Making the Space for Learning

Learning unfolds within and across spaces, whether within school classrooms, across small outdoor tables, or on quiet library couches. Such spaces contain various elements that we use and experience. We find furniture to relax or focus on. We interact with objects, materials, and tools to assist our thinking and expression. We look for surfaces, lighting, temperature, colors, and acoustics to create a sense of safety and calm. When thoughtfully assembled, spaces and their elements can provide affordances for learning—offering architectures that support encountering new ideas, extending knowledge, practicing skills, and getting feedback. To what degree are the spaces in which we learn designed with learning in mind? This white paper aims to examine what is known about the qualities of spaces that support learning and offer guiding principles for designers of learning spaces to consider.