An affordance based design framework for technology-enabled learning spaces

Abstract

Educational institutions today are transforming their traditional learning spaces into technology-enabled learning spaces to facilitate innovation in pedagogy and enhance the teaching and learning experiences of its users. This transformation is driven by the changing needs of the 21st century educators and learners, and changes in pedagogical practices to meet these learning needs. The advent of digital technologies into the classroom has altered the traditional notions of teaching and learning. It has redefined the idea, design and implementation of learning activities and experiences. Learning spaces play an important role in the educational enterprise because it is the locus where educators and learners; pedagogy, content and technology; environment and experience converge. The various affordances integrated into its design play a critical role in defining the opportunities and constraints that it imposes on educators and learners using the space. However, due to the existence of diverse needs, contexts and use cases, the conceptualisation, design and implementation of such spaces vary from institution to institution. This paper discusses how the PECTS affordance framework was used to conceptualise the design of a technology-enabled learning space and how Education Design Research (EDR) was used as a developmental framework for the iterative design cycles.