The goal of this study was to contribute to research on active learning by addressing the problem of disentangling the effects of classroom architecture, student characteristics, and pedagogical design as they relate to student achievement. The study utilized a quasiexperimental design where data was collected on student perceptions of their…

Non-traditional learning spaces have been a trending topic and investment opportunity during the last decade. Ostensibly their novel material settings promote active and flexible learning. This article traces the furniture layouts utilized in curricular teaching during three semesters across the first five years of use of an 80-seat…

Faculty and student perception of engagement in two (mobile desks or mobile tables and chairs) low-tech active learning classroom (ALC) designs were compared. Student (n = 413) perceptions of engagement were measured with the Engaged Learning Index (ELI) and the Social Context and Learning Environments (SCALE) instruments at the beginning and end…

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an active learning space (ALS) in supporting student development of effective communication as a transferable skill. A fourth-year medical science course was taught in two different settings, an ALS and a fixed-row classroom, by the same instructor. Participants preferred the ALS for…

We explored how furnishings and technology impact pedagogical agility and student engagement across three flexible learning spaces. We collected various kinds of data from faculty and students teaching and learning in multiple classrooms, such as focus group interviews with students, faculty responses to reflection prompts, and pre- and…

An "active learning" classroom design recognizes the importance of students becoming engaged in their own learning. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study compared student-reported data (n = 219) and used the "community of inquiry" framework to evaluate the impact of environmental features on students' experience. Students…

Three student engagement measures were collected for a class taught by an experienced instructor in two active learning classrooms with dissimilar seating arrangements. Student perception of engagement was similar between the learning spaces. However, instructor perception and researcher observation indicated greater engagement in the classroom…

In higher education, libraries are facing drastic spatial changes, transforming areas traditionally used for housing books to spaces for interaction and shifting from individual to team-based learning. This study (a) identifies space uses; (b) examines the environmental satisfaction, support for productivity, and perceived productivity depending…

The concept of 'flexible seating' has emerged as a possibility to meeting the goals of an active learning classroom. Recent scholarship has suggested that numerous student learning predictors are enhanced when interacting with flexible seating. This study aims to fill a gap in the literature by investigating the effects of flexible seating from a…

This paper presents an alternative method for learning space design that is driven by user input. An exploratory study was undertaken at an English university with the aim of redesigning technology-enhanced learning spaces. Two provocative concepts were presented through participatory design workshops during which students and teachers reflected…

Active learning has been a growing trend in education for decades based on its impact on student learning and success. As such, schools, colleges, and universities have invested resources into expanding this teaching approach, including active learning classrooms. But why have some schools been successful at rapidly growing their active learning…

What happens when campus units come together to create both a shared physical space and a shared mission space? This case study highlights a unique cross-campus partnership between the UCLA Science Libraries and two academic support programs to create a STEM Collaborative Learning Center. This space serves to help decrease achievement gaps in STEM…

This paper focuses on a UK higher education institution (HEI) which redesigned three lecture theatres as 'Collaborative Lecture Theatres' (CLTs). Using Radcliffe's framework for designing and evaluating learning spaces and using his three related components; pedagogy, space and technology it will explore how the redesigned rooms (space) and the…

During this research, the author attempted to locate institutions and background information about spaces that would be similar in scope to a digital scholarship lab (or scholar's lab being proposed in a university library. The information is meant to serve as a guide for the space design project, but it will be an important benchmarking tool for…

Funded by the Association of College & Research Libraries through a 2018 Academic Library Impact Research Grant, the Activating Library Classrooms: Evaluating Formal Learning Spaces for Active Learning and Student Engagement project endeavored to evaluate the design and use of formal learning spaces situated within Penn State University…