A critical barrier when helping teachers maximise the potential of their physical learning environments in pedagogic terms, is their supposed lack of ‘spatial competency’ (Lackney, 2008; Fisher, 2003). At a summit hosted by the Italian Government’s INDRIE group in Rome in late 2016, it was argued this supposed spatial illiteracy may in fact be a mind-frame caused by three factors: (1) poor teacher participation during the conceptualisation and planning phases of new school facilities; (2) a benign acceptance of what is provided to teachers in terms of physical learning environments; and (3) a lack of ‘spatial-pedagogic agency’ across the long term inhabitation of a space (Imms & Fisher, 2017). In short, teachers require training in what is space, how can it be used, and what strategies will assist them achieve good spatially-aware pedagogies over time. Industries such as Australia’s Telstra group have for years been involved in helping teachers find solutions to such issues. They apply sophisticated, commercially-developed information communication technology (ICT) knowledge and bring extraordinarily well developed client-focused strategies that make such solutions readily understood by busy practitioners. One such example, in relation to the issue of teachers use of innovative learning environments, is the ‘My Learning Space’ tool. Under development by Telstra in partnership with educational researchers and other industry partners, this tool provides teachers with virtually instantaneous feedback on a range of variables concerning the lessons they are teaching. Through data blending with associated devices, a teacher can during, or at the end of a lesson, receive data on variables such as room temperature, air quality, decibel, reverberation levels, student group interactions, the amount of direct-instruction versus individual or group learning, the usage of ICT devices, and other factors. This presentation will discuss how the My Learning Space tool will directly address the three mind-frame issues mentioned above. Used as a simple pre- and post-occupancy strategy, it will allow teachers to collect data on how space might impact the types of pedagogies being used, provide teachers with the capacity to modify their teaching, and allow teachers to re-design the allocation of furniture, learning resources and even flexible walls and break out spaces to achieve desired learning behaviours. The My Learning Space tool has the potential to provide evidence that can be used to enhance teachers’ awareness of the way they can actively manipulate the qualities of their physical learning environment to achieve desired educational outcomes.

Fisher, K. (2003). Linking pedagogy and space. Melbourne AUS: Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victorian State Government. Imms, W. & Fisher, K. (2017). Aligning pedagogy and space: An Australasian evidence-based approach. Invited Keynote address at the ‘From the classroom to the learning environment’ International conference on school design and learning spaces for schools in the Third Millennium’ conference, Rome, Italy. Dec 13-14th, 2016. Published in Proceedings. Lackney, J. (2008). Teacher environmental competence in elementary school environments. Children and youth Environmnets,18(2).