Redesigning learning spaces through students and academics contributions: the role of participatory design

Participatory design is a trend for designing products and services which suggests that end-users become active participants in the design of what they consume. This concept originated in the Scandinavian countries, matches with new trends in learning and teaching in which learners construct their knowledge by dialogue, discussion and negotiation, hence through participation and engagement. Simultaneously, it also implies that institutions embrace plurality and diversity of perceptions by joining different stakeholders in designing aspects of the learning and teaching process. In this paper we present a research experience in its preliminary stage wherein using a Participatory Design approach we will re-design technology-enabled learning spaces by combining the perceptions of students and teaching staff in individual and group design sessions. We aim to build the foundations for discussing learning spaces as a dynamic and co-designed concept that can bridge the gap between staff and student perceptions of learning spaces.