The Importance of Physical Space in Creating Supportive Learning Environments: New Directions for Teaching and Learning, Number 92

by Nancy Van Note Chism

Faculty and students alike have become so accustomed to meeting in spaces that are sterile in appearance, unable to accommodate different instructional approaches, and uncomfortable in supporting adult bodies that most have taken these conditions as a fact of college life. The lack of extensive dialogue on the importance of learning spaces in higher education environments prompted the essays in this volume. The chapter authors look at the topic of learning spaces from a variety of perspectives, elaborating on the relationship between physical space and learning, arguing for an expanded notion of the concept of learning spaces and furnishings, talking about the context within which decision making for learning spaces takes place, and discussing promising approaches to the renovation of old learning spaces and the construction of new ones.This volume is also augmented with a Web site ( //spacesforlearning.udayton.edu) that contains diagrams, virtual tours, additional documents pertaining to learning space design, and links to other relevant sites.This is the 92nd issue 89th issue of the quarterly Jossey-Bass publication "New Directions for Teaching and Learning."

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 10, 2003

About the author

Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean of the faculties at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Professor of Higher Education at Indiana University.

She is a past president of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education and was previously the Director of Faculty and Teaching Assistant Development at The Ohio State University.

She has written about learning spaces in The Importance of Physical Space in Creating Supportive Learning Environments and coedited the volume with Deborah J. Bickford for Jossey-Bass (2003).