The growth in active learning classrooms represents a major shift in the pedagogy and built environment of higher education. While a robust literature exists to discuss the development, use, and evaluation of these innovative learning spaces, the practical considerations of managing innovative learning spaces has not received the same level of…

The percentage of undergraduate students in the U.S. who report a visual disability is over 3.5%, and worldwide over a billion people claim a significant visual impairment. As more higher learning institutions build Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs), it's critical to understand how these students experience such a different style of learning…

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…

This study analyzes instructor attitudes toward 26 collaborative spaces at a large, R1 university in the United States. The authors conducted 151 interviews with instructors, identifying elements of classroom spaces that helped or hindered teaching and student learning. Approximately 44% of the instructors (n=67) had participated in a professional…

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…

To what extent do active learning spaces foster students' development of collaboration skills, a set of highly sought-after competencies in today's workforce? This case study highlights the novel use of a survey specifically designed for recent alumni to attempt to identify and quantify important attributes of these learning environments…

In this position paper we present a theoretical model on how to support teachers to develop a "didactic spatial competence" (DiSCo). We define DiSCo as: Based on proven experience and science to have the ability to plan and design teaching and learning in a variety of learning spaces; to implement teaching and learning, act and react in…

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…

This qualitative study uses an emergent design to explore the experiences of faculty teaching in a newly renovated, large-capacity Active Learning Classroom (ALC). The present study takes first- and second-order barriers (Ertmer, 1999) into consideration for a specific type of technology-integrated classroom, the ALC, and looks at faculty barriers…

This study examined instructional shifts associated with teaching in environments optimized for active learning, including how faculty made decisions about teaching and their perceptions of how students responded to those changes. The interviews and subsequent analysis reveal a broad range of course changes, from small modifications of existing…

This study collects perceptions from educators about how pedagogical practices could be transformed for a learner-centered concentration in active learning spaces to support student engagement. Seven participants provide data through a focus group, interviews, and observations. Four main themes are identified: (1) Collaboration and Engagement, (2)…

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…

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…

Despite trending investment in active learning infrastructure to support student learning, inclusion, and career preparedness, few universities have achieved the orchestration of campus stakeholders and pedagogical reform "at scale." This article presents a process-oriented model for developing faculty and students for success in these…

The number of undergraduate students who report having at least one disability has been on the rise since the 1970s. With the advent of Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs), understanding how these students experience ALCs is critical to creating a fair and equitable experience for all students. This report examines one subset of this population:…