Learning Resources

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.

Abstract: As we recognize the importance of informal learning spaces, there are still unanswered questions. How should informal learning spaces impact students? How can we understand the potential of informal spaces? How can design optimize this potential? This session will bring insights from multi-year multidisciplinary research in a large university system regarding planning and designing informal learning spaces on multiple college campuses. Come learn how to apply research methods to enhance understanding and support of design goals on your campus.

Abstract: Originally intended in the late 19th century as a suburban campus for New York University, the Bronx Community College of The City University of New York campus is unique in that it has had three libraries designed and built in the 19th, 20th, and the 21st centuries by leading architects: Gould Memorial Library, a neo-classical gem designed by Stanford White; Meister Hall, a mid-century modern library designed by Marcel Breuer; and North Hall, a thoroughly 21st century library designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects.

Libraries as repositories of knowledge have evolved over the centuries. Bronx Community College represents a case study of how libraries can (or cannot) adapt to changing times, needs, and function. Join us as we discuss the merits of each library and how their design exemplifies their evolving mission of making information more accessible over time.

Abstract: Designing libraries based on student experience rather than book storage provides the potential to cater to a wider variety of students and learning styles, transforming libraries from an afterthought for prospective students to an asset for recruitment. This session will use recent library projects to study the effect of major program shifts on student behavior and discourse. We will look at both larger capital improvement projects and “small wins” that can be readily executed.

Abstract: This session will explore in-depth case studies of two interdisciplinary centers for STEM learning, innovation, and entrepreneurship, one at a leading liberal arts college (Washington and Lee University), and the other at a large research university (Virginia Commonwealth University). Leaders involved in the planning, design, operation, and evolution of two successful STEM and innovation centers will share the most impactful decisions affecting the long-term success of their work, including how location, governance, funding, programming, and promotion influence dynamic interdisciplinary results.

Abstract: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's (Virginia Tech) Creativity and Innovation District (CID) is a trans-disciplinary nexus drawing together students, faculty, and external partners while aligning collaborative facilities, resources, tools, and technologies that will enable it to thrive as a living-learning environment. In this session, we will share explicit, purposeful strategies for how to administer shared academic arts and campus life programs that foster interdisciplinary inquiry.