Sunday, May 6, 2012

Learning Spaces....

I am passionate about 'learners loving to learn' in spaces of their choosing.  I really have to reflect on my own learning experiences recently.  
Yesterday we celebrated #educampdunners in the AMAZING learning space, Te Manawanui, at St Clair School. We had the freedom to move around, to sit in groups, to collaborate, to present, listen, share, learn and grow...




Each space was unique and was chosen to meet our learning needs... How important it is for me to encourage my learners to identify and chose learning spaces to suit their mood, learning task and need.  

On the 16th and 17th of April I had the MAGIC  experience of Ignition2012 in the inspiring learning space of Albany Senior High on the North Shore, Auckland.  Again, we were able to choose our space to meet our needs.  




Ignition, like #educampdunners was an unconference.  

On Wednesday 18th April, Allanah, Barbs, Ingrid and I had a MAGICAL tour of Hingaia Peninsula with Jane Danielson...
I was speechless when I was there... well - as speechless as I can be - and I am gobsmacked when I look back at the photos now...  They say a picture is worth a thousand words... but even a picture doesn't share the MAGIC of the learning journey at Hingaia - if you get a chance to visit - grab it!










Compare this with how I spent the 19th and 20th of April at the NAPP Hui at Holiday Inn, Auckland Airport.  With more than 250 of us seated in groups of 8 around tables crammed into a room with no room to push out your seat.  The Hui was fantastic and the learning journey and networking was MAGICAL.  The learning experience however was incomparable.  I was 'trapped' at my seat.  I was unable to move, relax, or decide on a space or mood for my learning.  



I am not saying that this is wrong.  It is hard to imagine how this would have been possible with such a HUGE number of people.  However, I am saying that the more I learn, the more I reflect, the more I network and discuss, the more determined I am to assist, encourage, model, choice of learning space for my learners.  I am continuing to work with my learners as they reflect and identify their preferred 'space' for individual learning activities.  

What is your preferred learning space?  Does it depend on the learning?  The time of day? The challenge? Your mood?

2 comments:

  1. Kia ora Anne - I love open flexible spaces with lots of light and space but it does TOTALLY depend on the challenge and, to a lesser extent, my mood. I think my mood can be created in part by the space itself though! Talking with others to nut out a problem and work collaboratively is my prefered learning style and space that helps this to happen is fab. I am very lucky to work at ASHS! However, sometimes it is also helpful to my own learning to have quiet, no distractions and lots of comfort! Love the blog!

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    1. Hi there, thank you so much for your comment. I absolutely love your school. I would just love to be there in school time to see the learners in action and moving about in the spaces. I am working with my learners to design their own learning spaces. I'm funding it myself so there is an eclectic mix but we are LOVING it! We are reflecting on our preferred spaces and about to launch into another range of changes...
      Did I meet you at #ignition2012? My postcard to myself arrived yesterday and bought back the MAGIC of the experience. :)

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