Xianfeng Wu

Informal learning spaces play a significant role in enriching student experiences in learning environments. Such spaces are becoming more common, resulting in a change to the spatial configuration of built environments in higher education. However, previous research lacks methods to evaluate the influence of the spatial design characteristics of informal learning spaces on student preferences and their activities within. This paper aims to tease out the spatial design characteristics of informal learning spaces to examine how they shape students’ preferences in terms of their use of the spaces and what they do within them. The two case studies selected for this study, both in the UK, are the Diamond at the University of Sheffield, and the Newton at Nottingham Trent University. A mixed-methods study is applied, including questionnaires, observation, interviews, and focus groups. Six significant design characteristics (comfort, flexibility, functionality, spatial hierarchy, openness, and other support facilities) that influence student use of informal learning environments are identified. These can be used to inform future design strategies for other informal learning spaces in higher education.

Serious games, as an engaging medium on energy consumption, have recently become more popular, as they present an educational mechanism to engage end-users. A novel application of serious games in engaging and educating end-users has been validated during the last years. However, there is little research focusing on the review of its development trends, categories and approaches. The proposed paper reviews serious games as an engaging medium for building energy consumption. The research focuses on the role of energy-consumption awareness-related education in motivating end-users to save energy and make informed decisions to change energy-related behaviours. This research stresses the approaches to underlining the issue as ascertained from a number of efficiency-related serious games. The investigation suggests the potential impact that serious games can have on changing the domestic practices of householders, in a safe, fun and interactive environment. This would enable householders to investigate alternative ways of meeting energy-consumption targets and realise the limits to their energy-saving potential. It concludes that at present, serious games do not take advantage of the opportunities available in energy monitoring and sub-metering, or real-life energy behaviours. Meanwhile, the existing evaluation framework for the effectiveness of an energy serious game still needs to be further developed. However, active engagement in energy monitoring has contributed to numerous past successes in energy use reduction, and gamification and serious games show great potential for building upon these achievements.