Drawing on the foundational theories of John Dewey and Kurt Lewin, we examine recent

developments in theory and research on experiential learning and explore how this work

can enhance experiential learning in higher education. We introduce the concept of

learning space as a framework for understanding the interface between student learning

styles and the institutional learning environment. We illustrate the use of the learning

space framework in three case studies of longitudinal institutional development. Finally,

we present principles for the enhancement of experiential learning in higher education

and suggest how experiential learning can be applied throughout the educational

environment by institutional development programs, including longitudinal outcome

assessment, curriculum development, student development, and faculty development.

Interesting article from critical gegraphy literature which show how ideas and ideals (he is looking at 'childhood') are constructed through architectural and building practices. He reviews the literature and uses an ethnographic study of a Stainer school in Wales to show how the ideas and ideals which Steiner education has of children (and education) are designed and realised int he building and the practices situated in the buildings.

There are lots of potentially useful parallels with our overall research questiosn and I found myself paraphrasing Krafly to reformulate his ideas in our own research context. For example:

What ideas and ideals about higher education, the university and the university student, are constructed through the design and building of the University of Warwick?

CL

What ideas and ideals about university pedagogy are constructed through the design and building of the University of Warwick?

In what ways do these idea(l)s and their possible manifestations into the built environment change over time?

What are the 'performative'  and 'gestural' features of the University's architectural forms?

The whole article can be accessed via the library's journal online system : Kraftl, P (2005) Building an Idea: the material construction of an ideal childhood, Transactions of the INstitute of British Gegraphers, 31 (4): 488-504.   

A study by Newcastle University on the progress of classroom design and critiques the success of government spending on classrooms.

Warwick and Community - main thrust of interview

• Little communication with immediate community regarding the development of the university.
• Ruth a child in Canley when Warwick was being built, remebers the uni being a representation of their 'playground destruction', built over orchards and fields which were play sites for the local children.
• Warwick seen as a self contained  and separate entity to the outside world, no bus links initially, locals tended to take bus into Coventry and use social facilities at Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University). Ruth commented on the kudos of having a 'student boyfriend', but it was the Lanchester, not the Warwick students that were sought after.
• Some community links with teacher training college (now Westwood teaching centre) that existed prior to the university's construction, use of their swimming pool and teachers taught at nearby schools. Ironic that this is one of the only community links that Warwick maintains today, yet this tradition did not originate within the uni itself!
• Uni physically closed off from community in recent years, i.e the blocking of paths from Canley estate to central campus, seemed symbolic for Ruth, reason why many children in the area see uni as something beyond them or not for them, despite living so close to one.
• Despite this, Ruth saw Warwick as ASPIRATIONAL; iconic white buildings and striking architecture shown to her by her brother in teen years became a symbol for what she could achieve through higher education, even though she did not attend Warwick as a student. Should the uni be trying to encourage this now?
• Mentions Butterworth's visits to working men's clubs when uni was first opened to establish community links and support (this was from Ruth's own research - recommended we get in touch with Coventry telegraph to look into community relations with Warwick).

Warwick and Teaching Space

• Ruth a lecturer here in the past, showed photos of first lecture, Gibbet Hill classrooms and science lecture theatre.
• Criticised small, airless, windowless, power centred (teacher as oracle at the front of the room) classrooms characteristic of most of Warwick's teaching spaces.
• Commented on her own attempts to 'break the mould' in teaching, set up local projects with nearby Westwood school (although with no formal backing of the uni), and insisted on changing around seminar rooms to create a more open, social space for learning focused on the needs of the students, not the dictates of the lecturer.
• Excellent quote to sum this up; 'open them (classrooms) up and set the students free.' Praised the new spaces at Warwick such as the Reinvention Centre and the learning grid.

Notes by Laura Evans

  1.      Story at Warwick – Curator of the University

Mead GalleryIn charge of art collection, 800 works across campus, also part of TEACHING LEARNING AND RESEARCH.1993 start date – stalled career, period of longevity, know the history of the university, what it STANDS for and what the university NEEDS in terms of reflecting its values as an institution and what is demanded by and of students. 

2.      History of art at Warwick – change, phases of development etc No idea that it wanted or needed art as part of its university 

PHASE 1 - Eugene Rosenberg – key architect in early design of the university, style = designing large institutional buildings – always had an art collection in each building design, furniture chosen = modernist chairs, mass produced Scandinavian design, large abstract art paintings, pop work e.g ‘Special K’, commercial imagery – new consumption of university students etc – university as MODERN, CUTTING EDGE, new ideas and ideals.Discourse of abstract paintings – existentialism ‘BUYING INTELLECTUAL PAINTINGS FOR AN INTELLECTUAL PLACE’ (4:58)Seven unis founded at the same time – opening of H.E to working class = new wave of student grants, new ‘people’ becoming intellectuals, anxiety towards this new conception of university education, art used to respond to the MODERN needs of the new students. 

PHASE 2 – Syrill Barret? Member of philosophy department late 60s-70s. £200 a year for art – prints, wanted to continue the ‘modern’ art feel, bought on secondary market rather than from artists themselves as Rosenberg did. Continuing the vibrant, intellectual, forward thinking, and dynamic ‘Warwick environment’. 

PHASE 3 – First uni curator, catalogued uni art, ‘past is past, stories of art history are an ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT ANYWAY’ – so is this the role of art at Warwick, to artificially construct an intellectual environment with modern ideals and approaches using its architecture/art?Small budget for art – could only afford young and new art pieces – again does this reflect what Warwick stands for?? ‘Young’ and revolutionary thinking regarding education and teaching, research, the clientele of students, learning environment etc?? 

PHASE 4 – Sarah Shalgosky and Brian Follett, new vice chancellor, ‘HOW ART COULD ANIMATE THE SPACES’, budget increased to £10, 000, were able to buy significant art pieces by significant artists, then won lottery, £150,000 on art then, installed 4 major works of art 1. Cosmic Wallpaper – Ramphal 2. Maths institute 3. Business School4. David Bachelor for uni house. NEW BUILDINGS GIVEN NEW ART – is this significant? Forward thinking university? Imposing ideals of student and uni from the beginning of a space’s life?Spaces important for work, e,g uni house 3 storey art… ART part of PUBLIC ART, Warwick is NOT a museum, what is public art? ‘IT ADDRESSES THE PLACE IT’S IN’.Input of students informs the art e.g sociology and cosmic art, Deep Purple history – studying systems, map of life, this is how sociologists make sense of the world etc. ART REFLECTS SUBJECT DISCIPLINE, central to reflecting the intellectual world that the art is placed in. 

PHASE 5 – Nigel thrift - Changing perception of art as interior decoration, wanted art to make an ‘INTELLECTUAL CONTRIBUTION’ to the university itself, art representative of academic pursuit, form of RESEARCH, art reflective of Warwick’s commitment to research based learning perhaps??Artists put into research collectives here at Warwick now, working with departments etc e.g Olivia Plender? Art not secondary to academic research but more complimentary. 

3.      Curriculum and Art 1960s – Art separate from the ‘business’ of the teaching of the university, more indicative of the ideals of the institution, freedom, access, modern approach to learning, opportunity etcNOW – Central to the academic work itself, art as a process of idea generation and research = ideal of teaching and learning at Warwick, what the university student should STRIVE TO BE – a researcher!  Importance of FUNDING – artists have similar ownership of ideas as intellectuals, but disseminate these ideals in a different way to academics = architecture wider illustration of this, different way of disseminating ideals? Funding bodies encouraging this use of art. ‘FUNDING FOLLOWS FORM OR FORM FOLLOWS FUNDING’ – true of architecture, pedagogy, and spaces throughout history??  Labour government policies at beginning of millennium regarding art in educational institutions = ‘ART WAS A UTILITARIAN DEVICE TO DELIVER SOCIAL COHESION,’ Warwick attempting to distance itself from this idea, wants art to actually contribute to academia – Warwick always been quite REBELLIOUS?? Link back to student riots etc. Art is people working through ideas and putting their findings into the public arena – exactly the same as academics!  

4.      In one statement what does art mean to Warwick University 

‘DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS’ – new ideals of teaching, learning, the student, challenging government policy, and this has been the case from the 1960s to today!

Notes by Laura Evans

Introduction The Design Council is has funded a team within the Centre for Learning and Teaching at Newcastle University for the period June 2004- March 2006 to evaluate the impact of Schools Renaissance and to explore the context of school environmental design. The literature review, jointly funded by CfBT, was led by Steve Higgins and Elaine Hall and has been completed and published (Higgins et al 2005). The empirical project is working with up to 12 schools over three years to explore how school procurement processes can be aligned with a clearly-defined educational vision and is led by Kate Wall and Elaine Hall. The project has aimed to refocus schools’ thinking about environmental design through a process of ‘design immersion’ which allows context-specific problem identification and solution generation. Particular innovations have been implemented in each school and the effects on teacher and student engagement, motivation and affect monitored. Research paradigm Our work draws on traditional evaluative approaches, including the use of cross-project research tools, as well as incorporating some elements of practitioner enquiry, in partnership with the teams of teachers in the project schools. Research methodology Pupil questionnaires and staff interviews have been completed by all project schools. In addition, video of students and teachers using the newly designed areas of the schools has been collected. Individual schools have used a range of questionnaire, object-focused analysis, pupil views, interview and monitoring data to explore the experience and impacts of change. Publications Higgins, S., Hall, E., Wall, K., Woolner, P. and McCaughey, C. (2005) The impact of school environments: a literature review. London: Design Council/ CfBT.