Purposes of Using Informal Social Learning Spaces by Students: A Case Study of Business School in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Business Schools are more than mere collections of classrooms and offices, rather destinations for studying, collaboration, group discussions, and they contribute to developing a sense of community among students and faculty. The literature illustrates almost zero essences on how managerial decision-making about space concerns affect students or faculty. In fact, it is been noted o reflect their understanding of the purpose of physical spaces mostly in its outward form which then interpreted by observers following their socially constructed decoding. The main objective of this study is to examine for what purposes students are using informal  Social Learning Spaces. This is a qualitative case study based on a Business School in Sri Lanka. The data were gathered through focus group interviews and observations held at three  different purpose-built informal social learning spaces at the selected Business School and analyzed using the thematic framework. In this exploration, the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and judgments of students are brought into the discussion. The findings revealed that students use social learning spaces for their studying, leisure, and networking purposes. Therefore, by providing informal social learning spaces for students to engage themselves in educational activities can make an influence on higher learning outcomes in academic, personal, and social aspects of their life.