Sociomaterial Practices of Design for Learning Teams in Higher Education

Abstract

How do the relations between human and nonhuman actors unfold as part of design for learning? What happens as a design for learning cycle unfolds? These questions underpin the practice of design for learning. However, in-depth studies of this nature are rare, especially those uncovering the situated practice of the university staff involved in the process. This study explores the sociomaterial entanglements of the learning design team in a large Australian university. Methodologically, this research draws on ethnography, sociomaterial sensibilities, and actor–network theory. Data were collected through observations of a design for learning team of university staff in natural settings, interviews, and detailed analysis of objects involved in their work. The design team consisted of four members. Two in-depth workshops were observed, each totalling approximately 1.5 hr. Many photographs (approx. 100 per workshop) were taken during the observations. Four semistructured interviews were conducted following observations, each totalling approximately 1 hr. Finally, a large corpus of project-related documentation was analysed, including email communications, digital project planning tools, and design documentation. Key findings revealed that the nature of the broader institutional network influenced the work of the design for learning team from different perspectives. From a situated practice perspective, this research demonstrates how practical knowledge is produced through negotiations and ideas seeding in sociomaterial assemblages. This study also provides an understanding of how actors in sociomaterial assemblages influence design for learning by supporting design cognition and collaboration. The insights developed through this research contribute to the existing literature by uncovering patterns of how design for learning is conducted, encompassing human and nonhuman sociomaterial configurations.