Tracing socio-material relations in active university learning spaces: an actor-network informed ethnographic case study

Abstract

Active university learning spaces are a messy tangle of social and material elements. Although research into these types of university learning spaces has ebbed and flowed in the last 20 years, there have been limited studies that have considered theoretically and practically what happens in these spaces. Socio-material ethnographic studies have been used to understand the complexity of educational interactions and practices in the school sector; however, only a few studies have examined the socio-materiality of active university learning spaces.
This study aimed to understand how the socio-materiality of active university learning spaces shaped or reshaped the learning and teaching practices that emerged. An actor-network informed ethnographic case study traced the human and non-human relations and the learning and teaching practices that emerged in two active university learning spaces used in three first-year subjects in information technology and social science during one university semester. Nine weeks (90 hours) of classroom observations captured using notes and video and eight weeks of volunteer student video diaries recorded the socio-material interactions that occurred in the spaces. Two years later, in-person and email interviews captured how practices had evolved for the human participants.
Rich ethnographic stories developed using actor-network sensibilities and visual data analysis and synthesis techniques from the field of human–computer interaction (personas, experience maps, journey mapping) were used to present and theorise the data.
A range of learning and teaching practices emerged from the socio-material interactions in the learning spaces. Practices for performing teaching and learning emerged from knowing networks made up of various socio-material assemblages. Patterned sequences of socio-material interactions, practices and learning choreographies were observed in the three classes observed. Despite discipline differences, academics experienced in using the spaces used similar learning choreographies, whereas those new to the spaces used practices from previous teaching experiences. Materials central to socio-material practices and learning choreographies in this study included the digital infrastructures (networks, small light tablet computer devices for students, digital resources in the learning management system) and the spatial layout, emphasising movement flows and mobile, flexible furniture (chairs and curved tables).
Matter matters in university learning spaces. Spatial interfaces such as the space configuration, roomware elements and technology options (the materiality of the spaces) send invisible messages to human participants about what is possible in the space and how people are valued. Digital resources in this study were central to student and academic activities and practices.

Date of Award	2023
Original language	English
Supervisor	Carole KAYROOZ (Supervisor) & Robert FITZGERALD (Supervisor)