St Martin's College, The Learning Gateway, Carlisle

Background & Context

Pedagogical Principles Behind The Project

The Learning Gateway should:

• Assist students to actively construct new meanings as they interact with their environment and encourage student-student communication as well as teacher-student communication. (flexible space, student bookable space, welcoming, circular seating pods, free movement)
• Encourage students to learn by conversation not isolation (comfortable seating, grouping and design of furniture, social learning spaces, walk up computing)
• Be attractive and aesthetic to motivate and excite learners (colours, visual impact and cues, design, functionality, light)
• Promote social interaction to facilitate learning (seating pods, video conferencing, few rules, learning facilitators, tutors etc)
• Create a culture of collaboration by outreach to potential learners and partners (video conferencing, streaming, webcams, flexible access policies)
• Give learners and tutors control over their own learning environment to promote deep learning and support independent learning (adaptable space, few rules, learning facilitation, space to experiment, portable furnishings)
• Actively support connected behaviour that facilitates interactivity between tutors and learners - one-to-one and one-to-many (lecture theatre interactivity, student booking systems, free movement between spaces, ICT facilities)
• Support a diversity of learning styles and empower learners to think about their learning situations and adapt their physical environment accordingly (moveable furniture, variety of structured and open space, mobile technology)
• Create an inclusive social support network for students. (inclusive policies, partnership services, student engagement, implementation of the new academic team - the Gateway process - Change Academy)
• Remove barriers to learning by providing technology that 'works' for all, and by welcoming students with disabilities via adaptive facilities to nticipate need (wireless technology, accessibility, adaptations for wheelchair users, hearing loops, guides, training, learning support services)
• Support the creativity, experimentation, and enquiry of learners to uncover potential new uses of the technology and facilities (laptops, learning facilitators, observation studies, logs, and ongoing evaluation and reflection)
• In addition the LG aspires to move and evolve over time (future-proofing) and to keep abreast of the needs of users and listen to what students and staff at the institution require.