Creating Learning Environments Within the Constraints of Higher Education - a Case Study of a First-Year Computing Program

Designing a good learning environment is key to improve the student experience and ensure learning. However, it is becoming increasingly challenging to create such environments due the growing number of students and the push to optimize the use of learning facilities. The increased administration of higher education creates a limited room for educators to innovate and develop effective educational designs. This paper describes a case study of how one group of educators attempted to solve certain challenges within one university's constraints. The problem observed was that the first-year students were exposed to fragmented scheduling and limited access to collaborative spaces, resulting in a reduced sense of belonging and ineffective study behaviors. At the same time, these students were enrolled in large introductory courses from various departments where we did not have the mandate to make any substantial changes. The solution we came up with was a Study Day Initiative where all the first year computing students were invited to participate in a low threshold study day where teaching assistants were prepared to help with any and all assignments. We were able to clear a full day in the students time table and found an appropriate area within the department's lab spaces. The Study Day Initiative has been in place for three years, receiving very good feedback from students who report being satisfied, making friends and having improved study habits. In this paper we will describe the process behind this initiative, how the constraints of a large university were overcome and present results from the surveys of the participating students