FLEXIBLE STUDIOS

(NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DESIGN, BHOPAL)

MR. ADRISH NASKAR

Scholar No: 2011BARC062

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED AS A PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

SCHOOL OF PLANNING &ARCHITECTURE,

BHOPAL.

10TH SEMESTER

YEAR: 2016
 FLEXIBLE STUDIOS
MR. ADRISH NASKAR

ROLL : 2011BARC062

A dissertation submitted as a part of the requirements

For the degree of bachelor of architecture

Department of Architecture

School of Planning &Architecture,

Bhopal.

Seminar-coordinator Mentors/ Guide

Asst. Prof. PARAMA MITRA Dr. DEVARSHI
CHOURASIA

Asst. Prof. SANDEEP ARORA

ABSTRACT
“Learning is not a spectator sport…[Students] must talk about what they are learning, write
about it, relate it to past experiences, apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they
learn part of themselves.”

Chickering and Gamson

Arthur W. Chickering is an educational researcher in the field of student affairs

William Anthony Gamson is a professor of Sociology

Learning is changing in the 21st century. Technologies used in learning, such as interactive
whiteboards, personal learning environments, wireless networks and mobile devices, plus the
internet and high-quality digital learning resources – and the ability to access many of these
from home and the workplace – are altering the experiences and aspirations of learners.

A learning space should be able to motivate learners and promote learning as an activity,
support collaborative as well as formal practice, provide a personalised and inclusive
environment, and be flexible in the face of changing needs.

Understanding what makes an effective design is important. The best are likely to assist all
within the institution to work more productively and to produce learners who are confident,
adaptable, independent and inspired to learn. In short the design of our learning spaces should
become a physical representation of the institution's vision and strategy for learning –
responsive, inclusive, and supportive of attainment by all.

Key words – Flexibility, Transformation, Technology, Collaborative Learning, Learning

Experience,
 CONTENTS

CHAPTER TITLE PAGE

ABSTRACT i
CONTENTS ii
LIST OF FIGURES iii

1 INTRODUCTION 01
1.1. Problem Statement 01
1.2. Literature Review 01
1.3. Aim 02
1.4. Objective 02
2 METHODOLOGY 03
3 DETAIL REVIEW OF LITERATURE 03
3.1. The Learning Pyramid 03
3.2. Designing 21st Century Learning 04
3.3. For A World In Constant Motion, The Solution Is Flexibility 06
3.4. Transforming Learning Experiences 08
3.5. Learning Studio Design Elements and Considerations 09
3.6. Teaching Spaces 10
3.7. One Space - Many Transformations 13
3.8. Literature Case Study 14
3.9. Live Case Study 20

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 21

5 CONCLUSION 23
 5.1 Overview 23
5.2 Application in Thesis 24
REFERENCES 25

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 : A study by the National Training Laboratories found that the more active the
teaching and learning methods, the higher the retention rates.—Adapted from The Learning
Triangle: National Training Laboratories – USA......................................................................3
Figure 2 : Bloom’s Taxonomy...................................................................................................3
Figure 3 : Student Work Stations...............................................................................................7
Figure 4 : large Group Discussions & Presentations.................................................................7
Figure 5 : Traditional lectures....................................................................................................8
Figure 6 : Seminar Discussions..................................................................................................8
Figure 7 : Table showing Learning Studio Design Elements....................................................9
Figure 8 : teaching Spaces........................................................................................................10
Figure 9 : This floor plan gives prototype designs for two teaching spaces. It does not
represent designs in any particular institution..........................................................................11
Figure 10 : Image showing the inflatable ‘IGLOO..................................................................12
Figure 11 : Image showing various kinds of furnitures...........................................................13
Figure 12 : One Space - Many Transformations......................................................................13
Figure 13 : One of the criteria for the maker space was counterheight work surfaces—the
ideal height for working on 3-D projects.................................................................................14
Figure 14 : The space supports two- and three-dimensional work, and helps students move
easily between each..................................................................................................................15
Figure 15 : “Maker spaces are much more about recombining the traditional handmade
processes with processes that involve technology,” says professor of design Oswald Trujillo.
..................................................................................................................................................15
Figure 16 : Every element of the space is designed to encourage students to share ideas.......16
Figure 17 : Arrangement for small group-work.......................................................................17
Figure 18 : Arrangement for each group to present their work................................................18
Figure 19 : Arrangement for whole class discussion...............................................................18
Figure 20 : Arrangement for lecture.........................................................................................19
Figure 21 : Images of the Institute...........................................................................................20
Figure 22 : Table showing the criterias fulfilled in the institute to design an effective flexible
studio system............................................................................................................................21
Figure 23 : Learning Studio Results Matrix.............................................................................21
Figure 24 : Flexible Studio Arrangement in my Thesis Projec................................................24
Figure 25 : Ground Floor Plan the academic building which mainly comprises of flexible
studios......................................................................................................................................25
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1. Problem Statement

As the face and world of education changes, the classroom setting is becoming even more
complex. Each person in the classroom has individual needs that must be fulfilled in order to
have a productive learning environment. But how can one classroom accommodate the needs
of several different people simultaneously?

The answer lies in creating adaptable learning environments. More and more institutions are
recognizing that research shows the classroom environment is just as crucial to a student’s
ability to learn, institution loyalty and academic satisfaction as the method of teaching that
occurs in the classroom. Indeed, it turns out that space design, and even furniture, has just as
much of an impact on student experience as classroom technologies and pedagogies.

In seeking to actively consider the evolving learning styles of today’s students, and anticipate
those of tomorrow’s learners as well, thought must be given to the emerging pedagogies,
student preferences and physical characteristics driving the design of effective learning
spaces today.

1.2. Literature Review

The Flexible Studio Concept

New types of spaces are emerging on campuses to engage students in their class-time
activities; yet the most fundamental element of engaged learning, the classroom experience,
remains largely unchanged. Exceptions to this exist in schools beginning to embrace an
alternative concept, called the Flexible Studio.
The name is a metaphor for the artist’s studio, which changes based on the artist’s medium
and the project for the day. In the same way, a Learning Studio adjusts to the learning
activity. This new approach involves changing both the physical space and the teaching and
learning processes.
To create a different learning experience, the Flexible Studio’s physical space is distinctive in
the following ways:
 Comfort, achieved largely through a combination of different kinds of seating that
gives individuals choices
 Social and collaborative settings, which assumes the movement of people and
furniture to allow for variety
 Cues that changes in the space are encouraged and expected
 Changing focal points, typically enabled by multiple display surfaces and mobility of
the instructor’s location or position in the space

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  Visual stimulation, such as color, texture, and reference to nature enhance cognitive
skills
 Technology on demand
 Lighting control

1.3. AIM
 To understand the positive outcomes of the users’ needs and preferences when it
comes to the use of flexible studios in an institute.

1.4. OBJECTIVE
 To understand the need of flexible studio system
 To understand the working process of a flexible studio system
 To determine what elements of design are critical in order to create a flexible studio
system

Chapter 2: METHODOLOGY

Chapter 3: DETAIL REVIEW OF LITERATURE DATA

3.1. The Learning Pyramid
An article on cooperative learning in higher education in Change magazine offers compelling
evidence on the benefits of collaborative learning and teaching methods. “College students
who would score at the fiftieth percentile when learning competitively will score in the sixty-

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ninth percentile when learning cooperatively; students who would score at the fifty-third
percentile when learning individualistically will score at the seventieth percentile when
learning cooperatively.” Measures used in the research included knowledge acquisition,
retention, accuracy, creativity in problem solving, and higher-level reasoning. These are
outcomes that signal successful learning and a high-quality college experience.

Figure 1 : A study by the National Training Laboratories found that the more active the teaching and learning methods,
the higher the retention rates.—Adapted from The Learning Triangle: National Training Laboratories – USA

Figure 2 : Bloom’s Taxonomy

Learning is changing in the 21st century. Technologies used in learning, such as interactive
whiteboards, personal learning environments, wireless networks and mobile devices, plus the
internet and high-quality digital learning resources – and the ability to access many of these
from home and the workplace – are altering the experiences and aspirations of learners.

3
Increasing investment in estate and learning technologies, combined with the need for more
cost-effective space utilisation, is making it increasingly important for senior managers and
decision-makers to keep abreast of new thinking about the design of technology-rich
learning spaces.
Understanding what makes an effective design is important. The best are likely to assist all
within the institution to work more productively and to produce learners who are confident,
adaptable, independent and inspired to learn. In short the design of our learning spaces should
become a physical representation of the institution's vision and strategy for learning –
responsive, inclusive, and supportive of attainment by all.

3.2. Designing 21st Century Learning

An educational building is an expensive long-term resource. The design of its
individual spaces needs to be:

 Flexible – to accommodate both current and evolving pedagogies

 Future-proofed – to enable space to be re-allocated and reconfigured
 Bold – to look beyond tried and tested technologies and pedagogies
 Creative – to energise and inspire learners and tutors
 Supportive – to develop the potential of all learners
 Enterprising – to make each space capable of supporting different purposes

A learning space should be able to motivate learners and promote learning as an activity,
support collaborative as well as formal practice, provide a personalised and inclusive
environment, and be flexible in the face of changing needs. The part technology plays in
achieving these aims is the focus of this guide.

Motivation
Well-designed learning spaces have a motivational effect. Learning areas infused with natural
light, for example, provide an environment that is easy and pleasurable to work in. Wireless
connectivity within a brightly lit atrium, learning café or open-plan social area will encourage
engagement in learning, and instil a desire to continue activities beyond timetabled classes.
Involving learners in aspects of the design is important. This signals that they can have a
measure of control over the learning environment and over their own learning. The Stevenage
Centre at North Hertfordshire College, for example, has introduced digital local radio
transmissions in learning zones within the internet café at the request of students accustomed
to working with background sound.

Collaboration
Learners have been shown to benefit academically from social interaction with their peers.
Open-plan informal learning areas provide individualised learning environments which also
support collaborative activities, and they can often be created from previously underutilised
spaces. An example is the internet café. In many institutions, entrance spaces now include
open-access IT areas with refreshments and informal seating. Utilisation data have proved the
worth of such areas – their value lies in the way they encourage learning through dialogue,
problem solving and information sharing in the most supportive of contexts.

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Personalisation and inclusion
Barriers surrounding the use of IT are being re-assessed and priority given to enabling, rather
than controlling, access to learning. Technology-enabled learning will not be achieved
without cost. However, institutions in all parts of the sector are exploring the use of
password-enabled wireless local area networks (WLANs), laptop loan schemes and 24/7
access to digital resources in technology-rich learning centres and through virtual learning
environments (VLEs).
Another significant trend is to adopt a more customer-focused and permissive approach,
backed up by learning space design that encourages self-regulation. Greater maturity among
IT users has been promoted by integrating IT into day-to-day activities, installing bookable
and open-access computers in previously underutilised locations along circulation routes and
in social areas, for example. Learning and information sharing then become seen as an
integral part of everyday life.
Flexible furniture and wider doorways meet the needs of a variety of learners, not only
wheelchair users. Audio-visual cues and changes in furniture layout can assist learners’
navigation around a building, and help them to adjust their behaviour according to the
purpose of the space. These represent shifts in attitude that welcome and support all types of
learners and promote different ways of learning.

Flexibility
Following two decades of rapid technological change and increasing student numbers,
flexibility in the design of learning spaces has become essential. Technologies that are as far
as possible mobile and wireless will support a wider variety of pedagogic approaches, and
make those spaces more easily re-purposed. But the ultimate in flexibility – large open-plan
centres in which both learning and teaching take place – still presents challenges in
management of sound, heat and student activity, and a mix of formal and informal learning
spaces is still more frequently chosen.

21st century learning space should:

• Support both teacher-led and learner-led activities, including discussion, collaborative
project work, and information retrieval and sharing;
• Create multiple focal points in the studio, not just a single focal point at the front of
the room;
• Group or cluster students, rather than seating them in rows;
• Establish informal group work spaces;
• Provide movable furniture that allows reconfigurable space;
• Integrate technology and learning;
• Provide a visually appealing space with an inviting palate of colours and clean,
modern design in the furnishings and walls.

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3.3. For A World In Constant Motion, The Solution Is Flexibility
It only takes a visit to a coffee shop, airport, hotel lobby, computer store, business center or
modern office to see the new ways we collaborate, communicate, work, and interact in a
dynamic and fluid world. The global marketplace is changing at record pace. International
economies are intertwined. Business is 24/7/365. And up-to-the-millisecond is the new
standard of immediacy. Embracing, anticipating and sharing what this means for schools and
students is our focus.
Students are on the move. Communicating, creating, sharing, playing, and learning at an
accelerated pace. At the same time, educational organizations are increasingly challenged to
connect with a wide spectrum of learners. Education practices are transforming to meet the
diverse needs of students. Schools are looking across the board at curriculum, daily
schedules, assessments, school size, technology, partnerships, and facilities to create
strategies that work in teaching ALL students.

The most effective environments for learning are organized to reflect operational practices of
schools. Resources are moving closer to students, teams of teachers are working
collaboratively to focus on smaller groups of students, and a variety of space types are
offering groups of students and teachers diverse places for diverse needs. Flexible, Adapt-
able, Ready to move, Ready for change.
Studies prove that well thought-out facilities contribute to teaching and learning performance.
Bricks and mortar elements of day lighting, indoor air quality, and temperature control, as
well as ergonomic features of chairs and desks have shown to improve academic performance
and time on task.

Five key concepts for higher performance in any learning environment

1. ANTICIPATE A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES

Dynamic learning environments facilitate the activities of engaged learners: working
alone, collaborating in small groups, and demonstrating knowledge within large groups.
At times students are engaged in active hands-on learning. Other times they are
attentive in academic work. And now digital tools allow learning connections in the
classroom and beyond. This range in activities and connectivity requires flexible
thinking – creating agile learning environments with the ability to change on the fly.

2. ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL

Students and teachers come in all shapes and sizes, and they teach and learn in different
ways and different styles. Some learn by seeing, some hearing, and some learn through
doing. Planning for diversity in styles and sizes creates variety in spaces and

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 furnishings: formal and informal places for collaborating, discussing, creating,
listening; variety in furniture that supports a variety of activities, and a range of seating
to support a range of students. Dynamic learning environments let students learn in
ways they learn best.

3. MAKE IT MOVE
Dynamic learning environments are on the move. Classrooms that transform from
individual work, to group work, to presentations and demonstrations. Tables that allow
sitting or standing. Chairs that allow movement. Mobile furniture supports fluid
learning environments, variety for changing needs, and quick transformations for
collaboration.

4. CONTROL CLUTTER
What you don’t see is as important as what you do see. Students engaged with projects
and portfolios need places to hold their work for extended periods of time. Effective
storage for teacher materials, instructional support, and student work creates more space
for learning.

5. CHANGE IS INEVITABLE – MAKE IT EASY

Flexible spaces are designed to change: year-by-year, day-by-day and minute-by-
minute. Maximize educational opportunities, and furniture investments through flexible
solutions. Furniture systems that anticipate change meet today’s needs and extend
possibilities for future generations.

Figure 3 : Student Work Stations

Figure 4 : large Group Discussions & Presentations

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 Figure 5 : Traditional lectures

Figure 6 : Seminar Discussions

3.4. Transforming Learning Experiences

Embedding technology into learning and teaching spaces is likely to be an evolutionary

process rather than a revolutionary one. Considering technological requirements at the early
stages of planning will ensure that maximum benefit can be obtained from the investment.
Start by establishing your pedagogic aims, then review the design and the technological
infrastructure in the whole institution, to ensure that your aims can be achieved.

MOBILE LEARNING
• Tablet PCs
• Laptops
• Mobile phones
• Digital cameras

CONNECTED LEARNING
• Wired computing
• Wireless networks
• Wireless-enabled laptops/tablet PCs
• Internet-enabled mobile phones
VISUAL AND INTERACTIVE LEARNING  
• Video conferencing

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 • Video streaming
• Image projection
• Interactive whiteboards
SUPPORTED LEARNING
• Assistive technologies
• Accessible USB ports
• Audio-visual prompts
• Video recording facilities

3.5. Learning Studio Design Elements and Considerations

Figure 7 : Table showing Learning Studio Design Elements

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3.6. Teaching Spaces

Figure 8 : teaching Spaces

General teaching spaces have been dominated in the last century by one type of design: tutor-
focused, one-way facing and presentational, with seating arranged in either a U shape or in
straight rows. Technologies have subsequently been added – interactive or conventional
whiteboards mounted on the wall behind the main speaker, ceiling-mounted projectors with
cabling to a laptop, a wireless network and/or wired computers – but these have rarely altered
the dynamics of the design.
Pedagogy first
The prevailing pedagogic approach has swung towards active and collaborative learning, but
room design and staff skills sets do not always reflect this. To resolve what is the best way
forward for the institution, effective dialogues are needed to establish what will be required
from the spaces, what changes in pedagogic approach are desirable, and why. Investment in
developing the skills of staff also needs to be matched by fostering their ownership of the
proposed changes. Visits by staff to other institutions have proved beneficial in supporting
change. The design of most general teaching spaces will usually need to support both tutor-
led and learner-led activities. These will include presentations, discussion, collaborative
project work, and information retrieval and sharing. These needs have been met in different
ways, with separate rooms being allocated to different purposes in some models and, at the
other end of the spectrum, teaching taking place in open-plan flexible learning centres. What
is essential, whatever the choices made, is that the adopted design is influenced more by
clearly defined pedagogic goals, articulated by both managers and staff, rather than by other
considerations, such as a desire for innovation or efficiency gains.
Future-proofing
We cannot anticipate future technological or pedagogic developments, but can ensure that
designs will accommodate change. Investment in higher specification mobile rather than
fixed technologies, wireless as well as wired networks, even bespoke furniture, may be
justified when the space can support a range of purposes, and be relatively easily

10
reconfigured. It is also probable that institutions will aim increasingly for fewer but better
quality teaching spaces, with increased space per seat: large group or dispersed group
teaching is already being supported by video streaming and video conferencing. Cameras in
teaching spaces can offer that flexibility.

Tools fit for purpose

Use of technology in itself does not ensure effective teaching or learning, but it can extend
the reach and flexibility of what the institution offers. Display technologies are now widely
available in teaching spaces. The next significant development may come from audi-ovisual
technologies. Wireless networks also provide significant advantages. 21st century institutions
need to assess rapidly and accurately how effective courses are. Giving tutors wireless-
enabled tablet PCs for e-registration can ensure attendance data is fed immediately into
central records, provide the tutor on the move with a tool for preparation, and give both
learners and tutors access to resources during the session – from any part of the space.

1 Lockable storage and recharging

facility for wireless tablet PCs

2 Whiteboard

4 Power sockets

5 Mobile interactive whiteboard

7 Wired computers

8 Foldaway tables

10 Folding/sliding acoustic wall

11 Free-standing partition

12 Wireless hub

13 Stackable chairs

14 Ceiling-mounted projection

15 Video conferencing facility

Figure 9 : This floor plan gives prototype designs for two teaching spaces. It does not represent designs in any particular
institution.

Flexible designs for flexible learning

Furniture plays a significant role in enabling a learning environment to be flexible. To
achieve this goal, institutions have frequently invested in bespoke furniture design. Some
easy chairs in the Saltire Centre, for example, have been designed to house power sockets in

11
the arms, so that groups of users can plug in electronic equipment and plasma screens. The
arrangement of most furniture within the social areas of the centre, however, can be easily
reconfigured to match the size and purpose of the group and, where a discreet meeting point
is called for, an inflatable ‘igloo’ wall can be brought in to provide a sound baffle. Like the
curved desks in the James Weir Building at Strathclyde University, these are custom-made
items that are designed to support clearly articulated pedagogic aims.
However, even where standard furniture is used, combinations of circular and oblong tables,
or palette chairs, as opposed to standard ones, will establish preferred uses of that space, so
even in the most constrained circumstances, consideration of room layout and choice of
furniture can make a significant difference to learning outcomes. Learners can be reluctant to
change an inherited configuration, even when self-management of the space is encouraged, so
they are likely to adopt the mode of learning signalled by the existing layout and type of
furniture. Similarly, varying the arrangement of fixed computers can indicate the activities
they are intended to support, from quick access to long stay, and acknowledges the equal
importance of all types of use.

Figure 10 : Image showing the inflatable ‘IGLOO

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 Figure 11 : Image showing various kinds of furnitures

3.7. One Space - Many Transformations

Figure 12 : One Space - Many Transformations

• Plan walls as MULTIPURPOSE DISPLAYS for presentations, discussions,

projections, resources and display of student work
• Windows allow natural daylight and views to the outdoors, shown to IMPROVE
PERFORMANCE and productivity
• Tables designed for sitting and standing allow STUDENT MOVEMENT, foster
conversation, provide a convenient table for presentations, and provide a great option
for teacher
• Dynamic classrooms allow multiple places for MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS,
and plan for mobile computers and projectors
• Mobile storage systems place RESOURCES CLOSE TO STUDENTS and frees the
walls to be used for presentations and student work

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 • FLEXIBLE STUDENT FURNITURE can be easily arranged for a variety of group
sizes, accommodating a variety in teaching and learning styles
• SCRIBBLING BOARDS allow students to project their ideas in a tangible form
• Soft seating areas ENGAGE STUDENTS in a casual and comfortable place for
discussions, reading, games or projects
• Interior windows INCREASE CONNECTIONS among colleagues and with
activities beyond the classroom.

3.8. Literature Case Study

University of Southern California

Tinkering with Learning

USC is among a growing number of universities eager to embrace the benefits of experiential
learning, such as deeper understanding and better retention, and it’s easy to understand why.
Herman Miller research shows that when students have the supplies and tools they need to
tinker, design, build, and rapidly prototype, they tend to be more curious, resilient, and self-
directed. These are all essential qualities for future success, especially in an economy where
companies that can generate the best ideas the fastest find the most success.

Figure 13 : One of the criteria for the maker space was counterheight work surfaces—the ideal height for working on 3-D
projects

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To create a space where students could cultivate the creativity that would help them succeed
later in life, Roski enlisted Herman Miller’s help. The company and Roski worked together to
plan and outfit a highly functional space that would support 3-D printing and rapid
prototyping. The space also had to be versatile enough to adapt for use as a studio or
traditional classroom since, like many other schools, Roski is pressed for space. Roski
requested several design considerations that would help their students and faculty work more
effectively.

Lin-Kirk asked for work surfaces that are counter height—the ideal height, she feels, for
working on 3-D projects. “When creating things, you’re typically standing and then standing
back and reflecting on whatever you’re working on,” she says. That height would require
stools, which was fine with McCully, as long as the stools stacked. “The space isn’t huge and
we were worried about people pinballing around,” he says. “With stackable stools, we could
create open floor space when we needed it.” Lin-Kirk understood the benefits of stackable
stools, but “I was sure we were going to end up with something ugly,” she says. The resulting
space—and stools—far exceeded Roski’s expectations. Their maker space is furnished with
custom counter-height work surfaces, bar-height work surfaces, and lots of matching storage.

Figure 15 : “Maker spaces are much more about
recombining the traditional handmade
processes with processes that involve
technology,” says professor of design Oswald
Trujillo.
Figure 14 : The space supports two- and three-
dimensional work, and helps students move
easily between each.

Because of their work-appropriate height and the amount of time that students spend at them,
those work surfaces are the most important feature of the room. The bright red Stool_One
stools, however, pack the most visual punch. They also remind the students that good design
is all about function and beauty.

“The room was meant to be neutral, except for the stools, which make the room pop,” says
McCully. “The rest of the space can be filled up with projects and materials, and that’s what
activates the space.”

Tools for Sharing

Every element of the space is designed to encourage students to share ideas—another element
that’s essential to an effective maker space. Sharing “helps to avoid the inefficiencies of
reinventing the wheel, while leveraging a larger collective brain to (hopefully) accelerate the

15
innovation process,” writes Herman Miller’s Susan Whitmer and GreenWay Partner’s David
Narum in their paper “Learning Spaces for Innovation.” Sharing can happen seamlessly in
Roski’s maker space. As an example, students might use the chalkboard to brainstorm ideas
for a lampshade design and then create it using a 3-D printer. Materials available for student
use include cardboard, craft knives, glue guns, popsicle sticks, clay, and markers, alongside
their computers and 3-D printers.

Figure 16 : Every element of the space is designed to encourage students to share ideas.

The students also have access to a laser cutter and a sewing machine, which is less familiar to
students than the latest technology. (“We’re conducting workshops on how to thread it,” Lin-
Kirk says). Retractable power cords hang from the ceiling for handheld power tools.
Rounding out the offering of tools that enable idea sharing are analog throwbacks, including
a corkboard wall and a chalkboard that’s “ancient and striking because everything else is so
new and contemporary,” says Trujillo.

“This is an exciting time [in art education] because we’re moving toward these maker spaces
that are much more about recombining the traditional handmade processes with processes
that involve technology,” says Trujillo.

Overall, the new space has been “transformative,” Lin-Kirk says, breathing new life into an
old space and making it easy for students to transition from design to creation and back again.
“The room lends itself to the dynamic nimbleness that designers today must have.”

Project NEXT at Texas Wesleyan University

Development of Classroom NEXT

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The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) team—Amy Collier, Director,
and
Instructional Designers Arturo Ozuna, Bill Watson, and Chris Faulkner—began designing
the Classroom.NEXT program in August 2010.
We approached the design of the program just as we encourage our faculty members to
approach the design of a new course: We started by establishing a set of objectives for the
program.
Through Classroom.NEXT, we sought to:
 Promote innovation in learning space design and in student-centered teaching
practices
 Promote an awareness of the role learning space design and student-centered teaching
methods play in the student experience
 Promote faculty professional growth
 Advance the scholarship of teaching and learning, especially in the areas of learning
space design and learner-centered teaching methods
 Promote collaboration in evidence-based research and teaching
 Promote collaboration between faculty, students, and departments
 Promote an understanding of instructional design principles
 Promote an understanding of the role of assessment in teaching and learning

A Radically-Flexible Classroom

The Radically-Flexible team, comprising one faculty member and five students, focused on
the needs of today’s students and their major characteristics, which include an “unconscious
integration of technology into their lives” and a desire to “study and socialize as
a group.” To meet this generation’s needs, the team designed a radically flexible classroom
that emphasizes inquiry-based learning and student engagement. The team sought to
design a space that easily “harmonizes with learning theory, encourages inquiry-based
instruction, and responds to the needs of Net Gen students.” To meet these goals, the team
built their design on four key themes: flexibility, sensory stimulation, technology support,
and
decentering the room so that there is no single front or focal point.

Four flexible classroom configurations

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 Figure 17 : Arrangement for small group-work

Figure 18 : Arrangement for each group to present their work

18
 Figure 19 : Arrangement for whole class discussion

Figure 20 : Arrangement for lecture

To ensure the room is flexible and easily reconfigured for a variety of teaching methods, the
team’s proposal called for the use of rolling office chairs, laptops, quarter-round tables with
wheels, mobile whiteboards, and a mobile SMART Board. The use of reconfigurable
furniture and mobile technology in the space, the proposal suggested, allows for “active
learning approaches that focus on student interactions and involvement.”
The design recommended repainting the walls, carpeting the floor, and including several
pieces of living-room style furniture. These aesthetic elements, combined with the flexible
design of the furniture, convey to students that the “classroom is a different kind of space
where a different kind of learning will take place.” Equally important, the proposed furniture
and mobile technology support the Net Gen’s need for social interaction, as well as their
desire to personalize their learning spaces. The proposal also called for the use of a classroom

19
response system in the space to allow the instructor to gather feedback and to stimulate class
discussions.

3.9. Live Case Study

NID Ahmedabad

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 Figure 21 : Images of the Institute

Figure 22 : Table showing the criterias fulfilled in the institute to design an effective flexible studio system

Chapter 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

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 Figure 23 : Learning Studio Results Matrix

Faculty Become More Approachable

Millennial students expressed that the Learning Studio has affected the role of the faculty
in the classroom. They report that their instructors were less likely to be seen as the
authoritative person in the learning environment and more likely to be viewed as the
facilitator, coach, or mentor. Millennials felt this new role encouraged them to contribute
to the learning environment, which made learning reciprocal between groups.
“In the traditional classroom, the instructor is the boss,” one Millennial stated. “They
don’t want the students to learn. We have to listen. They take the role of lecturer.”
Students found their instructors were more approachable and less intimidating in the
Learning Studio, especially when the faculty person decided to use many areas of the
classroom rather than standing in one location. Students reported that the classroom
design features (furnishing, layout, and lighting) allowed them to get to know their
instructors better.
“If we had more Learning Studio classrooms,” one student said, “it would be easier
to approach instructors in a lot of courses. You feel comfortable. I feel less afraid
and anxious.”

Faculty Know Their Students Better

Faculty members believe their modified teaching style has strengthened relationships
with their students. They said that the Learning Studio has allowed them to get to know
their students better.
Faculty indicated they thought this was largely a result of having enough space to
walk around the classroom and interact with the students. “Students ask questions
more readily in this atmosphere,” one faculty member stated. “I do less talking in the

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Learning Studio.”

Students Support Each Other

Millennial students noted that the Learning Studio layout created a supportive
environment. At one site, there was a 25 % increase in students who said that
the Learning Studio made it easy to interact with their peers in comparison to the
traditional classroom.
Students also reported being more likely to assist their peers who sat at the same table
next to them. This type of support relieved students from the fear of not understanding
the course material. Students expressed that they were more comfortable asking
questions in class in a group setting environment. “You’re not by yourself in this
environment,” one student said. “We support and lean on each other.” Students reported
that they found it easy to approach other students and extend the discussion of ideas
outside of class time after the class was over.

Faculty also agreed that the Learning Studio was a supportive environment. They
said that the vast amount of table space, which encouraged students to sit together,
enabled them to feel comfortable to cluster, participate, and collaborate during and
after classroom learning. “Students who wouldn’t normally talk now ask questions in
their group,” said one faculty member. “They become comfortable.”
As a result of the Learning Studio, the faculty members believe that the students were
more likely to create additional friendships with their peers and assist one another with
course content. “Students become familiar with each other because they are sitting in
a small group as opposed to sitting in rows,” a faculty member explained. “The students
are able to establish bonds and community. They become friends and get to know each
other’s names.”

Technology Enhances Learning

An additional component that enhanced the supportive environment in the Learning

Studio was the availability of technology. One college provided Smart Boards, an
interactive whiteboard with computer capabilities, for students and faculty to collectively
engage in course activities.
Another community college provided laptops in the Learning Studio for their students
to conduct online research during class time.
Students indicated that the laptops made
their learning convenient. They were more likely to understand the topic of discussion
when they had the freedom to “google” information.

Student Success: The End Result

Student success is the reason why colleges and universities are working to engage their
Millennial student populations. Research indicates that the Learning Studio approach
has a significant impact on student success.
One faculty member, for example, noted “a 15 percent higher quality of papers coming
out of this class than in my other course located in the traditional classroom.” She went
on to explain that she is “doing less correcting than I ever had to do. The students
help each other with their writing, do peer reviews much better, and pull their creative
talents together.”

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Millennials who were studied agreed. This student’s comments are representative: “We
would probably have fewer dropouts in the Learning Studio. There is more action and
entertainment in this room. You don’t feel bored. It stimulates the mind. In the traditional
classroom, you look at the clock constantly, and you are eager for the class to be over.”
Succeeding with the Millennial student population is of vital importance to colleges and
universities. The Learning Studio is one way they can use space as a tool to increase
Millennials’ engagement and their academic success.

Chapter 5: CONCLUSION
5.1. Overview

Findings accumulated provide evidence that flexible and adaptive design supports the core
pedagogic constructs of basic human needs, teaching, learning, and engagement. Doing so
addresses a simple yet vital equation: the sum of people, pedagogy, and place equals
possibilities that can enrich teaching and learning for students, faculty, administrators, and
the community.

The insights provided set the framework for how future learning spaces might be
created. Responses both from faculty and students indicate that the atmosphere of the
Learning Studios meshes with their expectations for higher education. The furnishings
and the environment communicated to them a level of professionalism, trust, and value that
traditional classrooms did not.

Students described the Flexible Studios as “welcoming” and “relaxing.” Because of the
flexibility of the Studio, both faculty and students alike felt that they had more control over
the learning space and possibly their own learning. This is important because research has
found that “high levels” of perceived control over one’s work increases job satisfaction,
commitment, involvement, performance, and motivation.

Beyond understanding how the Flexible Studio fosters student engagement, this work also
provides a college or university with the opportunity to experiment with learning spaces to
determine what works and what doesn’t work with its specific campus culture, pedagogies,
and space management processes.

Faculty Perspective on Learning Studio

• Encourages an integration of a wide range of teaching methods.

• Flexible enough to support various teaching styles depending on the day’s needs.
• Makes it easy to see all students in the room.
• Enhances ability to communicate with students during class.
• Helps students collaborate with each other for their in-class group work.

Students’ Perspective on Learning Studio

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 • The space is flexible enough to support group work of various sizes.
• I often move or adjust furniture to support the way I like to learn.
• Furniture in the room can be easily reconfigured for various learning needs.
• I am comfortable asking questions and contributing to class discussion.
• The space allows students to use group work time efficiently.

5.2. Application in Thesis

Figure 24 : Flexible Studio Arrangement in my Thesis Projec

The studios are designed in a way that they could be converted into flexible studios according
to the need of the students.

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 Figure 25 : Ground Floor Plan the academic building which mainly comprises of flexible studios

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