There are many co-working offices all over the US, but for studying, the only similar space is the library, where usually students have to be very quiet and almost invisible. College or university students who would like to engage and dig into the subject deeper should try the environment. At college, critical thinking is crucial, but it is rarely used in class. It is an important essential skill, which is the main practice at a study space. Co-learning space is the new wave for advancing skills and it is an ideal learning environment for people who cannot study being surrounded with silence.
Co-learning spaces are not only useful for getting out of the dusty libraries. The service is tied with cognitive learning theory; therefore, it provides effective studying. According to Harasim, people are able to progress intellectually only through endless conversation and challenges (2017). Observational learning is one of the components of cognitive theory, which means that individuals watching how other people apply their knowledge are able to obtain their skills. Co-learning environment will provide students with speaking clubs, where they will be able to apply the reflection and conversational point of the theory.
Reflection is one of the key points of the cognitive theory. Even though self-reflection works, many students do not have the motivation to think about their studies. It is easier to reflect with other individuals to engage into the matter. People who are able to get in an open conversation about the learnt material are believed to study the subject deeper through critical thinking and applying it to their previous experiences (Akpan & Kennedy, 2020). The space will hold technologies for presentations, which will be used by the guests or teachers to involve interactivity. Tindall-Ford, et al. suggests that learning with interactive activities is highly increasing the student’s quality and speed of learning new or already known material (2020). Overall, the co-learning space provides the environment and utilities for students to use more resources and challenge themselves for new ways of learning.
In conclusion, co-learning environments will provide students not only with the comfortable yet effective place to study, but will also encourage to utilize the most of their knowledge. The study spaces can be curated by the professors, or used by students themselves. Presentations and speaking clubs will actively engage people into the learning process, while observation will passively teach them other studies. Co-learning environment is a new approach for the well-tested cognitive method which gives not only knowledge, but also the meaning of it.
References
Akpan, B., Kennedy, T. (2020). Science education in theory and practice: An introductory guide to learning theory. Springer.
Harasim, L. (2017). Learning theory and online technologies. Routledge.
Tindall-Ford, S., Agostinho, S. & Sweller, J. (2020). Advances in cognitive load theory: rethinking teaching. Routledge.