Examining Inclusivity in Flexible Learning Spaces: Expectations, Comfort, and Distractions.
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| Title: | Examining Inclusivity in Flexible Learning Spaces: Expectations, Comfort, and Distractions. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Zipf, Sarah T.1 stz2@psu.edu, Li, Leqi1, Oaxaca, Gala Campos1, Ramsay, Crystal M.1 |
| Source: | Innovative Higher Education. Feb2025, Vol. 50 Issue 1, p277-301. 25p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Open learning, *Students with disabilities, *Inclusive education, *Curriculum, Universal design |
| Abstract: | Historically, classrooms have utilized stationary furniture, facing front toward a centralized instructor position, and limiting student-to-student interactions. Such classrooms often stem from design processes that tend to focus on building codes and feedback from investors, architects, and planners, which leaves little input from instructors and students until the end (Britnell, et al., 2009). With little to no input from primary users, classrooms can become less inclusive or inaccessible in a variety of ways, especially for students with disabilities. One way to address this problem is to design flexible learning classrooms so that instructors and students can customize the room. Seemingly more inclusive, we wanted to understand how the physical elements of a flexible classroom create opportunities and barriers for students with disabilities. This mixed-methods study includes data from an online survey, interviews, and digital drawings. We utilized a purposeful sample of students with documented disabilities (n = 16) and used the eight universal design goals as our main coding schema. Results show students carry expectations and predictions about their classrooms based on the layout or arrangement; students' social comfort can override physical comfort, even while expressing medical needs; students might misunderstand certain elements of flexible classrooms; and students can identify ways they were distracted by the room. Institutions and instructors interested in creating more inclusive spaces need to be intentional with flexible learning classrooms so that students can understand and utilize the affordances of these spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Innovative Higher Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 183073346 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Examining Inclusivity in Flexible Learning Spaces: Expectations, Comfort, and Distractions. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zipf%2C+Sarah+T%2E%22">Zipf, Sarah T.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> stz2@psu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Leqi%22">Li, Leqi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Oaxaca%2C+Gala+Campos%22">Oaxaca, Gala Campos</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ramsay%2C+Crystal+M%2E%22">Ramsay, Crystal M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Innovative+Higher+Education%22">Innovative Higher Education</searchLink>. Feb2025, Vol. 50 Issue 1, p277-301. 25p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Open+learning%22">Open learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Students+with+disabilities%22">Students with disabilities</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inclusive+education%22">Inclusive education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum%22">Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universal+design%22">Universal design</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Historically, classrooms have utilized stationary furniture, facing front toward a centralized instructor position, and limiting student-to-student interactions. Such classrooms often stem from design processes that tend to focus on building codes and feedback from investors, architects, and planners, which leaves little input from instructors and students until the end (Britnell, et al., 2009). With little to no input from primary users, classrooms can become less inclusive or inaccessible in a variety of ways, especially for students with disabilities. One way to address this problem is to design flexible learning classrooms so that instructors and students can customize the room. Seemingly more inclusive, we wanted to understand how the physical elements of a flexible classroom create opportunities and barriers for students with disabilities. This mixed-methods study includes data from an online survey, interviews, and digital drawings. We utilized a purposeful sample of students with documented disabilities (n = 16) and used the eight universal design goals as our main coding schema. Results show students carry expectations and predictions about their classrooms based on the layout or arrangement; students' social comfort can override physical comfort, even while expressing medical needs; students might misunderstand certain elements of flexible classrooms; and students can identify ways they were distracted by the room. Institutions and instructors interested in creating more inclusive spaces need to be intentional with flexible learning classrooms so that students can understand and utilize the affordances of these spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Innovative Higher Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10755-024-09730-8 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 25 StartPage: 277 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Open learning Type: general – SubjectFull: Students with disabilities Type: general – SubjectFull: Inclusive education Type: general – SubjectFull: Curriculum Type: general – SubjectFull: Universal design Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Examining Inclusivity in Flexible Learning Spaces: Expectations, Comfort, and Distractions. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zipf, Sarah T. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Li, Leqi – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Oaxaca, Gala Campos – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ramsay, Crystal M. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 02 Text: Feb2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 07425627 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 50 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Innovative Higher Education Type: main |
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