Herman Miller’s Learning Studio Research Program Addresses Evolving Needs in Higher Education Spaces
Herman Miller Higher Education
OFDA 4/2/09
Herman Miller, Inc., is continuing its focus on researching the evolving needs of higher education with the Learning Studio Research Program, a concept developed by the company’s Education Solutions team. The Learning Studio Research Program provides participating higher education institutions the opportunity to explore new approaches to learning space design, measure the impact on student learning and success, and inform large scale design decisions on campus.
“Research indicates the need to support new forms of teaching and learning on campus,” said Jeff Vredevoogd, Herman Miller’s Education Solutions lead. “The Learning Studio Research Program approach allows institutions to experiment with space and determine how it can be used to effectively support the needs of faculty and students.”
The Learning Studio Research Program goes beyond simply creating a new learning space on campus—it is a multi-phase, collaborative, research-focused effort that measures the impact of space on teaching and learning on campus.
Butler Community College in Kansas partnered with Herman Miller to create four Learning Studios–two general education classrooms and two nursing classrooms.
“Research conducted in those Learning Studios indicates that students and instructors preferred those spaces, rather than the college’s traditional 600-square-foot, limited technology rooms,” said Dr.
Gene George, Executive Director of Research and Institutional Effectiveness at Butler.
