Session 1A (R0.12)

Warwick Strawbale Eco-Centre Project: Thinking About the Relationship Between Space and Learning

Jack Gaskell, Owen Thompson, Cen Tee

Engineers Without Borders - Warwick

Over the last two years, Engineers Without Borders - Warwick with Warwick Estates have been working to construct an Eco-Centre on campus to be made from strawbale. The Strawbale Eco-Centre has been designed to include a workshop space, an educational visitor lobby, and a teaching and learning room. As a large scale, unique, and entirely student-led project, it has not been easy. With the Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning we have been exploring the learning that is taking place and we invite you to think about how designing a space can impact teaching and learning, particularly in the context of sustainability.

Engineers Without Borders - Warwick is a student run society at the University of Warwick. We welcome anyone who is interested in International Development and Renewable Technologies. Through engineering solutions we serve the needs of disadvantaged communities all over the world.

Session 2A (R1.15)

Changing Spaces for Staff: Considering Personalisation and Flexible Pedagogies

Russell Boyatt and Emma King

IT Services and Learning and Development

The personalisation of learning is an aspiration to provide an educational environment that responds directly to an individual regardless of background, aptitude or mode of engagement. Student and staff become co-authors of the learning journey and aim to tailor the approach to fit the individual learner’s needs. The introduction of personalisation can also be seen as coupled with more flexible pedagogical models which aim to improve access, delivery and assessment flexibility.

These ideas create a number of challenges for institutions including for space, curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and even the institutional structure and culture. The use of flexible pedagogies in particular can challenge us to rethink more traditional pedagogical models, teaching spaces and the role of staff within those models.

One of the common themes identified in the literature is an increased use of technology to help staff develop personalised and flexible opportunities for their students such developing deeper learning skills, the use of collaborative tools and changing learning spaces and formats. Understanding the role that technology has to play can help us understand both what is possible and also the practical realities of pursuing those approaches.

This session focuses on the implications for staff of introducing personalisation and increasing the flexibility of delivery. We will briefly review the existing support available for staff at Warwick and then involve you in an activity to examine your existing practice. We’ll ask you to reflect on how personalisation and flexibility might impact on your pedagogical approach, instructional design skills and use of on-line learning spaces.

This session will involve active participation and group discussion.

Russell Boyatt is a Senior Academic Technologist in IT Services. He supports the use of academic technology across the institution including the use of Moodle and MyPortfolio. He is a foundation fellow of the Warwick International Higher Education Academy and has an interest in the use of technology to provide personalised learning experiences and support flexible modes of course delivery.

Emma King is a Learning and Development Adviser and leads on staff development around Technology Enhanced Learning. She is a foundation fellow of the Warwick International Higher Education Academy and runs the Technology Enhanced Learning Forum, a University wide network where colleagues meet termly to share practice and develop ideas collaboratively. Emma is also interested in the effective and creative use of space for teaching and learning, and the potential for game based learning within Higher Education.