University of Venus: Places of Learning [October 5 2010]

I’ve always been very picky about physical spaces, so it’s no surprise my first post for University of Venus at Inside Higher Ed was about the architecture and spatial arrangements in universities, and what they tell us about how we believe education should happen. It’s important to pay attention to the ways that such spaces allow some modes of exchange and communication, and make other modes difficult – including (for example) the informal interactions between faculty and students that promote integration of PhD students, which is crucial in facilitating their degree completion.