Learning Environments

Research Group Summary

The impetus for the current educational research was the move to remodel or rebuild schools (particularly following the Earthquakes in Christchurch) in accordance with New Zealand Ministry of Education Innovative Learning Environment (ILE) guidelines. Digitally enabled learning environments with the spatial affordances of innovative learning environments can provide the opportunity for the school environment to be a link to knowledges and understandings within the global world. The potential of digital technologies to be co-constitutive in the implementation of future-focused learning is a key consideration in facilitating contextually relevant schooling. Traditional classrooms are designed for one teacher and a class size of 20 to 30. In ILEs, learning spaces aim to accommodate several teachers and a high number of students (100+) in one large space, frequently with some form of break-out areas. ILEs are meant to be more flexible in their use and provide greater access to a range of online and other modern resources. Such environments are meant to be more suited to 21st century pedagogies that aim to provide an empowering and challenging environment where students actively participate, are involved and self-regulated, while at the same time connected to the community and relating to others. They also increase the need for teachers to work together and form communities that can support each other and develop mutual skills.

Key Contact

• Jo Fletcher: Group Leader; School of Teacher Education

Members - UC Staff

• John Everatt: Group Leader; School of Teacher Education
• Letitia Fickel: Researcher; Faculty of Education
• Jo Fletcher: Group Leader; School of Teacher Education
• Annelies Kamp: Researcher; School of Educational Studies and Leadership
• Julie Mackey: Researcher

• Education: Education Theory; Educational Innovation

Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

• Fletcher J., Everatt J., Mackey J. and Fickel LH. (2020) Digital Technologies and Innovative Learning Environments in Schooling: A New Zealand Experience. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies 2020(55): 91-112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40841-020-00156-2. (Journal Articles)

• Everatt J. and Fletcher J. (2019) Children with learning difficulties and the move to Innovative Learning Environments. Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences 6(1): 49-73. (Journal Articles)

• Everatt J., Fletcher J. and Fickel L. (2019) School leaders’ perceptions on reading, writing and mathematics in innovative learning environments. Education 3-13 47(8): 906-919. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2018.1538256. (Journal Articles)

• Fletcher J., Mackey J. and 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. (Journal Articles)

• Mackey JK., O'Reilly N., Fletcher J. and Jansen C. (2017) What do teachers and leaders have to say about co-teaching in flexible learning spaces? Journal of Educational Leadership, Policy and Practice 32(1): 97-110. (Journal Articles)