RE-DEFINING LEARNING SPACE

                

RE-DEFINING LEARNING SPACE

Traditional idea of learning space limit the definition to the physical classroom with an arranged  tables and chairs and a

teacher/instructor standing close to a chalkboard or marker board with stock of all knowledge and with students in class being "tabular razor" and passive. This concept of learning space narrows the definition to physical structures such as the physical classroom, library, faculty office, cafe and workshops where formal learning takes place.  The new concept of learning space represent significant opportunity for higher education. Technology has made learning spaces potential to serve new learning paradigm. With technology education, learning today is not limited by time and space. Therefore, the definition of learning space has become broader and much more inclusive. The physical classroom is no more the primary locus for learning in education.Technology has changed learning space. According to Brown, M.(2018) the Web has broaden learning space by creating spaces for network-based applications from digital music to new venues for scholarly publishing.

The Classroom Concept

Concept of today's classroom environment is expanded to includes cameras, DVD players, internet access and projectors. These have added new functions to classroom. Video conferencing for example makes it feasible for an invited expert from remote institutions to join a class session while still at a distance. For example as a student on the DEEL program I receive my learning materials, assignment, exchange ideas and perform group assignment, quizes and receive feedback from lecturer via the internet at my home. It is now possible for students who use variety of digital devices to turn almost any space outside the physical classroom into learning spaces just like learning in classroom. Such is how technology has turned non-classroom spaces to support, encourage and extend the student learning environment. Thus the classroom concept no longer limit to space within bricks and mortar.

Virtual Space

Virtual space refers to any place where people can use network digital devices to interact. Internet technologies have created virtual space. Virtual space is not static, it can be spontaneous as well as deliberate, synchronous or asynchronous. Virtual classroom makes it possible for students to perform multi-task i.e opening and working at many sites at the same time.

Today's Classroom

Internet technologies have both expanded and transform the idea of classroom. Virtual space has taken its place alongside the physical classroom. Wireless networks make real time or synchronous and asynchronous interactions among all class participants everywhere at every place possible.  The term classroom no longer limits to the physical classroom where learning takes. People everywhere are free to enroll on courses online, anywhere at any time, receive learning materials and study to obtain their degrees. I personally experienced virtual learning environment when I enroll on instructional design and technology in University of Maryland as part of the DEEL program at University of Ghana through moocs.  Student today can switch between courses virtually anywhere in any school around the world.
 In conclusion, it should be acknowledged that the concept of learning space is transforming from being a physical space like the school classroom to virtual environment created by Internet technologies.

Re-defining Learning Space

Learning space imply any place where learning takes place in my view learning space is volatile as human life is full of learning. It is difficult to separate human from learning because learning is part of living. Learning experts in psychology have explained that the unborn learns right from the womb. One of such experts who educators have ascribe to his findings is Chomsky. It must be acknowledged that right at birth the child cries upon experiencing new conditions from the environment. Then the child learns to suck breast even as a toddler. Then he/she learns to eat, talk, walk, play, make friends and then the child is sent to school. It is at this stage that the school where learning takes place in a physical geographical space.Then moves from one class to another and stage to stage at different levels. The child learn to make friends both in school and at home. He/she travels with parents, visit towns and interesting places, performs school assignment at home and learns throughout until he completes school.After school learning continues, one learns to take up responsibilities in society. It should be noted that learning does not stop upon completion of school education. It is therefore difficult to limit learning space to defined geographical area. To define learning in my view is all the accumulated learning experiences in life that assist growth and maturity of a person.

Further, people continue to learn valuable life lessons as they take up responsibilities in the larger society. The attend festival and they learn to appreciate diversity of human life; the differences in the way people live. It should be noted that in the olden days when there was no school education in our society, people learnt to survive in many ways even when the time clock had not been invented to reduce times and seasons into minutes and hours, our forefathers relied on cockcrow to determine how they should live; when to wake-up. They studied the weather to know when to cultivate and harvest. Their shadow as shaped by the sun determined when to leave the farm and come back home. Learning space cannot therefore be reduced into a mere geographical space. In my view learning space is ubiquitous. Learning takes place everywhere.

In conclusion, it could be deduced from the above that learning space could not be reduced to any physical geographical demarcation. It is the accumulated experiences of life from birth to the grave. It is ubiquitous. For that reason it is difficult to refer learning space to a limited or bounded space.

Re-defining Learning Space

Learning space could be looked at from  three different angles school education, home education and workplace experience. With school learning space reduce learning to a physical geographical space broken to levels: Kindergarten, Primary education, Junior High, Secondary education and University education. In this sense learning space could be referred  to a defined physical space where learning takes place. This definition pictures a situation where a teacher and a learner physically meet and interact via learning aids such as chalkboard, textbooks, pen and pencil, drawings, sketches, computers and the rest with a sole aim of acquiring certificates. This concept of learning is changing today as population continues to grow and demand for school education keep increasing. Pressure is brought upon governments and school authorities to expand infrastructure which becomes difficult within the circumstance of scarce resources. Authorities are now under pressure to look for alternative innovative ways of meeting the huge demand on them. Thanks to the internet and the internet technologies. Today the emergence of computer and the internet has made it possible for people to learn from the comfort of their home to acquire diplomas and degrees without the need of the physical presence of the teacher and the learner. This situation changes learning situation. With a smartphone people learn as they walk, work and even lie in bed via audio visual aids like the television and teleconference tools and podcast. This new concept calls for re-defining learning space. Learning has become ubiquitous which takes place everywhere.

Home learning start from the family where the child is born. The child learns to socialized and interact with family members from day one. He/she learns to basic hygiene like washing, dressing and grooming under the guidance of immediate family members. At certain stage the child make friends in the community and learns in a wider sense. He/she attends church and learns moral lesson. Today, influence of technology has taken dominance at home. Right at birth the child is exposed to music, television and even sometimes plays with phones. As the child grows he/she is introduced to the use of computer before the child is sent to school.It should be noted that even at home learning space is not limited to the family house. It extends to the community and the internet and therefore difficult to limit learning to a geographical space.

Another factor in the definition of learning space is workplace experience. People continue to learn when they gain employment. Through observation, try and error, constant practice and mentoring workers continue their learning at workplace. The emergence of internet technologies has again change the way people learn at the workplace. They don't need to learn face to face anymore. Through podcast, video conferencing, television programs, videos, CD and many other technologies available to the worker he/she learns any he/she move to. Learning today has become mobile and  therefore needs to be re-define.