DEVELOPING INFORMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS OF TOMORROW FOR INSTITUTES OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Empirical research suggests that millennials prefer informal learning environments for their collaborative team work. McGivney (1999), defines informal learning as "learning that takes place outside a dedicated learning environment." However, most institutes of higher learning still offer traditional learning environments that feature podium and rows of chairs. Unfortunately, these traditional classrooms do not provide opportunities for informal learning as it requires different spatial, furniture, equipment, technological, and environmental configurations, restricting the learning opportunities for the students. To understand the needs for informal learning environments of the millennials, this author developed a research project in collaboration with her graduate students and a leading furniture manufacturer. In this paper this author shares the parameters of the project, the research methods her graduate students utilized to understand students' needs for informal learning environments. The qualitative research methods these students employed included the review of published literature, precedents, and theories, conducting interviews and observations of informal learning environments, photo and video documentation of activities, interactions taking place in these environments, and the documentation of how students use various objects in these environments. A survey instrument was also developed to gather data that can be analyzed and compared with the qualitative research findings. For data analysis, the team adapted Elito, journey mapping and sorting and clustering data frame works. Based on their findings, each team developed insights about their selected research topic. In this paper, the author will share how this research was shared with the administration, academics, student body and the manufacturers' representative to inform them about students' needs so that together they can develop planning strategies to design new informal learning environments to foster collaboration and teamwork. The findings of this research indicate that many new pedagogical approaches are now being introduced in higher education, requiring a serious review of traditional classrooms and its validity in the 21st century.