172 · Representative Documents: Planning and Assessment
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
Space Requirements for Mann Library (excerpts)
-­‐from Steelcase Education Solutions. (2011) Active Learning Spaces.
http://www.steelcase.com/en/products/category/educational/documents/ses_active_learning_spaces_interactive.final.pdf
Beginning with collaborative work and study spaces like the second floor Bissett Collaborative Center,
the Mann Learning Technologies Committee conducted a series of studies, including:
Observations of the Bissett Collaborative Center (on varying days and at various times during the
day) and research on library spaces by DEA students
In depth interviews with students about their group work experiences, probing to find what was
most useful and most challenging in a collaborative environment, i.e. lighting, furniture, software,
other technology, as well as what technology/software/space etc. they currently use and why
Testing of and survey (n=29) on Agati collaborative furniture and Bretford whiteboards
Usability testing of and survey (n=61) on TeamSpot collaborative software (which allows multiple
users to control a single large screen wirelessly and to share files and links easily amongst a
group)
Photo diary exercise combined with in-­‐depth student interviews in which we required seven
interviewees to bring in photos of campus spaces and tools they use for individual and group
work
Ideal space design exercise with a random sample of students as well as the CALS student
advisory committee (approximately 38 total), in which we asked students to draw their ideal
collaborative space and did short debrief interviews on their designs
Post-­‐renovation survey of Bissett Collaborative Center (ongoing)
This past year of intensive user studies comes in addition to a long tradition of using students and class
projects to help shape Mann Library (for example, DEA 1500’s involvement in the creation and post-­‐
occupancy evaluation of the original Bissett Collaborative Center). As we look forward, we hope to have
even more student involvement in the creation of Mann’s spaces. In the spirit of experiential, authentic
learning, Mann Library can serve not only as a study space but also as a living lab where students in DEA,
COMM, Landscape Architecture, and other departments can implement and test what they have
researched, get feedback, and share their results with faculty and peers.
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