Transitions North America: What is needed to help teachers better utilize space as one of their pedagogic tools

Abstract

In 2017, the Transitions Symposium explored the overarching theme of Inhabiting Innovative Learning Environments. The symposia were held in three cities: Melbourne, Australia; London, UK; and Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. In collaboration with our project partner, Steelcase Education and with sponsorship from the DLR group, the North American symposium brought together contributors, who addressed the simple question; ‘How are teachers making the transition into innovative learning spaces, and how does evidence of success inform future best practices?’

The papers were grouped into four themes of Inhabiting Design, Teacher Practices, Change and Risk, and Measuring Impact. Participants presented an 8-minute synopsis of their research. There was no concurrent sessions—all participants listened to every presentation. At the end of the presentations in each theme, expert interlocutors discussed key themes that had emerged, drew inferences, and then elicited audience discussion on issues pertinent to each theme. Audience participation was encouraged and robust, drawing perspectives from various sectors including fellow higher degree researchers, industry representatives from design, building and ICT, academics working in this field, and those embedded in implementing new classrooms at a policy level. The day was an intense and highly informative exchange of ideas.

The papers included in this volume, Transitions North America, were selected for presentation through double blind peer review. The symposium took place on Thursday, 14 September 2017, at the Steelcase Education Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. Sixty-one participants from industry, policy, schools and academia attended the symposium. Following the event, each paper was reviewed and the comments sent to authors in order to help them prepare a revised version to strengthen the continuity and congruence of the proceedings. The result of this revision process is the backbone of this volume and represents what we consider to be a stimulating and careful set of analyses about how teachers transition into innovative learning spaces.