A case study of student learning spaces during the pandemic; a sociomateriality perspective

Against the backdrop of a dynamic Higher Education (‘HE’) environment and challenges compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, this ‘on the horizon’ paper will outline initial findings from a case study, focused on a large, post-1992, UK-based, Higher Education Institution (‘HEI’) in the North of England, with the aim to explore students' perceptions of their transitions to a blended learning environment. This paper examines two research questions. First, what can be learned about students’ perceptions regarding the approaches taken by the HEI to support the imposed changes to their learning? Second, with a particular focus on learning spaces, how do students perceive their early experiences of the changes necessitated by the pandemic? Utilising the theoretical framework of sociomateriality, the paper will offer a reflective voice on the experiences arising from adapting residential dwellings into learning spaces. The variation in students’ living situations will be considered in the context of access to HE and student experience. The study draws on creative, photovoice methods to facilitate participant-led discussions in both focus groups and interviews. Illustrative images produced by participants are included in this paper to add context to the initial analysis. Finally, future directions for the study will be outlined and considered in the context of the ongoing changes in the HE sector.