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Episode 121 | Active Learning…Space: The Final Frontier

by | Sep 4, 2022 | Episodes

Episode #121. Saturday September 17, 2022, 5:30 pm Eastern

Abstract

Gigantic rocket ships and innovative telescopes are lifting out to space to explore the great unknown. The consensus view since the first airing of Star Trek in September 1966 was that outer space presented humankind with the final frontier. The recent photographs from the James Webb Space Telescope, launched in December 2021 and whose initial images were made public in July 2022, has shown that there much than meets the eye when it comes to explorations in space. And the upcoming launching of Artemis I gives people hope that humankind will someday be able to visit many interesting and exciting spaces beyond the confines of Earth.

In this session of Silver Lining for Learning (SLL), however, we will remain back on planet Earth where innovative learning spaces are being created, augmented, evaluated, and reimagined in higher education to better understand human learning as bounded by the confines of our gravitational structure. The only stars being discovered are those who push the boundaries of learner empowerment and engagement in both formal and informal learning settings. For more than a decade, Indiana University (IU), has been forefront of the learning space field with dozens of experimentations with different formal and informal learning space arrangements for interactive, hands-on, digitally-rich, and highly engaging active learning as part of the Mosaic initiative that began under the leadership of Stacy Morrone and is now led by Tracey Birdwell who is part of the IU Learning Spaces team. Countless innovative pedagogies for flexible learning environments have been experimented with and researched in collaboration cafés, collaborative theaters, idea gardens, informal learning spaces, innovative halls, outdoor learning classrooms, biophilic classrooms, and alternative classrooms at the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses of Indiana University and across all nine IU campuses. IU faculty and staff have held unique brainstorming sessions, captivating immersive experiences, highly interactive speed dating with technology events, and so on with the goal of enhancing teaching and learning with technology. Attend this session and fill some of the spaces in your brain with creative ideas about active learning spaces for more meaningful, flexible, responsive, interactive, active, and engaging learning.

More about our guests at below the video

Session Guests:

Anastasia (Stacy) Morrone is Dean and Professor in the Indiana University School of Education at Bloomington. She received her Ph.D. degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and her Bachelor of Science degree in Technical Communication from the University of Minnesota. She previously served as Associate Vice President for Learning Technologies and Deputy Chief Information Officer (CIO) in the Office of the Vice President for IT at Indiana University. Her research interests focus on technology-rich, active learning environments that promote student motivation and learning. Connect with her on LinkedIn or on email at amorrone@iu.edu.

Tracey Birdwell, Ph.D., serves as the Program director of the Mosaic Initiative. She leads a university-wide initiative to support active learning in all IU classrooms. Dr. Birdwell writes and speaks regularly on the different ways that active learning classrooms have transformed teaching and learning at Indiana University. She has published her work in EDUCAUSE Quarterly, EDUCAUSE Review, Innovative Higher Education, The Journal of Learning Spaces, Campus Technology, the Journal on Centers for Teaching and Learning, and The Conversation. Tracey earned her Ph.D. in American History from the University of Delaware. Connect with her on LinkedIn or on email at tracbird@iu.edu.

Mark Russell Manager, Learning Spaces and Technology Services at Indiana University. His team is ultimately responsible for the design of Learning Spaces for the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses, specifically, active learning classrooms, informal learning spaces, and student technology center spaces. Mark enjoys sharing his passion for technology and has presented at Educause, InfoComm, Avixa’s Executive Conference, Campus Technologies, and CCUMC. Connect with him on LinkedIn or on email at marrusse@iu.edu.

Article References and Resources

  1. Birdwell, T., & Harris, T. (2022). Active Learning Classroom Observation Tool: Improving Classroom Teaching and Supporting Institutional Change. Journal of Learning Spaces, 11(1). Retrieved from http://libjournal.uncg.edu/jls/article/view/2145
  2. Birdwell, T., & Harris, T. Changing the Landscape: should Higher Ed Build Classrooms Outdoors? (2021). Retrieved from https://campustechnology.com/articles/2021/10/06/changing-the-landscape-should-higher-ed-build-classrooms-outdoors.aspx
  3. Copridge, K., Uttamchandani, S., & Birdwell, T. (2021) Faculty reflections of pedagogical transformation in active learning classrooms. Innovative Higher Education. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007/s10755-021-09544-y?sharing_token=9yyodwc1itcamKfy0Sgj6Pe4RwlQNchNByi7wbcMAY7xfD3gBAyak4a1m8dv-nmP8joPIZzdmAAhWA18H2jRhWNzMzan5OQc49fU1JN1yheGzSycF5g7Nc7OmcrVN5YNUqFER_F1fKhGaHSu96cr4rQYtOV5B06Nw6zpCYFjccA%3D
  4. Birdwell, T., & Harris, T. (2020) Outdoor Classes Hold Promise for In-Person Learning Amid COVID-19. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/outdoor-classes-hold-promise-for-in-person-learning-amid-covid-19-144536
  5. Birdwell, T. (2019) Senior Mosaic Fellows and an Evolving Approach to Faculty Development Educause. Educause Review. Retrieved from https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2019/7/senior-mosaic-fellows-and-an-evolving-approach-to-faculty-development
  6. Birdwell, T. & Uttamchandani, S. (2019). Learning to teach in space: Design principles for faculty development in active learning classrooms. Journal of Learning Spaces, 8(1), 19-27. Retrieved from http://libjournal.uncg.edu/jls/article/view/1768/1340
  7. Morrone, A. S. (Ed.). (2019). Introduction to special issue on physical spaces. Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology (JoTLT), 8(1). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/jotlt/issue/view/1899/Journal%20of%20Teaching%20and%20Learning%20with%20Technology%20%282019%29
  8. Basdogan, M. & Morrone, A. S. (2021). Coffeehouse as classroom: Examining a flexible and active learning space from the Pedagogy-Space-Technology-User perspective. Journal of Learning Spaces, 10 (2). http://libjournal.uncg.edu/jls/article/view/2119
  9. Zhu, M., & Basdogan, M. (2021). Examining social learning in an active learning classroom through the Pedagogy-Space-Technology framework. Journal of Learning Spaces. http://libjournal.uncg.edu/jls/article/viewFile/2025/1523
  10. Morrone, A. S., & Roman, T. (2019).  Creating a research-based ALC master plan. EDUCAUSE Review (Data Bytes). Retrieved from https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2019/5/creating-a-research-based-alc-master-plan
  11. Morrone, A. S., Flaming, A., Birdwell, T., Russell, J., Roman, T., & Jesse, M. (2017). Creating active learning classrooms is not enough: Lessons from two case studies. EDUCAUSE Review. Retrieved from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/12/creating-active-learning-classrooms-is-not-enough-lessons-from-two-case-studies
  12. Basdogan, M. (2021, March 30). Idea Garden: An immersive informal learning space for STEM education. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2021/3/idea-garden-an-immersive-informal-learning-space-for-stem-education#fnr5
  13. Basdogan, M. (2021, January 27). Indiana University’s collaborative theatre: Perspectives on innovation in classroom design. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2021/1/indiana-universitys-collaborative-theatre-perspectives-on-innovation-in-classroom-design
  14. Basdogan, M. (2021, July 01). Biophilic classroom design: A synthesis of the literature. Mosaic Initiative. https://blogs.iu.edu/mosaiciu/2021/06/
  15. Basdogan, M. (2021, January 01). Collaboration Café research: How faculty teach in an active learning classroom. Mosaic Initiative. https://blogs.iu.edu/mosaiciu/2021/01/01/collaboration-cafe-research-project-faculty-use-of-classroom-space/
  16. Lee, D., Arthur, I. T., & Morrone, A. S. (2015).  Using video surveillance footage to support validity of self-reported classroom data. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 40(2), 154-180. https://doi.org/10.1080/1743727X.2015.1075496
  17. Lee, D., Morrone, A. S., & Siering, G. (2017). From swimming pool to collaborative learning studio: Pedagogy, space, and technology in a large active learning classroom. Educational Technology Research and Development, 66, 95-127. DOI: 1007/s11423-017-9550-1

Web Resources

The Mosaic Initiative supports active and collaborative learning through instructional support, research, collaborations, and classroom design.

  1. Mosaic: https://mosaic.iu.edu/
  2. Mosaic Blog: https://blogs.iu.edu/mosaiciu/
  3. Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning: https://citl.indiana.edu/teaching-resources/teaching-strategies/active-learning-classrooms/index.html
  4. The Mosaic Active Learning Initiative: https://learningspaces.iu.edu/design/mosaic-initiative.html
  5. IUPUI Innovation Hall Tour:

https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/CCUMC+IUPUI+Innovation+Hall+Tour+FINAL+11022020+1046/1_1tn1d29t