Elliot Felix from brightspot strategy gave a presentation on transforming learning spaces and experiences. The presentation covered engaging students in the classroom through active learning spaces, enabling student success through shared service hubs, building student skills through project spaces, and supporting online learning. Key principles for institutions included considering spaces, services, and staffing holistically; integrating physical and digital experiences; conducting assessments before targeting areas; and using pilots to test ideas.

1. Society of College and University Planners
2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
Learning Anytime, Anywhere
Elliot Felix
elliot@brightspotstrategy.com
www.brightspotstrateg.com
Transforming the Student Experience in and out
the classroom and online.

2. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
about me
I am a designer and strategist. So, I think
about people and in systems.
I’m on a mission to make higher education
more effective and more equitable.
I founded brightspot in 2011 to be learning
organization for learning institutions.
Since then we’ve worked on 125+ project for
75+ institutions.

3. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
about brightspot
We create smart strategy that
connects people, programs,
and places to transform the
student experience.
Together we increase student
success, improve research
support, and enable staff
productivity while making
institutions more efficient and
effective.

4. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
today’s objective and agenda
classroom onlinelibrary project
space
Our objective: Interactively explore opportunities for
spaces, services, and technology to adapt to better
support learning in and out of the classroom.

5. act 1:
engaging students
in the classroom

6. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
the problem of student engagement
Only 40% of
students are
engaged.
Source:
National Survey of Student
Engagement (NSSE)
~208,000,000
net square feet
of classrooms
in the US.
Source:
SCUP Inventory x NCES
enrollment data (2007)
Only 62% of
students view
classroom
interactions
positively.
Source:
brightspot Student
Experience Snapshot)

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Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business
MRY Architects

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create the vision
The Tepper School moved to a new signature quad in a facility to enable interaction,
provide flexibility, and enhance the Tepper community’s quality of life.
Guiding PrinciplesMaster Plan
• Enable program growth
and diversity
• Raise school research
profile
• Showcase multidisciplinary
identity
• Support entrepreneurial
culture
• Foster interaction at
multiple scales
Goals

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mapping learning experiences
Through workshops with students and faculty, we mapped out future learning
experiences in terms of people, activities, spaces, information, and tools.

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creating an ecosystem of learning spaces
Based on the journey maps, we identified a variety of learning spaces to support the
experiences and uncovered the best adjacencies for people and ideas to flow.

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forecasting classroom needs
something

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flexible classrooms…

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connecting formal and informal learning…

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interactive classrooms…

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discussion question (5mins):
How might you enable active
learning on your campus?

16. act 2:
enabling student success
through service hubs

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the problem of student success
Only 59% of
1st time, 4
year students
graduate in 6
years.
Source:
National Center for
Educational Statistics
22% increase
in student
services costs
in last 10
years.
Source:
Delta cost project using
IPEDS data
Only 66% of
students have
positive views
academic
services.
Source:
brightspot Student
Experience Snapshot

18. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
University of Miami Learning Commons

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understanding where services are
The services we wanted to bring together were separated organizationally in terms of
reporting structures, culturally in terms of service philosophy, and physically.

20. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
designing the process to bring services together
A participatory process with tiers for input > recommendations > decision enabled us to
get better ideas and build consensus along the way.
Hands-on Integrated
FeasibleCollaborative

21. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
assessing the user needs
Through interviews, observations, workshops and an online survey, we evaluated current
satisfaction, and pain points, as well as future needs and desired experiences.
Undergrad
Students
Grad Students
Approx. 11,000
students
Approx. 5,000
students
Finding a sense of
direction
Using the best
tools and tech
Support work and
life interests
Getting their work
published
Developing skills
(academics+)
Developing skills
(academics)
Work/Life balance Work/Life balance

22. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
creating the common vision
Building on the research and through sessions with leadership, we created the vision to
act as the “North Star” for the project and help make decisions and prioritize.
Our vision:
Help students become effective
and independent learners with the
ability to identify, critically analyze
and apply relevant information and
technologies as well as the skills
necessary to communicate across
disciplines and cultures.

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developing the shared service model
We worked collaboratively and iteratively to categorize services to create a shared
organizational structure for both staff and students.

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defining how to partner
We worked together to determine how different groups would work in the Commons in
terms of the space, organizational relationship, and delivery model.
HEADQUARTERS SATELLITE VISITING SUPPORTING
Full-service, based in
the Commons
Selected services, based
elsewhere, full-time
Selected services, based
elsewhere, part-time
Behind the scenes support
to operate the Commons
Student Tech Support Learning Innovation Student Tech Support Systems
Access Services Tutoring Distinctive Collections Facilities
Digital Media Lab Digital Strategies Subject Specialty Libraries Communications
GIS Services Learning & Research Services Web & App Development
Math Lab
Writing Center

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prototyping services and piloting spaces
Prototypes are structured tests of your hypotheses that can help improve new services in
an iterative manner, build buy-in, and train staff for their new roles.

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reimagining how staff work
With the service model, service points, and partnership approach defined, we then
defined which roles to add, enhance, or retain as is.

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linking the physical and digital
The services in the Learning Commons are reflected online and in the space. In the last
year there were 898,586 physical visits and 959,509 website views.

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getting help…

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consulting with peers…

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showcasing collections…

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working with data…

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creating in the studio…

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discussion question (5mins):
How might you create digital
and physical service hubs on
your campus?

34. act 3:
building students skills
through projects

35. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
What skills students
say they want:
Sense of maturity
Time management
Work habits
Self-discipline
Teamwork skills.
Source:
AAC&U “What Really
Matters”
What engages future
employees:
Students who work on
semester-long
projects are 1.7x more
like to be engaged at
work after.
Source:
Gallup-Purdue Index
What employers say
they want:
Communication,
critical thinking, apply
their knowledge, can
work effectively in a
team (all <75%).
Source:
AAC&U “Future of Work”
the problem of building students’ skills

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University of Rochester iZone
Holt Architects

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positioning the iZone
We audited all the different groups and services to understand how iZone would fit in and
found opportunities in terms of supporting ideas, build skills, and fostering community.

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conduct user research
We conducted user research by interviewing students, faculty, and other providers within
the ecosystem to understand their motivations, behaviors, and needs.
Students biggest
challenges are
finding or forming a
team as well as
teamwork skills
Entrepreneurial
mindset is not just
about starting a
business; it’s about
ideas with impact
There’s an
opportunity to
bring together
experts that build
students’ skills and
hone their ideas
Provide the
openness for
inspiration and the
safety and privacy
to create ideas

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creating a use case for building community
From our research, we identified the needs and envisioned future activities in the space
and how services, technology, and tools might be used to inspire and inform design.

40. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
creating a use case for finding inspiration
From our research, we identified the needs and envisioned future activities in the space
and how services, technology, and tools might be used to inspire and inform design.

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creating a use case for developing skills
From our research, we identified the needs and envisioned future activities in the space
and how services, technology, and tools might be used to inspire and inform design.

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creating a use case for working on projects
From our research, we identified the needs and envisioned future activities in the space
and how services, technology, and tools might be used to inspire and inform design.

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defining the spaces
Based on interviews, workshops, and benchmarking, we quantified, qualified, and related
the iZone space needs in a space program.
Key Space Needs:
• A variety of open, semi-enclosed, and
enclosed workspace
• A flexible forum to support events and
informal work
• A flexible workshop space for skills
sessions and meetings
• Shared spaces for full-time staff and
fellows
• Layered organization to go from public
(inspiration) to private spaces (safety)

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defining the services
Based on interviews, workshops, and benchmarking, we identified the services iZone
offers to build skills, support community, and offer ideas and inspiration.
Community Skills Ideas
Startup Roadmap
Host Student Groups
Meetings and Events
Fellowships
Match-Making
Database Training
Internships
Pitching and Sales
Teamwork Skills
Leadership Training
Business Modeling
Student Showcase
Research Consultation
Entrepreneur Fellows
Personal Diagnostics
Alumni Relations
Tech Support
High-Tech Rochester
Company Info Sessions

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working and meeting in the forum…

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attending events in the forum…

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booths that separate front from back…

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working alone together…

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meeting and brainstorming…

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discussion question (5mins):
How might you support
student projects to build
their skills for the future?

51. act 4:
supporting student
learning online
(hint: online learning
takes space too!)

52. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
enabling academic innovation
Online learning requires physical places for faculty to work with instructional designers,
create content/media, learn new skills and technique, and showcase their innovations.
UC Berkeley Academic Innovation

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supporting media production
With a new course design, new content needs to be developed – graphics, animations,
videos, and simulations – and then edited, refined, packaged, organized, and accessed.
Penn State One Button Studio

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facilitating online learning
To adapt the case study method to an online format, Harvard Business School developed
its “digital deck” enabling an instructor and students to see and interact with each other.
Harvard Business School Online

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enabling online learning
Universities are enabling online learning with self-paced learning modules, projects and
assignments, live-classes, on campus residences, student support, and career support.
University of Michigan Tulane University

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providing automated support services
Universities are using AI to answer question and provide services – anytime, anywhere –
such as “Irving” at Strayer University or “Beacon” at Strattfordshire University.
Strattfordshire University

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what’s next? the online campus (not classroom)
Online library, academic
and admin services, social
networks, clubs, sports
simulcasts.
Southern New Hampshire University

58. act 5:
four guiding principles
for getting started

59. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
consider spaces, services, and staffing together
Spaces need services to activate, operate, and support them. Staff provide those services.
Think holistically to create new or change existing because they are interdependent.
Harvard Innovation Lab

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think “phygitally”
People’s experiences bridge the physical and digital – and so must be integrated. Digital
can play informational, transactional, and experiential roles in physical space.
navigate book display communicate feedback

61. brightspot SCUP 2019 Learning Spaces Symposium
conduct a baseline assessment, then target
Using a local instrument, peer-group tool, or nationally-benchmarked survey, assess the
current experience, then dive deep on the pros and cons, then develop pilots.
VERY
POOR
GOODAVERAGEPOOR
VERY
GOOD

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be agile by piloting and scaling up
Use prototyping and piloting to test ideas, get feedback, reduce risk, and build
momentum. Instead of “build and they will come” as a mantra, test it and know they will.
American University

63. questions and answers

64. want more insights?
sign up here:
https://www.brightspotstrategy.com/insights/

65. thank you!
Elliot Felix
elliot@brightspotstrategy.com
www.brightspotstrategy.com