Design of Engaging Informal Learning Places and Spaces

People learn in all sorts of places—not just those that are formally designated as educational. Describing a place as an “informal learning place” implies that activities within it are not closely supervised or tightly structured. In formal learning places, it is usual for a teacher to be present or for the layout of the place to play an influential role in anchoring student activity. For example, in a typical school classroom, it is normal for students to be expected to stay in their assigned locations (e.g., seats or desks) for a fixed period of time (e.g., for the length of a lesson). Informal learning places are used more freely. Typically, students come and go as they please, work where they want, on what they want, ...