Learning Resources

Abstract: This article describes the planning process undertaken at a large, regional comprehensive university to create a space within existing buildings aimed at improving student success in introductory mathematics. It demonstrates the need for integrated planning grounded in academic priorities and student success models.

Abstract: This article examines the benefits and challenges a college president faces when attempting to cultivate relationships with the community in which the college resides. Throughout history, the relationships between institutions of higher education and the communities that house them have often been turbulent, but much good can be realized when true collaboration is achieved. The author shares examples of colleges that have achieved positive outcomes from partnerships and explains why creating a cooperative environment benefits the college. The author’s experiences at a small Georgia college—both successes and failures—show how active management can build a vibrant town-gown community.

Abstract: Globalization is reshaping the relationship between U.S. universities and their host cities. U.S. universities must adjust to momentous changes in the worldwide higher education system, and U.S. cities must retool to maintain their place in the innovation economy. Institutional and civic resources are being pooled to form global-ready urban environments, giving rise to a new generation of urban settings. This article describes the historic cosmopolitan connection between cities and universities, discusses the global forces affecting that relationship today, and offers case illustrations of campus-oriented civic change in three U.S. localities.

Abstract: The demand for interdisciplinary teaching and research suggests the need to understand how universities are undertaking and fostering interdisciplinarity. Through an examination of strategic and master plans at 21 research universities, this article explores how institutions plan and foster interdisciplinary engagement through the use of space on campus. The construction of such space acknowledges that the discrete functions of the university, frequently attributed to the disciplines and departments, are not generally conducive to interdisciplinary engagement. Physical space is a necessary component for successful interdisciplinary initiatives both functionally and symbolically.

Abstract: U.S. transportation data suggest that the number of vehicle miles traveled has far surpassed new capacity, resulting in increased traffic congestion in many communities throughout the country. This article reports on traffic congestion around a university campus located within a small town. The mix of trip purposes varies considerably in this context, with the majority of trips related to student movement to and from classes. The university itself becomes a major traffic generator, but in a complex way. This article describes how congestion in a university setting differs from that in a nonuniversity setting; what components drive this congestion; how best to reduce this congestion while adhering to overall university planning objectives; and how to set a foundation for traffic management strategies that provide environmental, social, and economic benefit to the university and, importantly, to the surrounding community. The information presented here applies beyond the campus setting to any community that contains nontraditional traffic generators and shows why context does matter when analyzing and managing traffic.

Abstract: Clearly, space affects learning behavior. Yet even in the Knowledge Age, designers go back constantly to familiar Agrarian and Industrial Age learning space models. SCUPer Lennie Scott-Webber worked assiduously to comb through the latest behavioral and sociological research relating to how people interact with the built environment. She’s taken what used to “sit on shelves in the ivory halls of academe” and has applied it to the physical design of interior learning spaces.

Scott-Webber’s work, shared in this elegant book with clear and over-sized diagrams and charts, establishes five different archetypal environments that support knowledge sharing: Environments for Delivering Knowledge; Environments for Applying Knowledge; Environments for Creating Knowledge; Environments for Communication Knowledge; and Environments for Decision Making.

There’s more to classroom design than simply considering what technology to put into the classroom. Designers and clients, whether in education or the corporate world, will each enjoy the way existing environmental/behavior research can be applied to the thoughtful consideration of these archetypes, either standing alone or used in combinations to create rich, interactive learning spaces.

Abstract: Educational expectations mandated by contemporary health care practice have expanded dramatically during the last decade. The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions at Central Michigan University has responded to this challenge through the creation of powerful pedagogical environments in its newly constructed health professions building. Active, immersive learning environments have been designed that will involve students in educational experiences organized to optimize learning opportunities for diverse types of learners. These unique environments are configured to foster self-directed learning while monitoring effectiveness and adapting the educational experiences to the learner. This article communicates key strategic and tactical planning issues from the leadership’s perspective and offers tactical implementation required to advance this vision.