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Keynote Speakers

Professor Rob Allen, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Auckland University of Technology

Title of Presentation
The Campus as the Learning Space

Abstract
Rapid developments in communication technologies have led to dire warnings about the future of books, libraries, teachers, classrooms, campuses, even tertiary institutions themselves. The lecture will attempt to unpack some of these fears in the context of what the tertiary institution of the future might look like.

Using international examples of innovative approaches to learning space development, and particularly looking at AUT’s new Learning Precinct (due to open in 2013), the lecture will consider current debates about learning spaces; the lessons being learned; and the options for the future. In particular, it will look at the need to see a campus as a learning space in its own right rather than simply as a collection of other learning spaces.

Biography
Professor Rob Allen is the Deputy Vice Chancellor at AUT.  From 2003-2008 he was Dean of the Faculty of Applied Humanities and Pro Vice Chancellor for Learning and Teaching.  Prior to that he worked at the University of Greenwich in London for nearly 20 years, initially as a lecturer in Social Sciences but subsequently as Director of Academic Development, then Dean of Human Sciences and finally as the Director of Learning and Quality.

Barbara Cavanagh, Principal, Albany Senior High School

Title of Presentation
Space to Learn

Abstract
Albany Senior High School is a senior college (years 11, 12, 13) that has been open now for three years. In the designing phase the board, the principal, the leadership team and the teachers had extraordinary resources to support their planning. - the NZ curriculum document, the Best Evidence Synthesis reports and a wealth of literature on what young people need to learn and how best they can learn it. There was also, of course, technology to consider and how best to harness the world the students so easily and comfortably embrace into the learning the school could provide. The design of the school had to facilitate, support, and enhance the learning the students would engage with. Barbara will share with you how the "school that doesn't look like a school” does exactly that.

Biography
Barbara Cavanagh is currently Principal of Albany Senior High School. She started her teaching career as an English and Drama teacher and she has taught in a wide range of schools including Northcote College and Fairfield College.

Barbara has had two previous principalships - at Ngaruawahia High School and Te Awamutu College. She is passionate about education, has worked on many of the professional bodies that mentor and support teachers and principals and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience of establishing the first state funded senior high school. Barbara has a strong commitment to developing the talent that every student brings to the school to fully prepare them for the next stage of their lives.

 

Invited Speakers

Colleen Seth, University of Auckland

Title of Presentation
Contemporary Teaching Spaces – laboratory teaching spaces

Abstract
University of Auckland; School Of Medical Health Sciences- Multi Disciplinary Teaching Laboratories

• University of New South Wales- Undergraduate Photovoltaic Teaching Laboratory
• University of Auckland- Chemistry Undergraduate Laboratories

Laboratory teaching spaces are complex, challenging and expensive, particularly when experimentation is a primary pedagogical function.  Flexibility, adaptability, site guidelines as well as effective  communication between teachers and students are briefed as key attributes and in the presentation the speakers provide insights into how these were incorporated into the design within laboratory teaching spaces.

Designed by Jasmax, for the University of Auckland School of Medical Health Sciences the first multi- disciplinary teaching laboratory has been in operation since the beginning of 2011. The laboratory space utilises a combination of information  and physical technologies to provide an innovative teaching laboratory supported by wash up and cool room facilities.

Designed by FJMT for the University of New South Wales and located on the Tyree Energy Technologies Building the undergraduate teaching laboratory for the clean energy of photo-voltaics enables students to discover first hand the possibilities of new technologies. The laboratory was opened in time for Semester 1, 2012.

The University of Auckland is currently retrofitting a group of large teaching laboratory spaces within an existing science building. The laboratories will provide access to experimental laboratories for year 1 to year 3 students from the Faculty of Science as well as Medical and Health Sciences. Contemporary chemistry laboratory teaching takes place within fume cupboards and 58 fume are incorporated within the design.   The project is scheduled for completion in 2012.  

Biography
Colleen Seth is the Planning & Development Manager at the University of Auckland and collaborates with colleagues in the development of contemporary teaching spaces. The University of Auckland is currently developing new undergraduate chemistry teaching laboratories and has taken a keen interest in the progress of contemporary teaching facilities at its own and other institutions.

Nepia Winiata, Te Wananga o Aotearoa

Title of Presentation
An indigenous perspective on Tertiary spatial design

Abstract
General principals
Transformation over the last 3 years from a one small room cramped library to a space 6 times the size to incorporate both library and student Support Services, in a large open-plan environment. In addition to this the marketing office and cafeteria are all adjacent creating one central student services area.

Open plan - indigenous sector
We have a demographic of 65% Maori and Pacific, 15% Asian the remaining 20% other, so it is important that we create an atmosphere where expressions of manaakitanga (hospitality and welcoming) are common place and normal behaviours.

Just coming alive – overnight
The last stage of the 3 building stages will see the Campus becoming noho (Residential) compliant, adding to Marae style housing being able to sleep 120 students as well as adequate catering and ablutions.

Around what and why we do it
What we do and why we do it is primarily to create an environment that makes each and every student feel at home and part of a family. This comfort adds to the ultimate completion and success of education through transformation to the communities that we serve.

Biography
Ko Tainui Te Waka, Ko Ngati Raukawa Te Iwi;
Ko Ngati Pareraukawa raua ko Ngati Tukorehe nga Hapu

Position Held: Regional Operations Manager – Te Wananga o Aotearoa, Tamaki Makaurau/Te Taitokerau

With more than 25 years experience in Finance Accounting and Operations, within the shipping and meat processing industries and more recently 12 years in Tertiary Sector with both Te Wananga o Raukawa and Te Wananga o Aotearoa; Nepia is committed to positive relationships with all people, including staff, students and external stakeholders and values the promotion and fostering of the value of “mana enhancing behaviour”.

He enjoys exploring and fashioning collaboration and partnerships with external stakeholders in endeavouring to better serve our communities and to meet needs rather than being prescriptive in our programme provisioning.

Nepia enjoys spending time with his three children and four mokopuna.

Brian Wrench and John O’Donnell, Coffey Projects

Title of Presentation
Project Management: Procurement – Procuring Outcomes

Abstract
Projects are the “speed bump” in the overall delivery process of providing Future Learning Spaces.

Project Management influence can be provided across a relatively small phase of the overall project cycle. The greatest value can be achieved by involving a Project Manager early in the life cycle of the project where the opportunity to influence out-turn costs is the greatest.
Involvement at an early stage to facilitate discussion on the procurement routes will play a key part in shaping the scoping of the works.
The “Best Value” procurement outcome for the client is achieved by understanding the Clients priorities and structuring the procurement to align with one or a combination of the following Client drivers:

· Cost Certainty
· Time Certainty
· Design Certainty
· Risk Transfer
· Risk Share
· Funding Solutions
· Maintenance
· Sustainability

Coffey Projects managed the recently completed $15m Student Amenities Centre for Massey University at their Albany Campus, Auckland. This project benefitted from early PM involvement and after determining the Clients’ key drivers a procurement route was established incorporating

· GMP – Design / Build
· Early Contractor involvement
· Fast track construction
· Collaborative working.

The benefits accruing to the Client included:

· Programme duration reduced by approximately 4 months
· Early setting of GMP allowing additional scope to be included within the same project budget
· Outturn cost certainty at an early stage.
· Early Contractor Involvement- Input in build ability / earlier start on site.
· Novated Design – Client required close design control to Developed Design
· Mitigation of design / construction risks.

In the future, delivery of Learning Spaces is likely to involve a greater degree of alternative funding arrangements this could be through private partnerships and collaborative arrangements where funding and operational costs are provided through the private sector.

PPP & PFI procurement is still relatively new in New Zealand however its use is likely to increase along with the need to consider the long term sustainability of projects.

The formula can be applied to education facilities however this will again require early involvement with the Client to realize development opportunities that might otherwise appear unobtainable. This is most commonly achieved in a blend between financial and technical due diligence.

Biography
Brian Wrench qualified as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and gained a broad range of experience working with both Contracting organisations and private consultancy practices in UK and NZ. Brian moved into the Project Management field in the mid nineties and has enjoyed working with leading consultants on some of the landmark projects in Auckland. More recently Brian has worked as an independent consultant as well as taking senior roles in larger project management organisations.

Biography
John O’Donnell qualified as a Civil Engineer and progressed into interior and Architectural design later qualifying as an Access and disability consultant. Following four years building the Uk information Highway John moved into the non-for-profit sector and established a recycling company and the design for a world first integrating material processing with re manufacturing by using alternative energy. The project earned John a Millennium Pioneers Life time achievement award. Over the last eight years John has focussed on sustainability as a Funders Technical advisor and Independent Certifier with a bias in PPP and PFI Partnership working.

Neil Poulton, Hargrave Project Management

Title of Presentation
WG Precinct Project: Project management, user groups and change management – a work in progress

Abstract
As part of the AUT WG Precinct project a range of diverse learning spaces are being created, many of which are new to the University. The challenge faced by the project manager was to assist the client to clearly define the scope of these spaces and to work alongside the stakeholder groups to help guide and direct the design team.

Our project management also contributed to the change management process which was established to help shift the users’ mindset from the traditional teaching spaces to these new flexible learning spaces, including the creation of trial workspaces and the establishment of an implementation control group to provide a forum for continuing the dialogue with students and teachers.

Although the project is not scheduled for completion until late 2012 the results to date have been compiled to highlight what has worked and what has not.

Biography
Neil Poulton is a project director with Hargrave Project Management which provides a full range of development and project management services to private and corporate clients. Having worked with AUT for the last five years on a range of development projects, Neil is currently the project manager for the new WG Precinct Project, which is scheduled for completion at the end of 2012

Jenny Bentley, Victoria University

Title of Presentation
Mahi tahi: working together to design new informal learning spaces in a Campus Hub context – a collaborative approach between Campus Services, students and the Library

Abstract
Victoria University of Wellington is upgrading its Kelburn Campus to ensure it offers leading research and teaching and a world class student experience. The Campus Hub project will create a vibrant heart to the Kelburn Campus and involves:

• construction of a new central building with social and informal learning spaces
• refurbishment of the Library and Student Union Building
• creation of a new outdoor area.

In order to achieve the ambitious vision and goals of the project, and to ensure a holistic and transformative approach, a diverse range of stakeholders has been involved. This session focuses on one aspect of the project – designing new informal learning spaces – and the importance of mahi tahi (collaboration) between Campus Services, the Library and the student body to achieve positive outcomes. It will provide opportunities to discuss strategies for effective collaboration, how to ensure the student voice is heard, and will share project management lessons learnt from the project at Victoria.

Biography
Jenny Bentley is Director of Campus Services at Victoria University of Wellington, with responsibility for facilities management, student accommodation, crèches and recreation services.

Jenny’s previous experience in New Zealand local government helped develop her expertise in facilitating community led development.  This has been applied at Victoria in the context of enhancing a strong working relationship with students to support their desire for improved facilities and stronger engagement in governance.  It also meant a real appreciation of the importance of a genuine partnership based approach to projects, which has underpinned the leadership of a $200m development programme in recent years.

Rob Ayres and Hung Ngo, Unitec Institute of Technology

Title of Presentation
Pedagogical approach to space planning

Abstract
Like most tertiary providers, Unitec is constantly looking at ways of improving the effective utilisation of its teaching spaces. Several institutional contexts have changed in recent years which have provided the catalyst for a fresh way of approaching space planning and utilisation. The timetabling office at Unitec is now part of the Learning and Teaching unit, with a larger academic focus rather than a purely administrative focus. The last couple of years have also seen a significant institutional focus on learning and teaching, and over a three year period all Unitec teaching programmes are required to review the way that the learning and teaching is being facilitated, which in turn has significant implications for the way in which teaching spaces might be used. The institutional goals is for programmes to embody a “living curriculum” in which conversation, collaboration, problem solving, creativity and self reflection are evidenced in the learning and teaching. The presentation will examine how this is changing the use of the learning spaces, and the tensions in balancing the desire for achieving increased efficiencies in utilisation and academic staff preferences and “pedagogic” factors. Where does the learning commons fit in with the classroom under this “living curriculum” approach? The session will certainly not provide all the answers but allow participants engage in discussion to explore the issues in more depth.

Biography
Rob Ayres is Manager of Te Puna Ako – Unitec Institute of Technology’s Learning and Teaching unit. Rob has a background in Engineering and tertiary teaching, and was formerly a Programme Director at Unitec. Te Puna Ako combines the academic advisor teams, the student support teams and the timetabling office under the one central service unit. The unit’s 32 staff work across three different campuses.

Biography
Hung Ngo is the Academic Timetabling Manager Unitec Institute of Technology. Hung has a background in Town Planning and IT, and was formerly a Deputy Principal at Edenz Colleges and NZICOM. Hung oversees Unitec academic timetable and manages the data integration between two software, Peoplesoft and Syllabus Plus.

Ewen Cameron, Massey University

Title of Presentation
Developments in pedagogy and delivery approach lead change in teaching space

Abstract
Increased focus by teaching staff to foster improved learning through interactive teaching is driving demand for change in design of teaching spaces.  At Massey University’s College of Sciences, as better understanding of student learning has been gathered and support for that learning in terms of e-technologies, programme –level change has occurred.  In addition to requiring that teaching staff change their approach, these programme-level changes require different style teaching spaces to support these new pedagogies.  Features of computer-based scenario based learning, groups of students working to address problems designed to foster creative problem solving and other approaches mean that traditional lecture room spaces do not provide support for teachers to provide the style of teaching they aspire to.  The stand and deliver style teaching associated with large lecture rooms full of attentive students acting like eager sponges for “truth” is no longer considered appropriate.  The issue is that for facilities managers, the teaching staff’s changed approach is happening much faster than they are able to either build new or rebuild existing space. Pressure for use of space for information commons and flexible teaching rooms perhaps through modified use of laboratories is providing solutions in the short to medium term.

Biography
Ewen Cameron is the Director of Teaching and Learning in Massey University’s College of Sciences.  Ewen’s teaching and research reflected his experience as a commercial fruit grower. Research interests took Ewen from the hands-on world to agricultural management and grower learning. Concurrently his teaching refocused to teaching business management in agricultural firms and he began to use “educational technologies” to enhance student learning. 

Ewen remains an active teacher who leads a Capstone paper delivered to internal and distance students from Palmerston North. The paper uses video recording, e-portfolio and web-based wikis with Moodle.   

 

Dr. Greg Robertson,  Macquarie University and Chris Alcock, Space Logic

Title of Presentation
Measuring the effectivess of space in supporting teaching and learning

Abstract
In recent years that has been significant interest in the impact of space on learning outcomes as new “experimental” teaching spaces are commissioned. Such spaces have been developed in response to the need to provide environments that better support new and different pedagogies than traditional lecture theatre and seminar room formats.

At issue has been the need to provide appropriate environments to support group and other forms of collaborative or interactive learning, and to take advantage of new technology tools in engaging students.

Many of these new environments are “space hungry”, accommodating fewer student spaces for a given area than traditional classroom formats. As a result, at a time when enrolments are increasing, classroom capacities are decreasing. If this trend continues, Estates Departments will need to commission the construction of new space just to accommodate current student numbers.

Under such circumstances, it is important that the effectiveness of the teaching environment in supporting the attainment of learning outcomes is assessed, for to date much of the new space typology has been the result of experimentation rather than informed needs-generated briefing.

Macquarie University has recently undertaken a project that provides an opportunity to develop a means of undertaking such assessment. The C5C Forum was a conventional 150-seat lecture theatre that was converted to support interactive teaching through the introduction of new continuous benching and swivel seats, enabling students to undertake group discussion during lectures. This reduced the capacity of the lecture theatre to 90 seats.

Dr. Greg Robertson of the University’s School of Education has been undertaking a research project to develop a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of this space for a range of users. Initial work has focussed on the Forum space, but it is intended that the study be then applied to another lecture theatre in the C5C building which is identical to the Forum space prior to its conversion and which will therefore act as a control space against which the Forum results can be assessed. It is intended that the methodology developed through this work then be capable of being applied to other teaching spaces on the campus.

Chris Alcock will commence the presentation with an overview of the types of new spaces that are emerging with a narrative of the key pedagogical drivers that these spaces have sought to address and the nature of the architectural responses. Greg Robertson will then present the preliminary findings of the C5C Forum research study.

Biography
Chris Alcock trained and practiced as an architect before moving into strategic consulting in 2004, specializing in briefing and the use of space and technology to support organisational and pedagogical innovation. His experience ranges across commercial, government and educational applications and his work has involved briefing, master planning, design strategy, stakeholder engagement and change management. His current clients in the education sector include Victoria University Wellington, the University of Otago, the University of Canberra, Queensland University of Technology, and Macquarie University, where he is currently reviewing the accommodation strategy for teaching and learning.

Biography
Greg Robertson, a Neuropsychologist by training, lectures in Research Methodology to Postgraduate students in the School of Education at Macquarie University. His current research explores the links between innovations in learning and teaching spaces and innovations in pedagogy. At various times he has also consulted in clinical trial and market research, and worked in hospital and rehabilitation settings.

 

Professor Sue Savage, Assistant Dean Teaching & Learning, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queensland University of Technology

Title of Presentation
Build it and they will come: the triumph of hope in academic development

Abstract
It seems that Australian universities have discovered architecture as a means to enhance their marketability, improve their reputation and compete with each other for the hearts and minds of prospective students and staff.  Or perhaps this is just a view through the rose-colored glasses of a student of the mother of all building disciplines.  Nonetheless a boom in the renewal of building stock in Australia’s universities now means that ‘being a smart client’ has become a key skill for Vice-Chancellors and Facilities Managers alike and university building procurement and management an art in its own right.

But what happens when the last lock has been master keyed, the last smart board screwed to the wall and the last designer ottoman poised strategically in a spectacular show-off space?  When all the commercial tenants have moved in, all the state-of-the-art technology installed and all the timetabling of activities ranging from weddings to postgraduate seminars, school visits to major exhibitions is complete.  What then with the academic workforce?  Pity the university that waits until building handover to raise the idea, with its people, that ‘teaching might change around here now’ as a new building is opened.

This presentation will describe the joys and tribulations of preparing a diverse cohort of academic staff for the experience of facilitating peer-to-peer collaborative learning in some of the new spaces of higher education.  It will focus on steps being taken at one Australian university to help teachers, and ultimately students, come to terms with a contemporary vision of teaching and learning that is fundamental to the design of new learning spaces.  It will describe efforts made and lessons learned as the shift from lectures and tutorials to collaborative, student-centred learning is presaged on an institutional scale ahead of occupation of the new facilities.  Our experience suggests that hope will triumph and academic staff will learn to love the new learning spaces, and the potential they offer for the enhancement of learning, as much as their Vice-Chancellors do.  The initial signs suggest that, although there is much for staff to learn, there is value, for teachers and students alike, in making long overdue changes to curriculum, pedagogy and individuals’ practice.

Biography
Sue Savage is an architect, Assistant Dean Learning and Teaching in the Science and Engineering Faculty at QUT, Chairperson Board of Architects of Queensland and Australian Discipline Scholar Architecture. In 2000 Sue became the first QUT academic to win an Australian Award for University Teaching; she remains one of only two architecture academics in the nation to hold this award.

Sue’s academic career at QUT began in 1989 as Lecturer in Architecture and Interior Design.  Prior to becoming a teacher Sue worked in a number of award-winning teams in a variety of architectural practices.  The lure of practice as something to be studied, learnt and taught drew her to academic pursuits and she found herself immersed in architecture education.  Her research interest in higher education grew from her fascination with the culture of architectural practice and her determination to figure how the academy and practice, together, could form valuable partnerships for the education of neophytes.  Sue has been privileged to teach thousands of students and watch them make the transition to working life.  In 2010 Sue completed an Australian Learning and Teaching Council Grant ($100k) Professional education in built environment and design which, based on national surveys and partnerships with multi-disciplinary design firms, scoped the issues facing graduates in their first few years of transition from university to the settings where their disciplines are practiced.  Sue is currently CI for an ARC Linkage Grant Equity and Diversity in the Australian Architecture Profession: Women, Work and Leadership investigating women’s persistence in the profession and the roles that they play.

In her current position at QUT Sue is part of a large team (across Divisions in the University) that is preparing staff for teaching in the University’s soon-to-be-completed Science and Engineering Centre.  The new learning spaces of this development bring the necessity for new pedagogies, curriculum and practices from academics, leaders and building managers.  In addition to this focus Sue leads a team of learning and teaching advisors and developers in the wide scale redevelopment of science and engineering courses, teaching and student engagement.

 

 

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