The days of traditional education delivery are gone.
We live in a highly-connected world where students have ubiquitous access to quality content and myriad ways to explore, study, and interact online. Great universities are defined by the strength and expertise of their communities, and their ability to provide students with flexible and interesting ways to learn.
The education market is more competitive than ever but the drivers remain the same — how can tertiary institutions attract and retain students? How can they adapt to the latest models of teaching and learning? How can they use the assets they already have instead of building something new?
In a next generation campus, the environment adapts to how you want to teach. Active lecture theatres switch easily between individual, small group work and lecture modes, libraries are the most popular social learning hubs on campus, and cafes and grassy lawns host impromptu study sessions. Students have richer learning experiences in class and better access to support out of it. It’s a place where collaboration and discussion are as important as quiet study time alone. A place where teachers and students work, study and socialise side by side. A community of learners.
The campus is a vibrant place where students want to spend their time. They have everything they need to learn, study, relax and play. But most importantly, they feel they belong there. Underpinning it all is a strong sense of community based on the unique character of the university. Designing a university that is flexible and community-focused requires a thorough understanding of how students and teachers interact with teaching and learning models, technology and the space around them.
JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY - Townsville Campus Education Central
James Cook University needed to upgrade its Townsville Campus to provide better services to its students, and support new ways of teaching and learning. It was also obvious that in doing so, it had the opportunity to create an environment that better reflected JCU’s tropical identity, and to build a stronger sense of community among the staff and students. What was not clear, however, was how to do it.
The first step was a comprehensive research program including staff and student interviews, and area and use studies of the whole campus. The research covered all areas of the student experience including how they want to interact with each other, what kinds of learning support they prefer, what kinds of services they need and how they want to access them, right down to how they want to feel when they’re on campus. These insights became the basis of a plan to revitalise the campus with the Specialist Teaching and Student Services Precinct now known as Education Central at its heart.
Student Services Precinct Education Central is the front door to the university. The student-led / staff-assisted service model was developed specifically for JCU. Based on the latest in retail service, students can choose from self-service to fully-assisted service points, and have access to interview rooms and pods, and flexible furniture. Staff move around the space providing help as needed. The building also contains large-scale active learning spaces, a coffee shop and social learning areas. These larger, flexible spaces, encourage peer-to-peer learning, which extend learning beyond the classroom environment.
A visual sense of connection The design uses a double-height circulation hub at the centre of the building, and visual connections between all internal and external circulation routes to create a welcoming atmosphere. Continuous undercover connections link the buildings and join the student retail, student service, teaching and administrative functions in one harmonious environment. These new connections create opportunities for spontaneous interaction between students and staff, as well as prolonging the useful life of the buildings.
Enhancing the tropical identity Outside, shaded areas provide opportunities for social learning, and formal and informal interaction between staff and students. Much of JCU’s identity focuses on its expertise and interest in the tropics. This significant part of its character is reflected in the architecture through buildings that are sympathetic to their surroundings and pockets of tropical landscape across the campus.
Q&A with Managing Director of Wilson Architects, Hamilton Wilson
How did Wilson Architects approach the JCU Education Central project?
We wanted to look at new ways to design for education. How do we build a community of learners? Universities have a generally high attrition rate, so how do we create an environment that gives students a more connected experience so they want to stay? Our approach is student-centric. We design in a considered way that makes a difference for students. When we asked students what they want, there was one thing they kept saying — students want to feel part of a community. They felt disconnected and they couldn’t identify with the places they were learning in. So, we looked at JCU’s tropical identity and created places that connect students to it, and help them feel part of their community. For example, pockets of tropical garden centred around spaces where students can find others learning the same things.
How does technology impact on education design?
Despite new technologies students are feeling more and more disenfranchised. Technology should be an ‘enabler’ not a driver in education design. We looked at how to extend contact time on campus, using social learning spaces with embedded technology like LCD screens and wireless internet so students can study anywhere, anytime, and support each other. Our research also showed that campuses can be like silos where learning happens invisibly. We brought learning out into the open and technology plays a big role in that.
How is this approach different to the traditional model?
The focus is about engaging students, being flexible and responsive. At one end of the spectrum, there must be student-directed learning spaces such as coffee shops and libraries, and at the other end teacher-directed learning spaces, such as lecture theatres. We see all space as possible learning space. The problem with existing university models is that they don’t strategically see places like courtyards and coffee shops as learning places, but in reality they are. They are often used by students by default but to make our approach work really well, however, you need to incorporate the simple things, such as acoustics, access to power points, and appropriate furniture into the design.
How do you work?
We are genuinely interested in what we are doing and because of that we listen and we are responsive. We research outcomes and collect empirical data which informs the designs. We try to deeply understand the discipline we are working in so we can design functionality, but first and foremost, we design for people.
