Built pedagogy and educational citizenship in an Australian alternative learning environment

Abstract

The impact of built pedagogy has received increased focus within educational research, however to date there has not been a sustained focus on alternative learning environments. The research reported in this paper explored the experiences of young people enroled in a Flexible Learning Options (FLO) programme in South Australia. Interviews with 30 young people were undertaken both at the beginning and end of the school year in 2021, and ethnographic observations of the learning space were also undertaken. Thematic analysis identified four key aspects of the built pedagogy in the programme space, with a specific focus on safety and educational citizenship. The space allowed young people to take time out for themselves, helping them to feel they were in a safe place. The space also facilitated a sense of place through its open plan, though aspects of the built pedagogy potentially introduced an emphasis upon normative understandings of educational citizenship. The paper concludes by considering recommendations for how FLO programmes may, through their built pedagogy, better meet the needs of all students.

Keywords

• Built space
• Place
• Alternative education
• Educational citizenship
• Built pedagogy
• Flexible learning options