Innovative and Hybrid Learning Spaces

Dear Colleagues,

You are invited to submit your abstract and manuscript for review for this Special Issue of the journal Education Sciences. It is evident that many schools and higher education institutions worldwide have invested a lot in changing the physical learning environments, creating innovative spaces for learning suitable for the current era. Although it is believed that these changes have a positive effect on learning, there is not enough research on the impact and contribution of these changes on the actual learning process and outcomes. Hence, contributions that focus on the most recent research on learning environments/spaces in elementary, secondary, and higher education are most welcome.

Examples of the research foci are illustrated in the key themes and references below, which should provide some impetus for further exploration, examination, and elaboration; in addition, you might have a unique research project that you wish to write up for publication.

Collaborations are encouraged, so consider co-authoring with colleagues both within and across fields or disciplines or nations, and, as experts, please include early career researchers, research fellows, or PhD candidates as your co-authors to nurture further tertiary academic talent. It is hoped that the articles in this Special Issue will provide the dissemination of further research to inform effective practice for designing and using innovative learning spaces for all types of students (gifted, excellent, special needs, and regular).

I look forward to seeing your submission.

References:

Blackmore, J., Bateman, D., Cloonan, A., Dixon, M., Loughlin, J., O’Mara, J., & Senior, K. (2011). Innovative learning environments research study. (pp. 1-61) Victoria Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Australia.

Bradbeer, C., Mahat, M., Byers, T., Cleveland, B., Kvan, T., & Imms, W. (2017). The ‘state of play’ concerning New Zealand’s transition to innovative learning environments: Preliminary results from phase one of the ILETC project. In LEaRN. New Zealand Educational Administration & Leadership Society.

Byers, T., Imms, W., & Hartnell-Young, E. (2018). Evaluating teacher and student spatial transition from a traditional classroom to an innovative learning environment. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 58, 156-166.

Cardno, C., Tolmie, E., & Howse, J. (2017). New spaces - new pedagogies: Implementing personalized learning in primary school innovative learning environments. Journal of Educational Leadership, Policy and Practice, 32(1), 111.

Fletcher, J., Mackey, J., & Fickel, L. (2017). A New Zealand case study: What is happening to lead changes to effective co-teaching in flexible learning spaces? Journal of Educational Leadership, Policy and Practice, 32(1), 70-83.

Hod, Y. (2017). Future learning spaces in schools: Concepts and designs from the learning sciences. Journal of Formative Design in Learning, 1(2), 99-109.

Imms, W., Mahat, M., Byers, T., & Murphy, D. (2017). Type and use of innovative learning environments in Australasian schools. ILETC Survey 1.

Kariippanon, K. E., Cliff, D. P., Lancaster, S. L., Okely, A. D., & Parrish, A. M. (2018). Perceived interplay between flexible learning spaces and teaching, learning and student wellbeing. Learning Environments Research, 21(3), 301-320.

OECD (2015). Schooling redesigned: Towards innovative learning systems. Paris: Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, OECD Publications.

Osborne, M. (2016). Innovative learning environments. CORE Education White Paper.

Saltmarsh, S., Chapman, A., Campbell, M., & Drew, C. (2015). Putting “structure within the space”: Spatially un/responsive pedagogic practices in open-plan learning environments. Educational Review, 67(3), 315-327.

Singh, A. D., & Hassan, M. (2017). In pursuit of smart learning environments for the 21st century (Current and critical issues in curriculum series, No. 12). Geneva: UNESCO.

Smardon, D., Charteris, J., & Nelson, E. (2015). Shifts to learning eco-systems: Principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of innovative learning environments. New Zealand Journal of Teachers’ Work, 12(2), 149-171.

van Merriënboer, J. J., McKenney, S., Cullinan, D., & Heuer, J. (2017). Aligning pedagogy with physical learning spaces. European Journal of Education, 52(3), 253-267.

Whyte, B., House, N., & Keys, N. (2016). Coming out of the closet: From single-cell classrooms to innovative learning environments. Teachers and Curriculum, 16(1), 81-88.

Dr. Hava E. Vidergor
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Innovative learning environments/spaces: Conceptions, frameworks, designs, models, and theories
• Policy development, professional learning, teacher education
• Development of measurement tools
• Educating diverse students: Research-based instructional strategies, challenges, and benefits
• Cultural aspects: the effects on social, emotional, behavioral, and/or cognitive development
• Hybrid learning environments