Innovating physical & virtual learning spaces: Fostering the growth of modern knowmadic learners
In this technological era, we cannot shy away from speaking about knowmadic people, not just learners, but workers, community members and global citizens alike. A 'knowmad' is someone who is flexible, fluent in the technology of their time, and unafraid to take risks. This 'new worker' embodies these traits and fosters curiosity, creativity, and adaptability.
Fostering Learning Traits Central to the Knowmad
The paradigms of traditional learning may not serve this new breed of explorers. Let’s delve further into what a well-facilitated environment can do for fostering curiosity, creativity, and adaptability, which are central to modern knowmadic learners.
Curiosity is the inner urge that motivates learners to explore the world around them. It is the impetus for asking questions, seeking solutions, and rejecting conformity. A learning space should primarily evoke curiosity in the learner, acting as a catalyst for transformative learning experiences.
Creativity goes a step beyond curiosity. It is about looking at the world through fresh eyes and finding solutions in improbable places. Meaningful learning occurs when the learner is allowed to think critically and engage with learning materials on a creative level. Innovation should be innate to the learning environment, empowering learners to think, create, share, and learn in ways they find most natural.
Adaptability is about adjusting to the pace of digital change and sustaining in the face of new challenges. A learning space should promote adaptability, encouraging learners to continuously modify their behavior in response to new contexts, problems, and opportunities. This reflects the dynamicity of our society and the need for knowmadic learners to adapt to constant change.
Rethinking and Innovating: The Road Ahead
Understood this way, the design of learning spaces then is a subject of paramount importance. Both physical and virtual spaces need to create a balance between directed and self-directed learning, enabling learners to explore information independently, apply it creatively, and practice their learnings communally.
Our understanding of physical spaces must transcend the four walls of traditional classrooms, bringing learners exposure to diverse perspectives, challenges, and themes. Equally, in virtual spaces, we need to reimagine the blackboard to interactive sessions with breakout rooms, feedback mechanisms, and social presence – a platform for experiential learning and collaboration.
We are in an era of epochal change and our responses must be no less transformative. As we step into the 'new norm', it's time we reevaluate our basic assumptions about work, learning, and education, designing our spaces to capture the zeitgeist. The task at hand is vast - but so is the opportunity.
Rethinking and innovating our learning environments reflects our readiness to leap into the future. As educational researchers and practitioners, it is our role to ensure that our educational spaces— both physical and virtual —are designed to foster these knowmadic traits and prepare students for a future of continuous change. After all, the way we organize our learning and working environments explicitly shows what we value, and in a knowmad society, it's about embracing the possibilities of the future.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts on fostering knowmadic learning in innovative physical and virtual spaces!
