VAST – Design planning heuristic - Space2Learn



|Values |Activities |Site/System |Technology |

| | |(location, access, outlook, climate) |(building structure, skin, climate control, layout, |

|Whose values are reflected in the design of this space? |What activities are enabled by the design of |What physical attributes of the site contribute |services, finishes) |

|Students – area to work quietly on individual or group work |this space? |positively to users’ experience of this space? |What technical aspects of the building design |

|Students who read – access to the Fiction collection and comfortable | | |contribute positively to users’ experience of this |

|couches |Reading |Natural Light |space? |

|School Leadership and teachers who lack vision for 21st C learning |Group work (limited) |Comfortable Couches | |

| |Individual work (limited) |Easily accessible to students and staff |Windows which allow natural light |

|What values are reflected in the design of this space? |If used for teaching/research – individual with |Easy to move around the area |Air-conditioning for comfort during hot summer days and|

|Literacy |laptop | |cold winter mornings |

|Fiction area with comfortable couches to read | | |Large Areas that can accommodate classes of 30 but also|

|Fiction organised into Genre/Reading Age or Level | | |smaller areas for break out work. |

|Comfort of students |What activities are inconvenienced or prevented | | |

|air-conditioning, couches,light |by its design? |What physical attributes of the site impact | |

|Study/Homework | |negatively on users’ experience of this space? |What technical aspects of the building design impact |

|Old fashion ways to learn |Collaboration | |negatively on users’ experience of this space? |

| |Creativity |The clutter from storage | |

|Whose values are overlooked? |New and varying Technologies |The unsightly view into the Teacher Reference Room|Lack of Power/data points generally |

|Teachers who support 21st Century Pedagogy |Flexible learning areas |Area out of view of supervision by iCentre staff | |

|Lack of teaching technology, flexible spaces for students | |Limited space to display stimulating material |Old worn carpet |

|Collaborative/Connected Learners – the layout and style of desks means| |Rectangular desks – do not allow for collaboration| |

|that collaboration using laptops is difficult | |with laptops |Position of the building in the school – far distance |

| | | |from most teaching buildings |

|What values are overlooked? | | | |

|21st Century Skills | | |Because of security monitors, free hanging posters from|

|Collaboration | | |ceiling are not practical |

|Creativity | | | |

|Access to range of IT | | |Access to the building at present is impeded by |

|Flexibility | | |construction work in an adjacent area to the iCentre |

VAST HEURISTIC: ICENTRE AREA 2

|System of human relationships |System of human activity |System to support human activity |Production of the built space system |

| | |For you, as learning space designer, what are the most |For you, as learning space designer what are the most |

|What feelings, attitudes, beliefs customs or laws does |What processes, information sources or support services|inspiring features of the site? |inspiring features of the building? |

|this learning space evoke for you? |assist your use of this space? | | |

| | |The area is quite large and has the potential to be |The building is air-conditioned and offers a safe and |

|The space is used by students during breaks and before |The iCentre is supported by library aids, IT |divided into two smaller spaces - a more defined |comfortable space for ALL students to interact at break|

|and after school. They are able to read quietly or |Technicians and the Teacher Librarian |reading hub and a small technology rich teaching are or|times |

|work individually or in small group. When filled with | |Amount of space |There are variety of spaces for students to work, play |

|students it has purpose and I know it offers a |The display boards with new or recommended books | |or chat |

|comfortable place for students. During lesson time, |supports students looking for something to read. |Natural Light from the large windows is great for a |Access to IT staff and the technology infrastructure |

|however, it is not used by teachers for classes or to | |reading area. It will cause some issues with |(wireless, network connection etc) offers the |

|send small groups to work and it feels empty and cold. |To better use this space, education of leadership, |projectors but with tinting and pull down blinds this |opportunity to create a 21st Century, technology rich, |

| |teachers on flexible learning spaces and collaborative |can be adjusted. |flexible teaching and learning space. |

| |technologies will lead to use of the iCentre during | | |

|The area leaves me feeling uninspiring because of |classes as well as break times. | | |

|clutter and view, old carpet and the unsightly view | | | |

|into the TR Room. The only uplifting feeling comes | | | |

|from the colour of the couches and the display boards | | | |

|at the ends of the bookcases. | | | |

| | | | |

|The lack of innovation and opportunity to engage in | | | |

|21st Century approaches to learning – Collaborative | | | |

|Spaces, Technology rich lead to feelings of frustration| | | |

|that students are not being given the skills they will | | | |

|need to learn and work when leaving school. | | | |

© Raylee Elliott Burns (2003) VAST designing heuristic. Prepared using the work of Dr Tom Heath. Permission is given for this page to be copied with this footnote retained. This document may not be published in any other form without the permission of Raylee Elliott Burns. Heath, T. (1989). Introduction to design theory. Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology. Adapted by Hilary Hughes 2013.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download