London Festival of Architecture 20 June - 20 July 2008

Learning Environments
26 June 2008
8 Storey's Gate
London SW1P 3AT

For further information please contact anneli.halonen()formin.fi

Guest lecture by Professor Kristiina Kumpulainen
CICERO Learning, University of Helsinki, Finland

Learning in and across spaces:
Cases from multidisciplinary research projects

The complexity of contemporary world has inspired more and more researchers and research groups in different parts of the world to begin to explore societal questions via multidisciplinary approaches. The complex questions and developmental needs of present day society are seen as requiring perspectives and wisdom not only from one discipline but from many. In acknowledging not only the complex world in which we live but also the interdisciplinary nature of modern knowledge creation, it feels justified to suggest that research communities start to explore more the potentiality of multidisciplinary research and development work to advance learning and wellbeing in our society. Although this collaboration may not always be easy, causing tensions and conflicts, it can be a powerful practice to go forward. At best, we can create new understandings about learning and education - both for educational research and practice.

This presentation introduces two research projects that investigate learning in and across spaces from a multidisciplinary perspective. The first research project explores and developes a "Future School Concept", i.e. a research-based set of recommendable models, practices, processes and structures concerning the architecture, playful environments, education, and services, and the principles for their successful combination into configurations that best support learning in a Future School. In the project, future schools are seen as synergic configurations of the built indoor and outdoor environments, virtual ICT-enabled environments, and school management and services that enable novel teaching, studying and learning processes, life-wide, and life-long. This has been the starting point of the InnoSchool research consortium (Smeds, et al., 2007).

The second research project "Learning Bridges" investigates and develops teaching and learning practices and models at the intersection of formal, informal and non-formal contexts. Of specific interest are learning environments situated within and across schools, museums, science centres and libraries. The research project aims to bridge gaps between formal and informal learning environments so that the funds of knowledge as well as social practices developed in one setting can become resources in the other. Moreover, the project examines the role and possibilities of technology and social media to support participants' transitions and knowledge generation across contexts. The multi-professional collaboration and learning at work are also investigated in the research project. The multidisciplinary research team of the project represent educational and social psychology and teacher education. Learning sciences, museum pedagogy and ICT (Kumpulainen, et al., 2008)

The presentation finishes by considering the possibilities and challenges in conducting multidisciplinary research and development projects for the advancement of learning in our present day and future society.