chapters 1-4 - University of Queensland

Evaluation and the Pedagogy-Space-Technology FrameworkWho are the evaluators? Analysis of the literature (reflected in thecolloquium) finds that the most prolific evaluatorsare librarians. Library staff members are activemanagers of their spaces and are constantlyengaged with their users or clients. In general,librarians are committed to ongoing evaluationwith often highly developed and standardisedinstruments. It is worth pointing out, howeverthat part of the goal in this case is the evaluationof library services, with only a portion relatingto issues of space design. However in seekingto understand the changing usage patterns,librarians are often in the position of having longterm data upon which to draw. This provides solidempirical evidence for change.Interesting differences in perspective are evidentin the evaluations of space performed by othergroups. Some of the papers presented hereare authored by space builders (both architectsand technologists) who have a vested interestin improving their solutions as briefs becomemore standardised. Academics who studytertiary teaching practice are also becoming moreactive along with a smattering of independentresearchers.When should space be evaluated? It is not surprising that since the majority ofevaluative studies presented in this collection wereconducted post occupancy and over a relativelyshort term that we can be beguiled into thinkingof ‘evaluation’ only in this narrow sense. Howeverother views of evaluation were raised duringthe discussion sessions that find support in thepapers.Deborah Terry (UQ Deputy Vice Chancellor Teachingand Learning) argued strongly for proper evaluationtechniques to be applied to projects in the proposalstage in order to facilitate proper competitive fundingdecisions. This kind of evaluation of space looksto not just answer the question of how we shoulddesign and build space but also where should webuild and if we should build at all. This view foundbroad agreement with contributors pointing also tothe role of projects such as UQ ACTS (AdvancedConcept Teaching Space) and Stanford’s WallenbergHall as experimental spaces whose ongoingevaluation was designed to inform the institution’sdecision making regarding pedagogy, space andtechnology design across a range of projects.Mitchell, Winslett and Howell (Queensland Universityof Technology) present a comprehensive plan forevaluation in an evolving and experimental space(Lab 2.0) that takes this approach. Both Graves(Griffith University) and Lee (Swinburne) presentperspectives on pre-build evaluation and Andrewsand Powell (UQ) sought to illuminate the ways inwhich issues uncovered in evaluation were directlyapplied to succeeding projects of the same genre.Others argued for longer term evaluation of spaceto address ongoing environmental concerns. Thisprompts a broader question as to why matureteaching spaces were not subject to regular andsustained evaluation in the same way as moreclosely managed learning spaces such as libraries.What should be evaluated? Before moving to the question of methodology, itis instructive to review the goals of the evaluation.There are a variety of motivators for undertakingevaluation. Some appraisals appear to have thegoal of validating a newly completed project andby extension, arguing for the creation of similarspaces. Simpler measures such as head countsand multiple choice user satisfaction questionsare often the mainstay of these surveys. Bycontrast, research projects or design studiesaimed at informing ongoing development typicallystrive to uncover more detail, both by targetingempirical measures and probing with open endedquestioning and focus groups.Usage is of course a fundamental measure. Itwould be a brave or foolish project managerwho would argue success in the face of meagreoccupancy, so gate numbers will always have aplace. However, understanding patterns of useover time is increasingly recognised as useful. Dopatterns change hour-by-hour or shift notablybetween early, mid and later weeks of semester?Geographic patterns, such as understandingwhere users have been prior to entering theevaluated space and where they are headed canalso be immensely useful in campus planning.Several of the studies presented attempted to gaina more sophisticated insight into the patterns of an example) and this should be seen as an axis ofstudy which is growing in importance.28 NEXT GENERATION LEARNING SPACES