Working in partnership with students to design flexible and student-centred learning spaces: Teesside University Library

This study explores an action research project to design and deliver refurbished learning spaces in the library at Teesside University, exploring the importance of learning space design for student engagement and learning. Students have increased choices about where and when they work and will therefore choose to work in spaces that they like. A study by Beckers et al (2016) into the learning space choices of higher education students found that students mainly conduct individual learning activities at home because of the opportunity to control their personal environment regarding concentration and comfort and to combine learning with other activities. The design of learning spaces is increasingly being recognised as an important factor that motivates students and engages them in their learning and development (Hyun Cha and Wan Kim, 2015). It is therefore important to work in partnership with students in the design of institutional learning spaces, making them attractive places to work.