Introduction

Presents an overview of the goals of this webtext. More

History

Tells the history of the Noel Studio for Academic Creativity. More

Spaces

Shows how the space is being used by faculty and students. More

Flexibility

Discusses the importance of furniture and technology. More

Students

Offers video interviews of people who use the Noel Studio. More

Conclusion

Summarizes the main arguments made in this webtext. More

Spaces that Facilitate Creative Strategies

As the Noel Studio developed, it also became a space for pedagogical experimentation and exploration, with creativity a key catalyst. Students could experiment with how they learn (and learn best), best practices in their composition process for composing texts, and the high- and low-tech artifacts that facilitate textual development. Also, faculty began to use the space as they explored their own teaching and learning practices. Visitors from across campus were encouraged to learn through productive forms of academic play. As students in the video interviews (explained further in the Students section of this webtext) shown here explain, the Noel Studio shows the importance of play through the space and resources available:

Materials: Manipulatives are available for use at any time within the space. The Noel Studio provides low-tech artifacts such as Legos, Jenga, Slinkies, Silly Putty, markers for the whiteboards and crayons with construction and butcher paper as the students in the videos discuss. Magnetic tiles and poetry are also available in the Invention Space.

Activity: Very often we will see a group of students working on a complex problem using the whiteboards. While one student may be standing at the board, the others may be talking to each other and the standing students while using their hands to play with the objects around them. This form of play (which may look distracting or even superfluous) can help students focus on the topic at hand. Doodling, as described by Sunni Brown (2011), is one of the most visual forms of play on display in the Noel Studio.

Technology: Large, touch-screen monitors provide multiple ways for students to share and interact with composition projects.  

Activity: While one student is typing on a keyboard, another group member can get up and touch the screen to add content, draw by hand, or contribute to the activity. While small groups work on large touch-screen monitors, students who walk by can stop, observe, and offer comments. Students can play with shapes, colors, and other design elements as they envision and shape their texts.

As we have depicted, interaction within the Noel Studio looks much different than in a traditional writing center. Consultations, either one-on-one or by small-group interactions with students, are highly interactive. Consultations often involve drawing on dry-erase boards or on touch-screen monitors, for example, or moving from space to space depending on the goals for the session.


The colors of the Noel Studio display an ethos of play and creativity. Throughout the space, flexible furniture on wheels encourages high-energy activity while conveying an inviting and casual tone. The space is often busy, with a variety of activities taking place throughout its varied, complementary areas. Furthermore, the spaces encourage collaboration at multiple levels. For example, the Greenhouse encourages students to come together in pairs, but it often serves as the hub for activity as large and small student and faculty groups navigate the space.

Greenhouse: A large, open space at the heart of the Noel Studio for consultations and informal pair and group collaboration. It is designed as a space where ideas grow into communication projects.

Invention Space: A space with wall-to-wall dry-erase boards, round tables, bench seating, mobile rocking chairs, and a CopyCam system where students can express ideas visually and explore kinesthetic learning through manipulatives.

Presentation Suite: An open space with folding and mobile tables and chairs, a wall-to-wall dry-erase board, and touch-screen work stations where students are encouraged to showcase ideas in small groups or as teams. The presentation suite connects the practice rooms to the Greenhouse.

Practice Rooms: Small rooms ideal for practicing or refining oral, visual, and digital composition projects. Recommended for pairs or small groups of three students. All practice rooms are equipped with workstations, video cameras, and flat-screen monitors.

Breakout Spaces: Slightly larger than the practice rooms, the breakout spaces encourage small groups (of four to six students) to collaborate and compose together. These spaces are also ideal for displaying a variety of texts to group members.



Continue reading: "Flexibility of the Space"