Theorizing learning spaces: A sociomaterial approach

This poster session recognizes the expanding base of research in Future Learning Spaces and argues that one of the problems confronting this emerging area is the lack of robust analytical frameworks. Drawing from a sociomaterial perspective, we suggest Latour's (2005) Actor Network Theory (ANT) as a promising analytical lens. More particularly, ANT proposes the relationship in human-material interactions can be conceptualized as symmetrical, where the material is viewed as possessing an equivalent degree of agency. Building on this proposal we suggest network relations can be analyzed considering five material actors: (1) personal computing devices (e.g., bring-your-own-device); (2) furniture; (3) media displays; (4) Internet search engines; and (5) digital, cloud-based environments (e.g., Google Docs, online courses, etc.).