Sharing of learning spaces: A focus on the learning space allocation process

The sharing of learning spaces has become an increasingly important topic in higher education. Learning spaces such as classrooms, labs, and seminar rooms are critical resources that shape how teaching and learning take place. Enhancing the sharing of learning spaces can improve overall space utilization and ensure that learning spaces better support users. JAVIST project (Jakamisella viisautta / Resourceful sharing) aims to foster co-usable learning and innovation environments. The project partners are Aalto University, Aalto Campus & Real Estate, University of Helsinki, and City of Helsinki.

On 17 January 2025, JAVIST project team organized a workshop dedicated to the theme ‘‘sharing in the teaching scheduling and space allocation process’’. The event brought together 14 participants from Aalto University, University of Helsinki, City of Helsinki, and Aalto Corporate Real Estate (ACRE) to collectively discuss how sharing practices can be strengthened in the learning space allocation process. Here are the key takeaways from the workshop structured under five themes.

1. Systems

Identified challenges

For users, there are multiple digital systems that are not user-friendly. It is difficult for users to understand which system should be used for which purpose and for which space type, whether they have access, and how to make bookings and cancellations in each system, especially for new users. Complex cancellation procedures and systems also cause unused bookings.
For process operators, i.e., the service staff involved in the process, multiple digital systems are being used in the process. These systems may be misaligned, leading to a high possibility of errors and conflicts. The information exchange across systems also requires a great deal of manual work.

Solutions and ideas

For users, provide one user-centric dashboard for all the bookings and cancellations of all spaces, where users can easily view available spaces, see their reserved spaces and cancel not needed reservations.
For process operators, if possible, establish a common system that could store every involved data and operate all tasks for the process to release human intelligence. If not, develop multiple systems to enable automatic information communication between systems, as well as monitoring aligned processes.

2. Internal rents

Identified challenges

The internal rents are not typically visible to teachers, so they may have no incentive to cancel unused bookings. The internal rents are also typically not visible to degree program planners, making it difficult for them to plan the budget.
With internal rents, users may have less incentive to share. Departments tend to reserve their own spaces for internal use, limiting access for others. Besides, competition for prime-time slots encourages overbooking just ‘‘in case’’, leading to underused or vacant spaces.

Solutions and ideas

Make internal rents visible to teachers and degree program planners. But on the other hand, it could also bring issues that people may reserve a smaller space or a cheaper time slot due to the budget restraints.
Use dynamic pricing based on demand, such as setting the highest price for the high-demand time slot. Charge for the unused bookings; otherwise, it is free. For department-owned facilities, compensate them to encourage sharing. This can be in the form of money or prime time access.
Use sharing profiles to motivate users to share. On sharing profiles, users could be rated based on their behaviours that promote sharing, and users with higher ratings demonstrate reliable and active sharing behaviour. Sharing profiles can also track users’ common routes and travel patterns. The reward, such as ‘‘most sharing teacher of the year’’, can be used to create incentives

3. Process

Identified challenges

The schedulingprocess takes monts, sometimes years, and teachers’ requirements on course scheduling and spaces are collected in the early phase. Early data collection and planning make it difficult to have accurate forecasting for space needs.
In hybrid teaching scenarios, the number of students attending the classroom is hard to predict.
The long process is fixed and highly standard, which allows limited flexibility to adapt to changes, causing mismatches between planned and actual space use.

Solutions and ideas

In addition to student enrolment data, students’ study plans and space use rates from previous years can be collected for more accurate forecasting.
When students registering in the course, their intended participation mode could be collected, such as whether they will attend the course online or on-site.
Have a Flexibility Coach, either a person, an AI assistant, or a combination of them, to coordinate learning space sharing and adapt to changes.

4. Users

Challenges

Learning spaces are shared among multiple user groups with diverse needs. Conflicts often arise between the requirements of different groups, both internal and external.
Users tend to prefer familiar spaces and are hesitant to use unfamiliar ones, resulting in underutilization of unfamiliar spaces.

Solutions and ideas

Use the dashboard serving all user groups. For different user groups, there could be different types of dashboards, where users are able to switch between them.
The Flexibility Coach, either a person, an AI assistant, or a combination of them, can be responsible for coordinating users’ needs and providing information about spaces to users.
On the dashboards for users, provide the space catalogue containing photos, visualizations (e.g. 360 models/video) of the room, and a description of the rooms’ layout and equipment. A virtual campus can also be provided, allowing users to take a virtual tour of the campus.
For each new staff/teacher, assign an onboarding buddy who can introduce colleagues and spaces to them and give a guided tour of the campus to help be familiar with shared spaces.
Equip all standard classrooms with the same teaching equipment, such as presentation screens, multiple plugs etc, to lower the barriers to use unfamiliar spaces.
Place simple instruction paper about how to use the equipment and the possible layout options in the space.

5. Spaces

Challenges

Existing shared learning spaces need to meet diverse spatial requirements, while some historical buildings come with strict preservation constraints.
As space capacity is limited, maximizing occupancy can create a paradox that high efficiency may leave little availability for emerging needs. Pure efficiency-driven sharing therefore does not align with the practical needs of users.

Solutions and ideas

Make some spaces versatile by arranging movable furniture and offering layout options. Even those spaces with significant historical or cultural value can also be as versatile as possible within preservation constraints.
Achieving a 100% utilization rate for learning spaces might not be practical. To ensure effective sharing, it’s important to balance how fully these spaces are occupied with the flexibility needed for everyone to have timely access.

Text: Chuyao Wang and Tuuli Jylhä, Aalto University.

Resourceful sharing project is co-funded by European Union. Please find more information on the project HERE.