TECHNOLOGY & TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING: RECREATING SCHOOL -COMMUNITY SPACES FOR INNOVATION

The construction of the classroom as learning space is often overlooked by academics, teachers and policy makers. (Johnson, 2010). By the classroom space I mean the two-way relations (including practices and policies) between the space and those that act within that space (e.g., students, teachers/professors and administrators (Gitlin, 2005) Further, the classroom space is in a two-way relation with both school space and the community space outside the school(Dewey, 1929)). The intention of my inquiry is to investigate and re-create the relations (including practices and policies) between spaces and actors at three interconnected levels: classroom, classroom and school, and school and community. The specific question I ask is: Can this re-creation push schooling beyond its stasis and embrace a transformative learning ambition (Dewey) for all students? So whose interests are served by the current interconnected spaces of classroom, school and school-community? A look at the three interrelated spaces brings to light some rather hidden implications that limit schools ability to move in an equitable direction.

This is the constructed space found in most if not all schools. The recreation of space is necessary if transformative learning is to even make a dent in the culture of the school. During the last 3 years I have been experimenting with a technology that appears to not only recreates spaces but allows for types of transformative learning that typically are not available to students who are silent or act simply within established norms. The final part of this paper discusses the relation between technology, space and innovation—a form of transformative learning. My point is not to advertise this particular software rather to show that while technology can be used for good and bad, if it is wired with transformative ambitions as this technology is, it is possible to see some encouraging results that I hope others take note of as they develop and recreate their own educational spaces.