The Translational Design of Learning Environments

Abstract

The transformation of design thinking through evidence-based design in health facilities planning is based on the medical model of clinical research. These studies ensure that the resultant evidence is sufficiently valid, replicable and double blinded to ensure the safety of a procedure under test for ultimate commercial use with patients. Also known as translational (clinical) research, the method has been adopted and adapted by health facility planners with qualitative and quantitative studies measuring, for example, the rate of healing of patients in different physical environments and in varying therapeutic regimes. The use of a scholarly evaluation rigour drawn from such methodologies and applied in developing new clinical procedures results in convincing evidence of the impact of the physical environment on human behaviour (Ulrich et al., 2004). Such an evidence-based approach is becoming essential in learning space design as the early 21stC sees the rapid emergence of wireless broadband and mobile communications devices that are inexorably changing the way people communicate, collaborate, create and transfer knowledge. The vast majority of our learning environments were designed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Now, in the 21stC, new learning environments are being reengineered to meet these new and emerging technologies. They are also being designed to support new knowledge production, learning and work practices. However, these developments have not been thoroughly evaluated to assess if they actually work and whether should be scaled-up widely across school systems.