The Science of Gathering: Creating a Transformational Learning Environment Through Observations of Spatial Competencies Workshop

The Science of Gathering workshop is designed to explore the relationship between critical factors that contribute to creating successful transformational learning environments, such as proxemics, cultural relevance, and the role of agile spaces. Participants will gain insights into the impact of physical distance and cultural relevance on creativity, innovation, and teamwork in collaborative spaces. Moreover, the workshop will examine how agile spaces prioritize flexibility, adaptability, and collaboration, and how these principles can be integrated into the design of classrooms, schools, and other educational spaces. Participants will also learn about the benefits of agile spaces, such as increased engagement, productivity, and creativity. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have a deep understanding of the relationship between the key factors that contribute to creating successful transformational learning environments, including proxemics, cultural relevance, and agile spaces. The Science of Gathering workshop is ideal for educators, designers, and anyone interested in creating collaborative spaces that promote student-centered learning and success for teachers in implementing student-centered practices.

Learning Objectives:

Describe the impact of proxemics on creativity, innovation, and teamwork in collaborative spaces.
Gain an understanding of the relationship between cultural relevance and proxemics in the design of inclusive and supportive learning environments.
Learn about the principles of agile spaces and their benefits in promoting engagement, productivity, and creativity in educational settings.
Apply the key concepts of proxemics, cultural relevance, and agile spaces to the design of collaborative spaces in their own educational settings, in order to promote student-centered learning and success for teachers in implementing student-centered practices.

Jill Ackers

Jill is an experienced educator and learning environments planner with a focus on architecture and design. With over 25 years of experience, she has launched new schools, led private and public institutions, and designed professional development programs for universities and school districts. Her work includes extensive master planning for educational spaces, community engagement, and strategic planning for school districts. Jill has worked in 40 states and 23 countries worldwide, bringing her passion for constructivist learning, languages, and technology to educators through authentic and relevant professional development.

David Stubbs

Founder, David Stubbs Design

David, founder of David Stubbs Design, is an award-winning creator of educational furniture solutions. He focuses on the physical and social-emotional requirements of stakeholders, supporting manufacturers, designers, and school communities worldwide. With a disruptive approach to design, he supports programming and professional development needs while delivering detailed, systematic conversations to educational institutions and design professionals. David is an innovator, researcher, writer, consultant, advisor, and speaker. His environments demonstrate 100% engagement and wonder, sustainability, and improved indoor air quality.

Track: Response

This track addresses the Response to real-world events and experiences that impact our daily life and our ability to function normally and be productive. The response to these occurrences is reflected in the learning environments we create and leads to the question – how can schools respond to real-world crises in a way that supports the well-being of occupants and our students' learning journey? How do we respond with approaches and strategies that may be used to balance the inability and lack of needed financial resources to address deficiencies within our learning environments’ infrastructure? Topics expand on the Art approach to the theme, but also include Science in the form of findings and outcomes through case studies and examples of successful responses to real-world conditions and events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, declining student enrollment, economics, equity, and other topics.

Primary Core Competency
Educational Visioning: Exhibits an understanding of best and next practices related to educationalleadership, programming, teaching, learning, planning and facility design. Establishes credibility with educators, community members and design professionals while conceiving and leading a community-based visioning process. Demonstrates the ability to articulate the impact of learning environments on teaching and learning and uses that ability to facilitate a dialogue that uncovers the unique needs and long-range goals of an educational institution and its stakeholders – translating that into an actionable written/graphic program of requirements for the design practitioner.