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Evaluation Trials

Hub
Swinburne University’s Hawthorn Project Hub is a learning space offering 24-hour, 7-day-a-week access to approximately 2000 students who are undertaking capstone subjects in the final year of their undergraduate degrees. The Project Hub, opened for the first semester in 2009, was built as a result of undergraduate students stating that the most important thing Swinburne could do to improve the group project learning experience would be to provide facilities dedicated to undergraduate projects and group work. The Project Hub has been well frequented and used by the students since opening and an evaluation was commenced in October, 2009.
LC

In response to the ever-changing requirements of today’s dynamic study and work environments, Victoria University has commenced and is continuing the redevelopment of several campus libraries following a Learning Commons approach. This concept places the student "at the centre”, providing a "one stop shop" for Library, IT, Careers and Learning Support services and creating a dynamic environment for learning.

In addition to offering traditional library collections and services, VU’s Learning Commons provide enhanced spaces with extensive student computing services, a mix of group and independent study spaces, all supported by access to food and cafes to encourage the social dimension of learning.

At the centre of the new service model has been the inclusion of the Student Rover Program. This peer mentoring support service provides practical and motivational learning support for students within the various Learning Commons spaces. The Student Rovers’ community of practice is supported and facilitated using social networking tools to build shared knowledge by the predominantly Generation Y rovers.
ACTS

ACTS has the look and feel of a modern lecture theatre even though it hosts advanced IT and AV systems designed to maximise communication and interaction. This set up allows new concepts in pedagogy and technology to be implemented, tested and evaluated with large student groups.

Pedagogy was a primary consideration in planning this new space. As 80% of future usage was determined to be in the form lecture-style didactic teaching, with the remaining time available for small group discussion, the room was designed in tiers with a double row of desks per tier and swivel chairs on castors.

This configuration allows collaboration between groups with students in each row of the double tier. To further enable this type of interaction, the rear desk was made wider and the desktop displays were mounted on swivels.

While ACTS is in itself a state of the art teaching and learning space, the lessons learned from its ongoing operation and evaluation inform and direct the University’s own practice when building and refurbishing teaching and learning space. ACTS also plays a key role in enabling research into new pedagogies, new teaching technologies and teaching space design.