Learning Theory
The SpacePlace platform addresses many learning principles. As students interact regularly in the physical space of the classroom and the virtual space of SpacePlace, communities of practice will form, naturally fostering support and social interactions among peers. Being a part of such a community allows students to exercise the Affinity Group Principle and bond through their social endeavors as learners. As students work in the community of practice, the “Psychosocial Moratorium” Principle applies as students begin to feel comfortable taking risks in their groups.
Working in a group in a virtual space allows students to reflect on and discover the type of learners they are, as wll as identify the skills they have (exercising the Self Knowledge Principle.) The Explicit Information and Just In Time Principles apply as students help other group members who may be struggling. Teachers can also intervene as need be while students are still in all stages of the assignment.
Because SpacePlace makes shared information of work accessible while the assignment is still in progress, feedback is critical to a student and/or group’s success. While all of this social interaction is happening in the virtual world of SpacePlace, the Distributed Principle and “Material Intelligence” Principle apply as the collaboration thinking is stored in the technologies of the SpacePlace environment. This allows students to work, think, and problem-solve together.