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An ecological approach to understanding transitions and tensions in complex learning contexts

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Title: An ecological approach to understanding transitions and tensions in complex learning contexts
Authors: McCrone, L
Kingsbury, M
Item Type: Journal Article
Abstract: The move away from transmission-based lecturing toward a more student-centred active learning approach is well evidenced in STEM higher education. However, the examination of active learning has generally remained con fined to formal timetabled contexts, with assumptions made that students independently manage the transition between timetabled and non-timetabled learning. This paper introduces research findings from a mixed methods study that used an ecological approach when investigating student transitions between a formal lecture theatre and adjacent informal breakout space in a UK STEM university. Using quantitative occupancy monitoring data to analyse usage patterns of both spaces, in combination with qualitative ethnographic observations and field interviews, permitted a purposeful exploration of student engagement with transitions within and between the two learning spaces. The ecological approach aided the discovery of spatial, pedagogic and agentic transitions and tensions, which subsequently informed strategic modification of space across the institution to facilitate the adoption of active learning pedagogy.
Issue Date: 6-Sep-2024
Date of Acceptance: 15-Aug-2024
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/114233
DOI: 10.1038/s41539-024-00267-1
ISSN: 2056-7936
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Journal / Book Title: npj Science of Learning
Volume: 9
Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2024 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Publication Status: Published
Article Number: 54
Online Publication Date: 2024-09-06
Appears in Collections:Central Faculty



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