Dissertation DefenseDissertation Defense

Susan J. Wolff

September 7, 2001

Dr. George H. Copa, Major Professor

Dissertation TitleDissertation Title::

Sustaining Systems of Relationships: The Essence of the Physical Learning Environment that Supports and Enhances Collaborative,

Project-based Learning at the Community College Level

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Chapter 1 ….. Focus and Significance of the Study

Chapter 2 ….. Review of Related Literature

Chapter 3 ….. Design of the StudyChapter 4 ….. Findings and

Analysis of Phase I

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Chapter 5 ….. Findings and Analysis of Phase II

Chapter 6 ….. Findings and Analysis of Phase III

Chapter 7 ….. Understandings and Future Research

BibliographyAppendices

Significance of the StudySignificance of the Study

Roles and responsibilities of work, family, community, and personal life are changing in response to:

– Globalization

– Transition from the industrial age to a knowledge age

Significance of the StudySignificance of the Study

– Diverse and multi-cultural living and work environments

– Fast-paced, fragmented, and

changing societal norms and

structures

Significance of the StudySignificance of the Study

– Need for continual learning of new skills and abilities to keep pace with the accelerated rate of change

Sample of Learning Sample of Learning Expectations Expectations

That address changing roles and responsibilities:

– Gathering, analyzing, and using

information

– Anticipating and handling change

Sample of Learning Sample of Learning ExpectationsExpectations

– Working in high-performance teams

– Thinking in terms of systemic outcomes

– Using effective communication

skills

Sample of Learning Sample of Learning

Expectations Expectations

– Taking action to improve communities

– Managing resources

– Providing leadership

Sample of Learning Sample of Learning ExpectationsExpectations

– Respecting others and valuing

diversity

– Taking responsibility for one’s

own learning

Collaborative Learning ProcessCollaborative Learning Process

Provides Learning of:• Content• Critical thinking• Problem solving• Teamwork

Collaborative Learning ProcessCollaborative Learning Process

• Negotiating

• Reaching consensus

• Social and academic

development

• Sense of community

Project-Based LearningProject-Based Learning

Provides relevancy, value, and meaning

Provides learning of:

• Value of relationships and

partnerships

• Communication skills

Project-Based LearningProject-Based Learning

• Higher order thinking skills such

as critical thinking and solving

problems

• Use of technology and tools

• Importance of lifelong learning

Focus of the StudyFocus of the Study

Identify and describe the design features of the physical learning environment that support and enhance collaborative, project-based learning at the community college level

Focus of the StudyFocus of the Study

Gain an understanding of the

rationale for the selection of the

desired features of the physical

learning environment of

community colleges

Why Look at Physical Why Look at Physical Environments ?Environments ?

Majority of community college

facilities were built in the 1960’s

Billions of dollars are being spent for

renovations and replacements

Why Look at Physical Why Look at Physical Environments ?Environments ?

Availability of research regarding how

design of college facilities supports

desired learning expectations and

processes is minimal and most of what

is available addresses K-12 facilities

MethodologyMethodology

Phenomenology – to gain an

understanding of recommended

the design features and the

purpose and rationale of the

features.

Design of the StudyDesign of the Study

Phase I of the StudyPhase I of the Study

Sources of data:– Site visits– Internship

Data gathering strategies:– Observation– Participation– Note taking– Reflection

Phase I of the StudyPhase I of the Study

Analysis process: – Text analysis

Findings of Phase IFindings of Phase I

28 design features and their

descriptions and purposes of

the physical learning environment

were identified

Findings of Phase IFindings of Phase I

4 preliminary categories of these design

features were determined:

– Learning group sizes

– Learning activities

– Adjacencies among the spaces

– Furnishings for the spaces

Transition - Phase I to Phase IITransition - Phase I to Phase II

Phase I was introductory and exploratory

Findings from Phase I indicated need

for:

– Gaining greater understanding of

the two foci of the study

Transition - Phase I to Phase IITransition - Phase I to Phase II

– Narrowing the focus to

collaborative, project-based

learning

– Concentrating the study at the

community college level

– Increasing the pool of participants

Phase II of the StudyPhase II of the Study

Sources of data:– National and International Conferences

Data gathering strategies:– Observation– Participation– Note taking

Phase II of the StudyPhase II of the Study

Data gathering strategies:

– Audio and electronic mail interviews

– Reflection

Analysis process:

– Text and audio analysis

Findings of Phase IIFindings of Phase II

5 additional design features were identified

1 additional category of design feature

was identified

– psychological and physiological

support

Findings of Phase IIFindings of Phase II

Renamed “Learning Activities” to

“Learning Activities/Learning Spaces”

Added depth and breadth to findings

Data more specific to community colleges

Transition - Phase II to Phase IIITransition - Phase II to Phase III

Phase II began to concentrate on collaborative, project-based learning at the community college level; however, the data collected continued to have some Pre-K-12 influence

Transition - Phase II to Phase IIITransition - Phase II to Phase III

The addition of personal interviews

as a means of collecting data

provided new perspectives to the

foci of the study and the data

Transition - Phase II to Phase IIITransition - Phase II to Phase III

Phase III gave full attention to

physical learning environments that

support and enhance collaborative,

project-based learning specifically

at the community college level

Transition - Phase II to Phase IIITransition - Phase II to Phase III

Phase III added three additional

methods for collecting data

Phase III modeled collaborative,

project-based learning

Phase III of the StudyPhase III of the Study

Source of data:– Two-day design studio

Data gathering strategies:– Observation– Note taking– Audio and electronic mail interviews

Phase III of the StudyPhase III of the Study

Data gathering strategies:– Participant journals– Participant materials and designs– Reflection

Analysis process: – Text, audio, and video analysis

Findings from Phase IIIFindings from Phase III

11 additional design features were

identified resulting in a total of 44

features being identified from the study

that support and enhance collaborative,

project-based learning

Findings from Phase IIIFindings from Phase III

1 more category of design feature was

added:

– Structural aspects

Level One Analysis Level One Analysis of the Findingsof the Findings

Involved looking for commonalities

of function and design across all

44 features, resulting in the number

of features being reduced to 32

Level One Analysis Level One Analysis of the Findingsof the Findings

Further analyzed the six preliminary

categories of features for

appropriateness, resulting in the

renaming of one category:

– learning activities/learning spaces

became functional spaces for learning

activities

Level Two Analysis Level Two Analysis of the Findings:of the Findings:

The design features were clustered into the

following six categories:

– Group size

– Functional spaces for learning

activities

– Adjacencies

Level Two Analysis Level Two Analysis of the Findings:of the Findings:

– Furnishings

– Psychological and physiological

support

– Structural aspects

Level Three Analysis Level Three Analysis of the Findings of the Findings

Areas of further research:

– What are the systems of

relationships among people

and spaces that support and

enhance collaborative,

project-based learning?

Level Three Analysis Level Three Analysis of the Findings of the Findings

Areas of further research:

– What are the core or “fixed”

elements of the design of the

physical learning

environment?

Level Three Analysis Level Three Analysis of the Findings of the Findings

Areas of further research:– How can we prepare community

colleges to adopt collaborative, project-based learning approaches and assist in the design of physical learning environments that support this learning process?

Alexander, C. (1979). Alexander, C. (1979). The Timeless Way of BuildingThe Timeless Way of Building

“Evidently, then, a large part of the

structure of a building consists of

patterns of relationships …the fact is

the elements themselves are patterns

of relationships …that actually repeats

itself and gives structure to a building”.