Connecting technology and sensory design : a collaborative approach to designing university learning environments in a digital age

Abstract

This study explores how technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environments may be designed to stimulate the human senses. The research examines how interior designers can improve the design of learning environments to integrate seamlessly with emerging technologies, focusing specifically on how to provide students with an embodied and improved learning experience. The research challenges the notion that a need exists to connect technology and sensory design. The aim was to discover how a collaborative design approach could be used to assist interior designers to overcome the challenges they face when accommodating technology and the senses in university learning environments. The study followed an action research approach, situated in the interpretative inquiry paradigm. The sample population was comprised of various professional specialists from South Africa and the United States of America. Online interviews, focus group discussions, reflection questionnaires and an academic research journal were used to gather data. The findings describe and illustrate the challenges which interior designers face when designing learning environments in the digital age. To connect technology and the senses effectively, interior designers need to find a balance between integrating technology, stimulating the senses and encouraging collaborative learning. The study makes a strong case for a collaborative design approach when designing TEL environments, as the wider range of knowledge and skills leads to more informed decisions.