Poster Presentation Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia 2015

The flipped campus - Designing a student centred learning experience in an uncertain future (#311)

Kenn D. Fisher 1 , Georgia Singleton 2
  1. University of Melbourne, Norton Summit, SA, Australia
  2. Global Education Sector, Woods Bagot Architects, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract Content (up to 300 words recommended)

 Kolb & Kolb (2009) write that learning spaces consist of complex, dynamic forms in which learning styles are shaped through transactions between the person and the environment.  They suggest that four topologically nested sub-systems - the micro; meso; exo; and macro - inscribe the principal domains in which students learn. The micro is represented by the student's immediate classroom, the meso is mediated by student residences, family and perhaps parallel online courses, the exo covers the policies and structures impacting on the student via campus culture and, finally, the macro is shaped by society's values and aspirations (such as valuing education over training, for example). Kolb & Kolb argue that this framework largely covers the social factors that impact on a student's learning experience.  Flipping the campus - where students can work and learn anywhere but come to campus to workshop, collaborate, mediate and be coached in what they have learnt - means that the three prime campus spatial typologies - formal, informal and social - will change significantly in their mix, from say the present 50:40:10 to perhaps 10:60:30.  Campuses will look very different and may be represented by a woven fabric (Singapore University of Technology), a campus within a campus (University of Sydney Business School) or a mini city (Zheijang University).  This paper will cognitively map pedagogy and space (Jameson, 1996) to illustrate how students might learn in an uncertain future.

KOLB, A. & Kolb., D. 2005. Learning Styles and Learning Spaces: Enhancing Experiential Learning in Higher Education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, Vol, 4, 193-202.

Jameson, F. (1991). Postmodernism or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. Duke University Press.

Addressing the theme/s of the Conference (up to 200 words recommended)

 Preparing students for life and work has always been problematic in a campus-based learning environment.  This is now even more compounded with the emergence of MOOC’s and other online non face to face learning experiences.  Furthermore work integrated learning is becoming a priority for many disciplines to ensure a more authentic learning experience.  Flipping the campus - akin to the flipped classroom - will enable much greater synergy with the ‘real world’ experience and provide a much more engaging face to face campus experience which will enhance student graduate attributes development in an increasingly complex and uncertain future.  The campus will be more agile, more woven into the fabric of practice based knowledge development and also provide a more engaged and authentic discipline-based experience with the proposed concept(s) presented in this paper.