by Manju Banerjee, Ph.D.
Vice President for Educational Research and Innovation
Landmark College
Much has been written about physical space and the potential of around-the-water-cooler chat to ignite innovative thinking and cross-fertilization of ideas among educators on college campuses. Unfortunately, this notion has yet to take root in school and college classrooms around the country. Most classrooms still utilize a lecture format, with the professor as the "sage on stage" in front of rows and rows of students. Such an arrangement reinforces several stereotypes that we know are particularly deleterious for students who learn differently. There is an implicit presumption that the faculty member standing in front is the authority figure. Given past experiences with authority figures, many students with LD prefer to hide in the back row. There is also the presumption that if you are not looking at the professor you are not paying attention; and many are not.
But is it all bad? Day dreaming can help to recharge the brain. For students on the autism spectrum, it is well known that eye contact is challenging. Yet, we continue to use eye contact as a primary indicator of whether a student is paying attention or not. The key, of course, is finding that balance between letting a student mentally meander and then bringing her back. Letting students talk among themselves, engage in multi-tasking behaviors, be seemingly distracted, and then regroup as a learning community is something many master teachers know how to manage very well and to its full benefit.
Arranging the physical learning space as a tool that aids in learning is not a new concept; but perhaps what is thought provoking is the notion that space can be used to promote students’ learning preferences and create the prelude to active learning. Movable chairs with desk extensions that allow students to arrange and re-arrange themselves in the moment is not something most educators look upon favorably. However, it maybe an idea whose time has come.
But really, how important is physical proximity to learning? At the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT), researchers are investigating elements of digital space and the importance of synchronous face-to-face engagement versus asynchronous engagement in an online course for students with LD. At a student panel discussion hosted at Landmark College last year as part of a grant supporting Capacity Building Institutes to promote computer science and STEM learning, students with ADHD spoke of their need to multi-task in order to remain focused. Most studies that suggest that our brains are not wired for multi-tasking, but these studies do not take into account the unique needs of students with ADHD, for example. Another student with ADHD at Landmark College commented that the so called distraction-reduced separate room accommodation for students with ADHD is not really all that beneficial. Being alone actually promotes too many mental distractions. Seeing other students engaged in a task (taking a test) is an external cue to get back on task.
So what does this all mean? Should faculty let students listen on their headphones while they are in class, or look at internet sites while also participating in a class discussion? Should classroom spaces contain objects of active distraction, which can actually facilitate engagement and learning, and at the very least, break down the formality of instructor vs. student spaces?
You--the educators and professionals in the field of LD--are the experts. What do you think? Share the innovative ways you arrange the physical space in your classroom at [email protected]. We'll publish some of your responses in a future issue of our monthly newsletter.
Related readings on this topic:
Jabr, F (2013). Why your brain needs more downtime. Scientific American.
Schwartz, K (2014). Why daydreaming is critical to effective learning. Mind/Shift.