Two Melbourne academics have been awarded a major annual publication prize to study the potential of our rapidly changing educational spaces to support and enhance learning.

Melbourne architect/academic Clare Newton and educational planner Dr Kenn Fisher were today officially announced as the winners of the 2008 Australian Institute of Architects annual Sisalation Prize. The Prize offers authors the opportunity to produce a publication in the esteemed Australian Institute of Architects ‘Take’ series of architectural journals.

The announcement comes on World Architecture Day, Monday 6 October.

As this year’s winners, Ms Newton and Dr Fisher will develop “Take 8 - Learning Spaces: The transformation of educational spaces for the 21st century”, with anticipated publication late next year. They join a long line of successful Australian architects awarded the Prize, including Keith Cottier, Ken Woolley and Philip Cox.

Describing the proposed publication, the pair said: “Architects and educators from Australia and the UK will discuss the potential of educational space to both support and enhance learning in the Take 8 journal.”

The authors said: “Our State and Federal Governments have committed to a major rebuilding program of schools with $1.7billion of federal funds announced in the 2008 budget to be spent on schools in the next four years. Learning spaces are being transformed. The education that we had as children is not suitable for today’s generation. Young people are natives in the world of information technology. They are adept at learning using digital media. This increased connectivity between students and their local and global environments is transforming school environments from teaching institutions to learning organisations.”

They added: “Research suggests that teachers do not perceive the physical environment as a major indicator of educational outcomes. This is a misconception we would address, as an increasing body of research is confirming that space does affect learning outcomes of students and the well being of teachers and students.”

The Sisalation Prize is the longest-standing prize offered by the Institute and has been sponsored since its inception in 1956 by Fletcher Insulation.

About the editors: Clare Newton is an architect and academic; a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Building at the University of Melbourne; an expert panel member with the Innovation Branch of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in Victoria; and a chief investigator on an Australian Research Council funded project called Smart Green Schools. Dr Kenn Fisher is an internationally recognised educational planner working in education and design; he is responsible for Rubida Research – New Learning Environments and Adjunct Professor at the University of Melbourne; and a chief investigator on Smart Green Schools.