We have started holding classes in the Learning Commons at Kyushu University. This is for the undergraduate specialized course, “Educational Information Engineering.” We initially held it in a computer room, but it is difficult to conduct discussion-centered classes in a room with fixed computers that cannot flexibly adapt to different teaching styles. When I asked the students, everyone said, “This way is better,” and they all have their own laptops. Since they can also borrow iPads from the library, we decided to hold the class in the Learning Commons.

Since an entire wall is a whiteboard, we project slides onto it, and the students use the whiteboard to facilitate their discussions. The class is conducted using the jigsaw method. I assign multiple reading materials in advance and allocate which materials each student is responsible for reading beforehand. Most of the class time is spent deepening mutual understanding, discussing, presenting, and conducting Q&A sessions. For the last 15 minutes or so, I wrap up by explaining the key points. We use Facebook for what I call a “mini-report” (haha), which serves as a review. Even though the assigned reading is about 20 pages long, the students are working wonderfully hard, reading thoroughly, checking parts they don’t understand, and organizing their thoughts to some extent.

Indeed, a learning space that allows for free movement and supports student learning behavior is more important than a fixed space. Professor Yamauchi at the University of Tokyo pointed out in the “Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science of Learning” that “to shift to learner-centered learning, it is necessary not only to change views on learning and teaching methods but also to change the space itself that defines how learning takes place,” and I agree. Furthermore, I believe that using this space might even change our views on teaching. I hope our university will increase the number of such learning spaces (I wish they would change all the classrooms… haha). At the NIE in Singapore, most of the classrooms were flexible enough to adapt to different teaching styles. They had displays on the walls instead of screens. That is Singapore for you. A country aiming to be a world-class university, beyond just Asia, is in a different league. However, as far as I could see, there were no classrooms with entire walls as whiteboards. Perhaps I might find some if I explore a bit more.

Having an entire wall as a whiteboard is quite excellent.