Learning Resources

Abstract: This article discusses the processes and outcomes of recent efforts at George Mason University (GMU) to acknowledge and celebrate the lives of those individuals enslaved by the institution’s namesake. In an era of intense debate surrounding the legacies of historical figures in the United States, GMU seeks to set the example for one approach to dealing with the conversations: community-fostering dialogue. We discuss the use of sculptural elements to create a new monument that sits in discourse with an existing statue of George Mason IV, highlighting how undergraduate student research efforts can be leveraged to address topics of value to today’s campus communities.

Abstract: Multiple entities within institutions often have competing values, but virtual reality (VR) simulation can help overcome this challenge by creating an accessible platform for building a collective vision. We will demonstrate how we incorporated VR into stakeholder engagement for the University of Virginia's Student Health and Wellness Center to address health outcomes, promote student learning, and collaborate with interdisciplinary partners across campus. Encouraging stakeholders to virtually test a space's impact on health and learning will help you to advance decision-making, leverage diverse expertise, and capture empathy-driven insight to create a more efficient and intelligent design process at your institution.

Abstract: A collaborative approach allows building projects to open faster, reduces redesign, increases staff satisfaction, and produces a higher utilization rate than the traditional design process. This session details the collaborative Lean process involving over 100 people that allowed the Lauritzen Outpatient Center on the Nebraska Medical Campus to be completed 1.5 years early with few design changes. Come learn from our unique approach in which actual users participate in designing the facility, allowing implementation of new processes and efficiencies known only to medical center staff.

Abstract: After participating in this session, you will be able to identify and distinguish formal from informal learning spaces, recognize active learning behaviors and describe elements of space and design that enable such behaviors, and identify and choose appropriate assessment methods to generate evidence of specific informal environments for self-directed active learning.