Designing for Learning - 2nd Edition by C Carney Strange & James H Banning (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Understand the design factors of campus environmental theory that impact student success and create a campus of consequence

Designing for Learning is a comprehensive introduction to campus environmental theory and practice, summarizing the influence of collegiate environments on learning and providing practical strategies for facilitating student success through intentional design. This second edition offers new coverage of universal design, learning communities, multicultural environments, online environments, social networking, and safety, and challenges educators to evaluate the potential for change on their own campuses. You'll learn which factors make a living-learning community effective, and how to implement these factors in the renovation of campus facilities. An updated selection of vignettes, case scenarios, and institutional examples help you apply theory to practice, and end-of-chapter reflection questions allow you to test your understanding and probe deeper into the material and how it applies to your environment.

Campus design is no longer just about grassy quads and ivy-covered walls--the past decade has seen a surge in new designs that facilitate learning and nurture student development. This book introduces you to the many design factors that impact student success, and helps you develop a solid strategy for implementing the changes that can make the biggest difference to your campus.

• Learn how environments shape and influence student behavior
• Evaluate your campus and consider the potential for change
• Make your spaces more welcoming, inclusive, and functional
• Organize the design process from research to policy implementation

Colleges and universities are institutions of purpose and place, and the physical design of the facilities must be undertaken with attention to the ways in which the space's dimensions and features impact the behavior and outlook of everyone from students to faculty to staff. Designing for Learning gives you a greater understanding of modern campus design, and the practical application that brings theory to life.

From the Back Cover

For today's colleges and universities, it is time for an upgrade. Students in -higher education are becoming more discerning as they seek distinctive educational experiences conducive to success. In the future, the most competitive institutions will be those that pay attention, not only to what students learn, but to where they learn. Thankfully, the past decade of research has yielded new and exciting insights into the types of environments--physical and online--that support student learning. Designing for Learning is a valuable synthesis of the key ideas that every institution needs to survive this crucial moment in the evolution of higher education.

Research shows that human behavior is strongly influenced by the -environments we inhabit, and smart design principles are transforming learning environments around the world. In this book, authors C. Carney Strange and James H. Banning show how colleges and universities that take a conscious approach to their -learning environments stand to attract more students and improve retention rates. Their framework shows how to assess existing environments and identify ways to -create the experience of community, which is essential to student success.

Designing for Learning is an update to the authors' groundbreaking work, Educating by Design. Through examples, case studies, and questions for reflection and discussion this book guides readers from theory to practice. The authors present new coverage of the most pressing issues in higher education today, including:

• Universal design
• Learning communities and social networking
• Multicultural environments
• Virtual environments and online learning
• Safety and inclusion

Anyone involved in online or on campus environments, from institutional leaders to facilities coordinators to administrative staff, will appreciate these eye-opening principles. The colleges and universities of the future will be designed with purpose. Designing for Learning provides readers with the inspiration and knowledge they need to create environments that lead to long-term success.

About the Author

C. CARNEY STRANGE is professor emeritus of higher education and student affairs at Bowling Green State University, where he taught courses on student development and the impact of educational environments.

JAMES H. BANNING is professor emeritus at Colorado State University and is well known for his work and teaching in educational psychology and campus ecology.