Additional Support for Learning: a study of educators’ experiences of adapting learning spaces *NEW REPORT PUBLISHED* (November 2023)
This study makes a contribution to education policy and practice by exploring the recent experiences of educators in designing and adapting learning spaces in one local authority. It builds on previous research in the field by responding to the question, How can the adaptation of school and Early Years (EY) spaces support the learning of pupils with additional needs?
The study ran for six months (November 2022 – April 2023) from and 14 educators from 4 learning settings (early years, primary, secondary, special needs) in Edinburgh took part.
Read the Main Findings and Recommendations in the Executive Summary.
Collaborative Virtual Spaces: Is Art Essential? (September 2022)
The National Galleries of Scotland, in partnership with Hidden Giants, developed an investigative project with Blackburn Primary School to explore the value of visual arts to children and the potential role of visual arts as a tool to build their capacity to deal with uncertainty. The initiative, in which three artists worked with learners and teachers from Primary 1-7, ran for three months at the beginning of 2021. The Shared Learning Spaces team at the University of Edinburgh supported the research.
Read a blog on the project on The National Galleries of Scotland website.
STEM Visionaries: Inspiring Spaces, Inspiring Learning Project Report (May 2022)
Following on from a pilot project in 2021, the Shared Learning Spaces Team was awarded funding from Regional Skills to explore spaces for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) learning with partners from the Dunfermline Learning Campus: Fife College, Woodmill High School, and St Columba’s RC High School.
To ensure that STEM learning is understood and developed in ways which are inspiring and which will influence their future lives, it is crucial to foreground the voice of learners, teachers, and lecturers. With the Dunfermline Learning Campus projected to be completed for the 2024- 25 academic year, our project offered an important opportunity for the learners themselves to influence the design of the new campus.
Pupils took on the role of ‘STEM Visionaries’, while students from Fife College acted as ‘STEM Advisors’, and they were set the task of creating a participant-led blueprint for the STEM spaces. The brief of the blueprint was to demonstrate how working with young people to design their learning will empower and inspire them not only to enhance their achievements but also deepen their understanding of STEM now and in the future.
For full access to our research reports, presentations, and other papers, go to the Research project reports page.
Leave a Reply