Evaluating the Change in Space in a Technology-Enabled Primary Years Setting

There has been considerable attention in the literature postulating the potential effects of contemporary, technology-enabled new generation learning spaces (NGLS) on both teaching and learning (Brooks, 2011, 2012). This has, in part, been driven by the pervasive and transformative potentiall of ubiquitous access to and use of digital technology in the classroom (Chan et al., 2006). Increased access to mobile technology in recent years has freed students from the restrictive nature of shared access in tradiitional computer laboratories (Blackmore, Bateman, O'Mara, & Loughlin, 2011). Students now have personal 'anywhere, anytime' access to a boundless library of highly indexed information (Beichner, 2014), which in turn challenges the highly sequential style of instruction that has allowed teachers to preserve their historically authoritative role. Personal access to technology can support more adaptive and connected learning experiences. These experiences are created by connecting teachers and students within multimodalities of teaching and },earning that may have not been possible before (Bocconi, Karnpylis, & Punie, 2012; Hall-van den Elsen & Palaskas, 2014; Swan, van'T Hooft, Kratcoski, & Schenk,er, 2007). Multimodalities afford teachers the ability to orchestrate adaptive learning opportunities using a range of physical, text and visual tools, whilst connecting students with each other. A key element is the connectivity between teachers-students and students-students is established through the creaition of technology-enabled NGLS. The technology-enabled spaces have ubiquitous access to digital technology through one-to-one digital devices connected through wireless infrastructure. The affordances of a NGLS environment has the potential to revolutionize how, where and with whom students learn (Mouza & Lavigne, 2013; Thomas & Brown, 2011). It has the potential to sup,port contemporary pedagogical practices that facilitate highly personalised models of student learning (Bocconi et al., 2012; Magee, 2009; Zandvliet & Fraser, 2004). This personalised model includes learning outside the primacy of the traditional classroom forum (Mouza & Lavigne, 2013). Together these elements intertwine to create a model of teaching and learning that can be radically different to prevailing school cultures (Mouza & Lavigne, 2013)

Addressing the Spatial to Catalyse Socio-Pedagogic Reform in Middle Years Education

This paper describes an interdisciplinary PhD study that explored the relationships between physical learning environments, constructivist pedagogies and student engagement. The study was undertaken as part of an Australian Research Council Linkage project entitled Smart Green Schools and was conducted in Melbourne, Australia. In the pursuit of new knowledge about how architecturally designed spaces could better support learner-centered education models, the study investigated spatial and pedagogical change in the middle years of schooling (Years 5–9). It revealed that carefully considered and innovatively designed learning spaces could catalyse the adoption of constructivist pedagogies and encourage higher levels of student engagement. In keeping with these findings, the paper introduces two new constructs that were found at the intersection of space and learning: ‘reflexive learning environments’ and ‘student geographical engagement’