Participatory learning space designing for school librarians
1. Participatory learning space designing
for school librarians
Hilary Hughes
July 2021
[Image copied with Creative Commons license]
2. think of a library
learning space
formal or informal
indoor or outdoor
where
is it?
who
are the
users?
what
is its
purpose?
what
activities does
it enable or
discourage?
how
does it
feel?
why?
3. What is designing?
Design – a concept, a document/plan, finished product or building
something that’s done for us
Designing – an active, ongoing process
something that we can contribute to through participation
[Image copied with Creative Commons license]
4. Participatory designing for library learning spaces
A participatory designing approach is …
values-based and assumes that the inclusion of
diverse viewpoints and practices contributes to
social, emotional and educational wellbeing.
Participation is …
a connecting thread between learning and designing
and it supports social inclusion
Participation involves …
active engagement in a collaborative creative process
that involves stakeholders with varying experience
(Hughes & Elliott Burns, 2019)
[Images: Top copied with Creative Commons license from Pixabay.com.
Bottom supplied by MEd student and copied with permission]
5. Values-based participatory learning space designing
Key considerations
In this space:
Who is valued here?
Who is not valued here?
What is valued here?
What is not valued here?
What learning activities are enabled by the design of this space?
What learning activities are inhibited by the design of this space?
[Images copied with Creative Commons license]
6. Participatory designing
For and with learners & library users
Everyday library users – library staff, teachers,
students, school leaders, parents, community …
• who are they?
• what are their values, needs, expectations, wishes?
• how do they imagine their ideal learning space?
Professional designers – help realise our imaginings as
everyday designers
[Images copied with Creative Commons license]
7. What are the benefits of participatory designing?
Participatory designing enables / enhances …
• Creation of library spaces that are conducive to
contemporary learning, teaching and student wellbeing
– fit for purpose and cost effective
• School community engagement
• School librarians’ expert knowledge about contemporary information resources & information-
digital literacy pedagogy & learners
can inform the work of professional designers and architects
• Wellbeing – students gain a voice, sense of ownership and belonging in their school environment
• Curriculum - participatory designing provides an authentic focus for student learning, e.g.
information literacy, numeracy, inquiry & problem-solving, creative design and technology projects
• Pedagogy - participatory designing fosters librarian-teacher collaboration & innovation in using
new spaces
• Professional learning opportunities – designer-librarians support teachers to learn from and with
colleagues and other stakeholders, including professional designers and architects
• Continuity and long term viability of spaces - beyond the original building project librarian-
designers guide ongoing library use, evaluation and reimagination of teachers and students
[Image copied with CC0 license]
10. Aspects Questions Summary of student responses
Flexibility Are there things that you can change and play
with in lots of different ways?
We have 1 playground and sandpit but we don’t all fit.
We only have balls to play with and we can run.
Shelter Is there any shelter here? What’s it like? The obstacle course is under cover, otherwise it is very hot in the
sun when you are running.
Centres of
interest
Are there any really interesting things to play
with? What are these?
We can play in the playground, sandpit or on the obstacle course.
They’re busy.
Natural features Are there natural things to play with like trees,
long grass or pebbles?
We don’t have anything like this.
We are not allowed in the gardens.
Atmosphere What is it like here? Does it feel friendly or not? I like to play with my friends here sometimes, except when they
are running and pulling me.
Sometimes the ball hits me.
Sensory
elements
Are there things:
To touch?
To smell?
That make a noise?
That are interesting to look at?
We don’t have anything to play with in our playground that we
can smell or that makes noise. Our home corner is only for girls.
We can touch the playground, balls and sand toys. I don’t like
getting sand in my shoes.
Accessibility Can you get to everything that you want to? I don’t always get a ball to play with. Sometimes my friends play
tag because you can’t play in the sandpit when it’s busy.
Risk and
challenge
Are there things that are quite exciting and
adventurous?
I like the rope on the playground.
Sometimes the obstacle course is tricky.
Practicalities Is it easy to get there? We can play at first and second break, we just walk out of our
classroom.
Kucks & Hughes (2019). Survey adapted from Casey, T. (2007). Environments for outdoor play: A practical guide to making space for children (p. 37). London: Sage
Learning space evaluation survey – with young students
11. In this library space:
• What catches your eye?
• What makes you want to look away?
• What invites you to sit, relax, read, study – or not? Why?
• What seems out of place?
• What seems out of date?
• What seems without purpose?
• Now close your eyes – what do you hear, smell? Good & bad!
evaluating Reflective walkthrough
12. Values
Who is valued
here?
Activities
What
activities are
enabled by
the design?
Site/Building
What physical
aspects
enhance
learning?
Technology/
Layout
What technical
and design
features
enhance
learning?
What is
valued here?
Who is not
valued here?
What
activities are
inhibited by
the design?
What physical
aspects
discourage
learning?
What technical
and design
features
discourage
learning?
What is not
valued here?
evaluating Reflective walkthrough - templates
VAST heuristic – for learning space evaluation
Raylee Elliott Burns (2016) adapted from Heath, T. (1989).
Introduction to design theory. Brisbane: QUT. Revised Hughes
(2018). For explanation see School library Designing web site.
VAST heuristic adapted for use by primary school students
by an MEd student – copied with permission
14. Imagining – template - wishes, needs & opportunities
Ideas for a vibrant… innovative… active… future … inclusive… diverse… space…
Where Location - on school site
Connections – with built environment
Connections – to natural environment
Connections – through digital environment
Access – inclusion
Who Stakeholders
Learning &
wellbeing
School mission, values, goals
Curriculum
Pedagogy
Social interaction
Privacy, quiet retreat
Diversity - social & cultural diversity
Safety
Function Activities
Resources – physical & digital
Technology
Help/support services
Look & Feel Atmosphere
Colour
Furniture & fittings
Layout
Innovation Original / Fun / Playful features
Identity Theme / Distinctive name for the space
15. Visually representing designs…
[Images: Top - Humphries Polis Architects. Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture (2011) - copied with permission.
Others by Hilary Hughes].
Collaboratively in groups represent conceptual library designs
• Envisage an IDEAL library space - let your imagination flow
• Representations don’t have to be ‘perfect’ – no rulers needed
• Freehand drawings, collage, models using found materials
Keep in mind
• Identity and purpose of the space
• School mission and goals
• Curriculum and pedagogy, information & reading resource needs
• School community - diversity and inclusion
Design for sustainability
• Flexible spaces for ongoing/future development
• Relationships between built, digital and natural environment
• Accessibility and flow of people
• Natural light, shade, ventilation, sound
Share, compare, select, incorporate
• Brainstorm
• Consensus
Showcase
• Decision-makers
• School community
• Professional designers, architects
16. [Images: QUT MEd Students - copied with permission]
School students visualising learning space designs
17. For social learning and wellbeing
• Celebrate & promote the new library space
• Allow time to explore possibilities & grow into new space
• Encourage flexibility in use of space
• Guided by curriculum & learning needs
• Experiment with different spatial arrangements & pedagogy
• Share experience of the space between colleagues &
students
• Librarians support innovative use through professional
learning & mentoring for teaching colleagues
using
18. • Regular ongoing evaluation of the library
• Use similar evaluation methods (as above)
• Focus on library user experience and well
being
• Report technical glitches
• Web site, blog to record ideas and changes
• Reimagine …
(re)
evaluating Post occupancy evaluation (POE)
19. Happy designing! Hilary
Contact: Dr Hilary Hughes, Adjunct Associate Professor, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
If you have any questions, comments or ideas about school library designing please feel free to contact me via:
• Email: hilaryemh@gmail.com
• Twitter: @SchoolLibDesign @HilaryEva #SchoolLibraryDesigning
Other publications: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/view/person/Hughes,_Hilary.html
References:
• School Library Designing [website]: https://hilaryemh.wordpress.com/
• Hughes, H. & Elliott Burns, R.A. (2019). Fostering educator participation in learning space designing: Insights from a Master of Education unit
of study. In H. Hughes, J. Franz & J. Willis (Eds.) School spaces for student wellbeing and learning: Insights from research and practice (pp.
179-197). Singapore: Springer.
• Hughes, H., Franz, J., Willis, J., Bland, D., & Rolfe, A. (2019). High school spaces and student transitioning: Designing for student
wellbeing. In H. Hughes, J. Franz & J. Willis (Eds.) School spaces for student wellbeing and learning: Insights from research and practice (pp.
97-119). Singapore: Springer.
• Humphries Polis Architects. Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture. (2011). Design charrette for Auraria Library.: Final report.
http://library.auraria.edu/sites/default/files/charette/AurariaFinal01132011.pdf
• Kucks, A. & Hughes, H. (2019). Creating a sensory garden for early years learners: Participatory designing for student wellbeing. In H. Hughes,
J. Franz & J. Willis (Eds.). School spaces for student wellbeing and learning (pp. 221-238). Singapore: Springer.
• Nastrom-Smith, C. & Hughes, H. (2019) Participatory principles in practice: Designing learning spaces that promote wellbeing for young
adolescents during the transition to secondary school. In H. Hughes, J. Franz & J. Willis (Eds.) School spaces for student wellbeing and
learning: Insights from research and practice (pp. 199-219). Singapore: Springer.
Acknowledgement: This presentation is adapted from School learning space designing for everyday designers, 2020, Eduwebinar
Please Cite this presentation as: Hilary Hughes, 2021, Participatory learning space designing for school librarians, School library designing,
https://hilaryemh.wordpress.com/
Copyright: This presentation may be freely copied, shared and reproduced with Creative Commons licence
Hinweis der Redaktion
Hello school library designers!
Participatory learning space designing enables all library users – library staff, teachers, students, administrators, parents - to have a say in shaping new or renovated learning spaces, including (of course!) school libraries.
For school librarians, this presentation aims to support you as ‘everyday designer’ in creating library spaces that enhance learning, teaching and student wellbeing. It also offers you some guidance for leading others through a participatory designing process.
The focus of a participatory designing project can range from the make-over of a small dingy corner to a major library refurbishment, or construction of a whole new STEAM discovery and learning centre.
Up front I’d like to reassure you that we can all be learning space designers – without a large budget or technical capabilities.
As participatory designing is a continuous process, it is possible to make significant difference to the learning environment through a series of small gradual changes.
You probably have more experience than you realise as everyday designers – of your library and other school settings, learning and teaching approaches, curriculum development, collaboration with teaching colleagues, and also of your home environment.
As a focus for this presentation, please keep in mind a particular library space that you would like to design – either a new space from scratch or revitalisation of an existing space.
It could be
Any size – a whole building, a room, or a corner
Formal or informal learning space
Indoor or outdoor
First, pause to consider key aspects of the space and reasons for (re)designing it: the intended (or potential) purpose of the space and particular activities it will enable; the needs and aspirations of current and future library users.
As designing is a reflective process, it’s important to keep asking ‘why?’
What is designing?
Design – a concept, a document/plan, finished product or building – something that’s done for us
Designing – active, ongoing process – something that we can contribute to through participation
Designing is a critical part of any building project, whether a new or refurbished space.
In a school library context, designing is often left to professionals. It may be completely contracted out to an architect or a ‘design and construct’ company - who may have limited understanding of the goals and practices of contemporary schools.
Which is why a participatory designing approach can be so beneficial.
On the screen you can see a definition of participatory learning space designing - it’s from the book I recently co-edited
Put simply …
This is a holistic designing approach that enables the inclusive involvement of all stakeholders in a particular building or space.
For schools, participatory designing allows input from a range of people who are experts in the everyday work of schools – including the leadership team, teachers, students, support staff, parents.
Participatory designing is essentially active and inclusive –
As you can see from the bottom photo of Prep students evaluating an outdoor learning space, even young children can actively participate
It also involves critical thinking and creative problem solving – and it is outcomes focused.
So participatory designing aligns with contemporary learning principles and practices – like inquiry learning.
As participatory designing is a problem-solving process – there’s seldom one perfect solution
Participatory designing is values based
It focuses on creating spaces that value the learning experience and wellbeing of users
Looking at the 3 pictures on the screen – consider the 3 spaces:
Who and what is valued here/ not valued in these spaces?
What learning activities are enabled or hindered by their design?
These are key questions to consider when designing learning spaces.
Participatory designing involves building upon consensus-based decision-making.
This is important in a school context where there are multiple stakeholders – including young people.
As participatory designers, we’re working for and with learners.
As school librarians we can play a key role in identifying:
Who are the various stakeholders in particular school spaces
What are their various needs, expectations and wishes of the spaces
How they imagine their ideal learning space
With our expert insider knowledge of learning and learners, we can translate this information for professional designers
– so they can then realise our imagined design ideas as physical reality
You may need to argue the case for undertaking a participatory designing project to your school leaders or school community your school - so let’s take a moment to gather some compelling reasons.
The slide summarises key benefits of participatory designing.
Participatory designing takes time and effort – but it contributes to the creation of school spaces that are conducive to contemporary learning, teaching and student wellbeing – and ensures that new spaces are fit for purpose and cost effective.
Having considered the ‘whys’, let’s turn to the all important ‘hows’ …
Participatory designing ideally involves a continuous process with three aspects: evaluating, imagining and using learning spaces.
These aspects are inter-connected and support each other. The process can be both cyclical and iterative – meaning that you might progress from one aspect to another around the circle, or go backwards and forwards between them, depending on the design project needs.
Importantly, designing is never finished – even after you move into a newly created space, there is scope for (re)evaluating) and (re)imagining to continue.
Ideally a wide range of stakeholders participate in the designing process – but it needs careful guidance, which teachers are well suited to provide.
The first aspect - evaluation - allows us to identify what works well or not in current spaces – what to keep, incorporate or leave out in new spaces.
You could use various methods to evaluate a space – either singly or in combination.
On the slide are some suggested evaluation methods
Two evaluation methods that work well for participatory library designing are survey and reflective walkthrough.
A survey is often a quick and easy way to gather some initial evidence about how users think and feel about a space
Best to keep the survey short and simple.
On the slide is an example of a survey that an Australian teacher carried out with their Prep students (age 4-5 years) as part of a participatory designing project to create a sensory playground.
A reflective walkthrough may also help you as designer overcome the taken-for-grantedness of a familiar space.
As you walk through your library, try exploring it through your own senses, responding to the questions shown on the slide.
Think or take notes about …
What catches your eye? E.g. an interesting display, striking colour scheme?
What makes you want to look away? e.g. a disorganised pile of ‘stuff’, threadbare cushions, a dead plant
What invites you to sit, relax, read, study – or not? Why?
What seems out of place? e.g. display board behind a row of book shelves, individual study spaces next to the maker space
What seems out of date? e.g. last year’s book week posters, festive paper chains from a past event
What seems without purpose? e.g. a filing cabinet among digital learning pods, random hanging ‘things’
Now close your eyes – What do you hear, smell? Good and bad!
Then invite other library users - students and teachers, school leaders, parents - to take a similar walkthrough.
Compare your notes with theirs to gain a range of thoughts and fresh ideas about the space.
Here are 2 suggested templates to support a values-based walkthrough evaluation of your library based on the VAST heuristic
VAST heuristic – devised originally by Dr Rayleee Elliott Burns in her doctoral research. I’ve adapted and used it in my research and with Master of Education students, who’ve often adapted it further and used with their students
VAST = Values, Activities, Site and Technology The VAST heuristic (or self-questioning device) helps to identify positive and negative features of a learning space. Individual stakeholders use the blank template to make notes during the walkthrough – and then everyone’s responses are compiled and compared, to identify common likes and dislikes about the space.
The template on the right is suitable for adults and perhaps older students.
The template on the left – with simplified wording – was adapted by an MEd student (an elementary school teacher) and completed by one her students.
Moving now to the imagining phase of participatory designing …
This is the active, creative part of the participatory designing process.
Ideally, it involves key stakeholders in one or a series of workshops - or collaborative design charrettes – where they work in groups of 5 or 6.
Each group brainstorms and discusses design ideas for a particular library space.
Then each group collaboratively decides upon one collective design – and represents it visually as a drawing or model.
The designer-participants may gain some design inspiration from browsing design magazines and Pinterest boards - or visiting other learning spaces
Imagining new library spaces calls for plenty of time for brainstorming and discussion – so that group members can freely share ideas for the new space – and then select particular features and incorporate them into a collective design.
This is where an experienced facilitator – like a school librarian or teacher – is valuable for sensitively guiding the conversations and decision-making.
A template like the one on the screen can prompt group members’ thinking about various key design aspects, including:
Location of the space and connections between physical, digital and natural environment
User characteristics and needs
How it will support learning and wellbeing and inclusion
Etc.
To ensure the authenticity of the design – and its suitability for the particular school community – it’s important to keep in mind things like
School mission and goals
Curriculum and pedagogy
Social & cultural diversity of the school community
Design for sustainability to create:
Flexible spaces for ongoing/future development
Relationships between built, digital and natural environment
Accessibility and flow of people
Natural light, shade, ventilation, sound
It generally works best to consider the big conceptual aspects first – and leave practical details, like furniture and technology, until later - to keep spatial options open.
And incorporate some original or playful elements into the design – maybe think of a distinctive name for the new learning space that conveys its purpose or innovative nature
Once a group has developed a collective design, it’s time to represent it visually – as a drawing, collage or model
Here are some suggested guidelines for visually representing design ideas
Do one collaborative design for each group
Envisage an IDEAL learning space - let your imagination flow
Representations don’t have to be ‘perfect’ – no rulers needed
Create freehand drawings, collage or models using found materials
Once the designs are completed, share and compare them between groups
Brainstorm pros and cons of each design
Work towards creating a consensus-based design – by sharing, comparing, selecting and incorporating design ideas
Showcase selected design(s) to
Decision-makers (such as school leadership and P&C)
Professional designers, architects
On the right of the screen you can see some group designs – the top one was by university librarians, the other two by teachers
Here are some examples of learning space designs visualised by school students
For school librarians, the most productive aspect of designing is using the space for the purposes of discovery, learning, reading and student wellbeing
Be sure to celebrate the newly designed space – and allow yourself and your library users plenty of time get to know and grow into the space - and to learn how to use it
Some suggestions for easing transition into the newly designed space include:
Approach the space with flexibility and an open mind.
Consider the possibilities it offers to refresh your pedagogy – for example, experiment with different layouts and approaches.
Share your experience of the space with teaching colleagues – including successes and pitfalls in using it.
Maybe set up a web site or blog to document and share your experience of the new space.
Share the excitement - promote the new library space to the wider school community through the library web site, school newsletter and events
It’s important to recognise that adapting to new library and learning spaces can be challenging as well as exciting.
Learning to use a new space is naturally more intuitive (or daunting) for some than others.
So for teachers ongoing support is important to ensure that new learning spaces can be used comfortably and confidently to their full potential. School librarians can support teaching colleagues in various ways, such as:
PD opportunities and mentoring
Connecting with innovative peers across your school and wider networks
Identifying learning space champions – recognised/promoted by school leaders
Even as you become familiar with the new space, allow the designing process to continue through ongoing evaluation …
Post occupancy evaluation (POE) is an important – but often overlooked - aspect of the designing process
Inevitably, just like a newly renovated home, not everything will work as anticipated – and some things may have been overlooked.
POE not only seeks to identify and fix technical problems – it also checks library user experience and how well the new space is meeting its intended purpose and the needs of teachers and students.
For a POE, the evaluation methods mentioned before will work well
Also call in school IT and facilities management to test technical things like WiFi, lighting, switches, operability of doors & windows, furniture &equipment defects
Consider a web site or blog to document changes, innovative uses and gather ideas for further design improvements.
Ideally, designing is never ‘done’ – allow the vitality and viability of your learning spaces to grow through ongoing reimagination of its potential.
To assist with this process, you will find further resources – including the templates shown in this webinar - on my website School Library Designing https://hilaryemh.wordpress.com/
I also invite you to share your design ideas and outcomes via the School Library Designing website – either as a featured ‘snapshot’ or images on the Padlet.
![Participatory learning space designing
for school librarians
Hilary Hughes
July 2021
[Image copied with Creative Commons license]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/participatorydesigning-july2021-210703031645/85/Participatory-learning-space-designing-for-school-librarians-1-320.jpg)
