Exploring the ways in which campus open space design influences students' learning experiences

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2019.1622661

Recent research conducted on campus learning environments suggests that more learning takes place outside of class time than ever before; thus, students seek alternative learning spaces in campus settings. This research focuses on open spaces within university campuses, defined as ‘campus open spaces’, as alternative learning settings and aims at answering the following questions: 1) How is learning experienced in campus open spaces? 2) What are the design attributes of learning in campus open spaces? 3) Do design attributes significantly affect learning in campus open spaces? The paper presents an exploratory inquiry conducted with 60 students from the campus of Middle East Technical University, Turkey. By using qualitative and quantitative techniques, the paper validates that learning is experienced not only in formal learning spaces but also in informal open spaces. It presents the ways in which campus open space design influences students’ learning, offering recommendations for campus open space design.