Students' perceptions of the physical and socio-physical environment in their university campus learning spaces: Associations with learning and psychological outcomes

Over the last two decades there has been a substantial investment in the university estate across the United Kingdom. This investment has been accompanied by an increase in the use of ‘user-centred’ or ‘co-design’ approaches to learning space development and evaluation. Such approaches consider university students, the key user group of campus learning spaces, as ‘experts’ who should be consulted and involved in the design of new and evaluation of existing learning spaces. However, there is a scarcity of large-scale quantitative research on the associations between university students’ perceptions of the physical and socio-physical environment and learning and psychological outcomes, in their campus learning spaces. The few studies which have investigated this, suffer from psychometric and conceptual flaws. Overall, the research conducted in this thesis aimed to address these limitations, and in doing so contribute to knowledge. A multiphase exploratory sequential mixed methods design was adopted, consisting of two qualitative studies (Studies 1 and 2) and a subsequent quantitative study (Study 3). Empirical data was collected from a single, multi-campus and multi-geographic, university in Scotland. In Study 1, a thematic analysis of data from focus groups with students (n =15) and instructors (n = 20) highlighted the importance of the physical and socio-physical environment in students’ learning space experiences. This included Spatial and Ergonomic (e.g., furniture arrangement and comfort), Acoustical (e.g., noise from people talking), Ambient (e.g., lighting, temperature, and window views), and Privacy characteristics (e.g., visual privacy). Linked to each of these characteristics was students’ (in)ability to choose suitable spaces or alternatives for their learning activities (Decisional Control). Inaddition, the thematic analysis highlighted a range of environmental consequences, including, Engagement in Learning Activities, Cognitive-Affective Consequences, and Quantity and Quality of Work produced when using campus spaces for learning and teaching activities. Drawing on the focus group findings, previous research, and relevant person-environment transaction theories, the “University Students’ Learning Space Experience (USLSE) Model” was developed to guide the subsequent empirical studies. In Study 2, a qualitative systematic review identified 136 quantitative measurement instruments used in previous research to assess students’ perceptions of the physical and socio-physical environment in their campus learning spaces. However, only six instruments sufficiently addressed content validity, construct validity, and internal consistency reliability. Furthermore, a more nuanced investigation of the six instruments demonstrated that (i) psychometric analyses and reporting were poor and (ii) conceptual/theoretical underpinnings were insufficient. To the best of the author’s knowledge, Study 2 is the first systematic review of the quantitative instruments which measure students’ learning space perceptionsIn Study 3, a new questionnaire was developed to measure students’ learning space experiences when using their academic library spaces for individual and collaborative learning activities, respectively. The so-called “University Students’ Library Learning Space Experience (USLLSE) Questionnaire” was based on the USLSE Model. As such, content validity and conceptual underpinnings were superior to previous research. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) revealed that the two sections of the questionnaire, pertaining to individual learning activities (N = 418) and collaborative learning activities (N = 307), had good overall psychometric properties, including, construct validity and internal consistency reliability. Additionally, the PLS-SEM results demonstrated significant associations between students’ perceptions of the physical and socio-physical environment (Spatial and Ergonomic Fit, Acoustical and Privacy Fit, Ambient Fit, and Decisional Control) and a range of learning and psychological outcomes, including, Academic Stress, Engagement, and Quantity and/or Quality of Work produced when using the academic library spaces for both individual and collaborative learning activities. Overall, the significant associations demonstrated that more positive perceptions of the environment were associated with better learning and psychological outcomes. To the best of the author’s knowledge, Study 3 is the first to assess the relationships between students’ environmental perceptions and learning and psychological outcomes in their academic library spaces.The findings were discussed in relation to the research aims, previous empirical and theoretical works, methodological and practical implications, and proposals for future research, including, further development and applications of the USLSE Model and USLLSE Questionnaire.