The Complexity of Spatial Agency in Innovative Learning Environments

Abstract

<p>There has been growing interest in the interplay of social and material elements in innovative learning environments (ILE) and attention to the agency of teachers and students. This chapter considers how school spatial design can influence students' and teachers' sociomaterially mediated capacity to act. The authors' research was undertaken at a time in Aotearoa when there were moves to implement ILE across schools to reflect a pedagogic vision for twenty-first century learning, with significant government investment in building design (Ministry of Education. (2015). Designing schools in New Zealand, requirements and guidelines. Wellington: Ministry of Education. https://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Primary-Secondary/Property/Design/Design-guidance/DSNZ-version-1-0-20151014.pdf). 'Spatial agency' is an emergent theme in the case study research. For both students and teachers, agency involves spatial literacy where they notice and recognise the pedagogical affordances of the material spaces and objects in the learning environment. These pedagogical affordances can be used to advantage for learning both individually and with peers. The emphasis on openness and flexibility creates an impetus for students to demonstrate spatial agency where they effectively navigate socio-material spaces. With potential for such a profound influence on teaching and learning in Aotearoa schools, research into how teachers and students enact agency in ILE is timely.</p>