Abstract
How can we strategically assess the investments made to living and learning environments and its impact on students? How can we create an inclusive design research model in higher education? By utilizing a post-occupancy evaluation process, students completed a nine-month study to investigate and assess the investment in student living and learning spaces. This paper shares the findings of the post occupancy evaluation of a living-learning program in a residence hall to better understand how the spaces are utilized and its impact on learning. The process utilizes design research as a community engaged model, with collaboration among a diverse group of administration, partners, staff, faculty, and most importantly, students. By combining the need for design research on campus and a framework for participatory research models, this case study reveals the importance of assessing campus buildings through student participation in design research.
Keywords
creative evaluation; co-design; engagement; evidence gathering
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2016.473
Citation
Radtke, R. (2016) Evaluating Living and Learning on Campus: A Community Engaged Research Model, in Lloyd, P. and Bohemia, E. (eds.), Future Focused Thinking - DRS International Conference 2016, 27 - 30 June, Brighton, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2016.473
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Evaluating Living and Learning on Campus: A Community Engaged Research Model
How can we strategically assess the investments made to living and learning environments and its impact on students? How can we create an inclusive design research model in higher education? By utilizing a post-occupancy evaluation process, students completed a nine-month study to investigate and assess the investment in student living and learning spaces. This paper shares the findings of the post occupancy evaluation of a living-learning program in a residence hall to better understand how the spaces are utilized and its impact on learning. The process utilizes design research as a community engaged model, with collaboration among a diverse group of administration, partners, staff, faculty, and most importantly, students. By combining the need for design research on campus and a framework for participatory research models, this case study reveals the importance of assessing campus buildings through student participation in design research.