Space as an Agential Actor: Analyzing Inclusive Learning Opportunities at a University Arboretum

• In Event: Research in Progress Roundtable Session 2
  In Invited Roundtable: Teacher Attitudes, Identity, and Inclusive Learning in Science Education (Table 11)

Abstract

University arboretums have a unique responsibility to create and maintain inclusive learning opportunities due to their positions within the knowledge production system of universities. Inclusive learning can be conceptualized as supporting an individual’s agency through space and the physical environment. This case study examines a designed environment within the Arboretum at Penn State to explore the research question: How does the Arboretum at Penn State support inclusive learning opportunities through spatial design? Utilizing unstructured observations conducted as a researcher-observer, preliminary findings suggest that space shaped agency through three main avenues: engagement, behavior management, and curricular design.

Author

• Hailey Elyse Bowers, Pennsylvania State University