Learning Spaces: Who’s Really Calling the Shots?

The course on Future Learning Organisations sparked something in my brain, shifting how I see various aspects of education. But it was at the book launch for Dr James Lamb & Dr Lucila Carvalho’s “*Towards harmonious, positive, postdigital Spaces for Learning*” where the pieces really fell into place.

Here’s what hit me: in our postdigital world, many people let technology dictate their learning spaces rather than the other way around. Think about it – how often do you hear someone say they “need” to find a spot with good wifi to study? Or see students huddled around power outlets in libraries, their choice of study space determined by their laptop’s battery life?

This made me reflect on my own approach, which I’d perhaps taken for granted. I’ve written chunks of essays on my phone while walking to catch the bus, done preliminary research through podcasts or audiobooks while, and read academic papers while stopped on a hike. The decide what technology I would use according to my chosen learning space, not the other way around.

But I’m seeing a concerning pattern. More and more, we’re letting technology have the first and last word on where and how we learn. It’s like we’re asking “Where can my laptop/tablet/phone work best?” instead of “Where do I work best?”

And now, with AI entering the education scene, this pattern risks becoming even more entrenched. I’m hearing lots of conversations about what AI can do in education, followed by discussions about how to shape learning spaces around these capabilities. But shouldn’t we flip this script?

What if we first asked ourselves:
– What kind of learning environment helps us think most creatively?
– Where do we feel most engaged with our subject matter?
– How can we create spaces that foster both individual reflection and collaborative learning?
– What environments help us maintain focus and deep thinking?

Then, and only then, we could consider how technology – including AI – might be integrated into these spaces and experiences, rather than define them.

Ironically, the same technology that promises to make learning more flexible often ends up constraining us through its requirements – power, connectivity, specific environments. We need to reclaim our agency in choosing our learning spaces. The best learning space isn’t necessarily the one with the strongest wifi signal – it’s the one where your mind feels most alive.

[Featured image generated by Adobe Photoshop AI.]