The scholarship of teaching and learning (T&L) has gained prominence as an effective strategy for improving the quality and outcomes of undergraduate teaching and learning. The changing contexts and post-COVID environments of higher education have led researchers to reconsider the teaching and learning environment, both the physical and digital learning spaces, and to study how new learning spaces can be used to support effective pedagogy (Marmot, 2012). The classroom environment (physical or digital) is a central factor in determining pedagogical choices as “spaces are themselves agents for change” (Oblinger, 2006: 12). The main aim that guided my teaching innovation research study was to design and implement different pedagogical practices in the different academic learning spaces (the Future fit venue, the traditional classroom, and the online space). The Teaching Innovation Fund that I was granted in 2022 was used to remunerate a research assistant to help me collect data for my project. In semester one of 2022 we designed the teaching intervention, in conjunction with the lecturers of the relevant courses (three lecturers from the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment and one lecturer from the Strategic Communication Department). The project was then implemented in semester two of the 2022 academic year. The research design was structured to incorporate opportunities for participants to re-tell narratives, and the dialogic nature of the interviews also created “conditions” of knowledge production and spaces for pedagogy. Although not a direct aim of my research, the data collection showed how it is possible to design hybrid learning spaces that are equitable and engaging for all students involved. The flexibility of the arrangement of the Future-fit classes and the electronic equipment in the physical classroom allowed for effective streaming and interaction among students in the classroom and those attending the same class remotely. By attending these types of hybrid classes, students were exposed to different pedagogical practices and allowed them to experience the different spaces. It also allowed for flexibility, as not all students could attend the classes in the Future-fit venue. Space does not necessarily change practice, people do. For this type of research there is potential to create opportunities for teaching and learning. There is a need to create spaces for Qualitative research methods can provide effective spaces for pedagogy. It was clear from this research that effectiveness is dependent on pedagogies, not only the technology that is available. Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century | Showcasing UJ Teaching Innovation Projects 2022 33
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