topic of interest and could be useful when planning instruction.
C. Three learning styles models were investigated.
The Dunn and Dunn learning styles inventory instrument [LSI] has subscales that are intended to measure categories such as environmental effects (sound, light, temperature), emotional characteristics, psychological characteristics, and sociological characteristics, such as preference for working with peers or alone.
Fleming (2001) developed the VARK learning styles inventory, which aims to measure instructional preferences independent of personality characteristics, information processing strategies, and social interaction strategies in the classroom. This learning styles model measures four different perceptual preferences for the input of information, which are visual (V), aural (A), read/write (R), and kinesthetic (K).
The Index of Learning Styles [ILS] was developed by Felder-Silverman, (Felder and Spurlin, 1995) and classifies students as having preferences in one of four dimensions: sensing; visual; active; and sequential. It is a 44 questionnaire, now undertaken online, which creates a learning profile for each individual.
Each of these learning styles under investigation met tests of validity.
GAPS in the research: Little research on learning styles has been undertaken in Primary School settings. Predominantly, research study participants were university students or older than middle years students. Research on physical felxible learning spaces seems quite recent and mainly focuses on secondary settings or universities or libraries. Very little research exists that links the use of learning spaces to cater for different learning styles. The term learning styles can be interspersed with learning modalities, learning diversities and/or learning characteristics.
Discussion:
21st Century Pedagogy is about meeting the needs of the current and future generations of students to support their development as independent life long learners. Teachers are coaches, facilitators and need to understand the important characteristics of these net generation/millennium/digital native learners. (Brown, 2004; Murray, 2006; Oblinger, 2004). Developing learning and knowledge and stimulating inquiry suggests physical environments in which this happens should provide a positive contribution. The nature of learning is changing. It’s increasingly becoming more to do with student-centred learning. “Traditional school building designs are best suited to students as passive receivers of knowledge. New building designs are being developed that reflect the emerging paradigm shift” (Tidswell, 2004, p.6). In 21st century schooling, our learning environments need to match 21st century teaching and learning. Tidswell (2004) builds on this literature review by proposing the following environmental characteristics: VARIETY – different types and sizes of spaces for different group processes and project based learning. FLEXIBILITY – spaces that have a variety of functions. ICT – easy access to multiple sources of ICT. INFORMAL LEARNING – opportunity for spaces to provide movement for the purpose of developing positive social skills, individual/group study and recreation time. FURNITURE – different configurations, flexibility, easily moved, comfortable and use friendly. A paradigm shift is occurring in 21st century pedagogy from the teacher owning spaces and controlling student learning outcomes to flexible learning spaces and working with teams and looking at needs of students and how they work together for maximum learning achievements. Fullan (2010) proposes that you can’t mandate change. This means creating a shared vision and working and learning collectively and constructively to enable change to occur. Flexible learning spaces need to be able to motivate learners. Teachers need to provide personalised and inclusive environments and be flexible in the face of changing needs. Understanding the learning styles, learning diversities and learning characteristics of this and the next generation of learners is part of designing effective instruction. After undertaking the literature review, there was a concern that the use of the term learning styles in the question ‘How can teachers use flexible learning spaces to cater for different learning styles?’ may not reflect 21st century learning principles. Should it be replaced with learning modalities, learning characteristics, learning diversities? The decision to maintain the usage of the nomenclature of learning styles was further supported by Scott(2101), who found that the sheer volume of articles and studies on learning styles – and many of them positive – indicated that the use of the term learning styles “points towards it being a respectable and proven educational tool” (Scott, 2010, p.11). Cautions for further research would be [i]whether accommodating learning styles is more effective for underachieving students, [ii]to be aware of the danger of labelling and stereotyping students and [iii] to take into account other factors such as quality teaching, including feedback, when designing instruction.
Finally, there would appear to be a real need to consider how we can use flexible learning spaces to cater for different learning styles.
