The Project Hub
Nicolette Lee
Swinburne University of Technology
One of the fundamental principles of the Swinburne Professional Learning (SPL) model is that many students in their final year of undergraduate studies are transitioning to a professional life. One aspect of the Swinburne experience supporting this process is final year, industry-linked major projects. Students working on these projects are required to work extensively together outside of class time, frequently across disciplines, and for some, across faculties and with clients. Group work and work with external partners is common. The Hawthorn Project Hub is intended to support this activity as a professional community of practice, integrating themes of student ownership, independence and self-management. It is also a pilot for similar learning spaces across the campuses.
The Swinburne Project Hub will occupy approximately 1,000sqm in the basement area of a Hawthorn Campus building, in a former staff car park accessed via the library ‘Late Lab’. In 2007, a budget of AU$2.5m was allocated for refurbishment. The SPL team, in collaboration with Facilities and Services, is managing development. Representatives from library, ITS, student and academic groups are also involved in participatory design processes.
The space has been designed based on five key concepts arranged as zones: creativity, interaction, reflection, action and communication. These zones represent processes and stages in major project work, but accommodate multiple activities, group size, discipline and learning styles. Technology is to be used to support, rather than drive, project activity. Features include extensive power access, data projectors, remote screens, hard and wireless networks, desktop PC and laptop access. More traditional working tools are also to be fitted in the space, including wall-length whiteboards and displays for work in progress.
Evaluation cycles have been incorporated into the conceptualisation, proposal, planning, and design phases of the project hub process. Students, academics, management and services departments have all been involved in the design process, and extensive studies have been carried out with students in particular. These studies have focused on the experiences of students undertaking group projects, and have highlighted several practical environment needs. However, post-occupancy evaluation presents new challenges in maintaining the holistic approach we have taken to date. Plans are therefore underway to work in partnership with Victoria University, the University of Warwick, and Indiana University to build on our collective experiences. The aim is to develop a collaborative, holistic and rigorous evaluation model for learning spaces in higher education contexts.