Journal of Learning Spaces Submission

This page is designed to help you ensure your submission is ready for and fits the scope of the journal.

Before submitting you should read over the guidelines here, then register an account (or log in if you have an existing account)

All submissions must be:

Original, unpublished works not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
Written in English.
Formatted and referenced using the most current APA Style.
Submitted as MS Word, RTF, or RTF documents.
Submitted through the Journal home page. To submit, you must first login or register as an Author with the Journal, then follow the link and steps to Start A New Submission.

All submissions should be double-spaced, with margins of one inch on all sides. Number pages consecutively throughout the paper. Authors should also supply a shortened version of the title suitable for the running head, not exceeding 50 character spaces. Each article should be summarized in an abstract of not more than 100 words.

The Journal of Learning Spaces is a free, open access journal and no submission fees or processing charges are required.

Submission types:

Research manuscripts. Peer-reviewed.
4,000-7,000 words, including bibliography.
Research manuscripts present and describe original, primary research (broadly defined) on topics of current importance that may impact learning space research and practice in higher education. Manuscripts provide clear and complete methodology and include all necessary figures, tables, and illustrations. See additional formatting requirements below. Registered Journal of Learning Spaces readers are free to post comments and questions to these submissions.

Case studies. Peer-reviewed.
3,000-5,000 words.
Case studies describe mature projects and programs that describe or demonstrate innovative, instructive learning space designs, programs, or practices in higher education. Case studies dealing with pedagogy, assessment, or unique partnerships and collaborations will receive greatest preference. Registered Journal of Learning Spaces readers are free to post comments and questions to these submissions.

Position pieces. Peer-reviewed.
2,000-4,000 words, including bibliography.
Position pieces are essays intended to inform readers of, or to stimulate discussion about, significant issues in current learning space research and practices in higher education. Position pieces may be primary or secondary research and will provide complete references. Registered Journal of Learning Spaces readers are free to post comments and questions to these submissions.

Field Reports.
1,000-2,000 words.
Field Reports are thoughtful summaries of recent conferences, meetings, colloquium, etc. on topics relevant to learning space research and design. Submissions should present the ideas and insights generated during the event being reported, rather than simply detailing the topics covered. Field Reports should underscore the value or importance of the ideas being summarized to the readership. Registered Journal of Learning Spaces readers are free to post comments and questions to these submissions.

Book reviews.
300-500 words.
Book reviews provide concise summaries and evaluations of current (published within the last 12 months) books related to learning space research or practices in higher education. Book review authors select and procure books to review, based on their professional view of the book's real or potential impact and relevance to current research and practice. Authors are encouraged to cite other notable books related to the one being reviewed. Registered Journal of Learning Spaces readers are free to post comments and questions to these submissions.

Learning Space Spotlight.
300-500 words.
Spotlight submissions highlight innovative learning spaces in higher education -- formal or informal, physical or virtual. These brief profiles describe a space's vision, key features, technologies, staffing, and innovative features or uses. Photos, Floorplans, and links to related media are highly encouraged. Submissions must use the journal's Spotlight submission template.

Other formatting requirements:

Images.
Authors are strongly encouraged to include relevant, hi-resolution images in their submissions. Image files should be:

300 dpi or higher
Minimum of 600 x 800
JPEG, TIFF, or PSD format only
Submitted as separate files, not embedded in the manuscript files
Properly credited

Hyperlinks.
Authors are strongly encouraged to include relevant hyperlinks throughout their manuscript, taking full advantage of the Journal's online format.

Video and audio.
Submissions that incorporate supplemental video or audio files are welcome, but the manuscript must provide a simple or embedded link to remotely-stored video or audio files. The journal does not currently host or stream media files locally.

Tables and Figures. When submitting a manuscript, tables and figures should not be embedded in the text, but should be included as separate files. A brief, descriptive title should appear above each table or figure, which corresponds with a like-titled placeholder within the manuscript. Clear legends and footnotes should also appear beneath tables and figures.

About

A peer-reviewed, open-access journal published biannually, The Journal of Learning Spaces provides a scholarly, multidisciplinary forum for research articles, case studies, book reviews, and position pieces related to all aspects of learning space design, operation, pedagogy, and assessment in higher education.

Focus and Scope

We define learning as the process of acquiring knowledge, skill, or understanding as a result of study, experience, or teaching.

Learning spaces are designed to support, facilitate, stimulate, or enhance learning and teaching. Learning spaces encompass formal, informal, and virtual environments:

formal: lecture halls, laboratories, traditional classrooms
informal: learning commons, multimedia sandbox, residential study areas, huddle rooms
virtual: learning management systems, social media websites, online virtual environments

We invite submissions of practical and theoretical works from practitioners and academics across a wide range of subject disciplines and organizational backgrounds, including Architecture, Interior and Product Design, Education, Information and Library Science, Instructional Technology, Sociology, and Student and Residential Life. Submissions should focus primarily on learning spaces and their impact on or relationship to teaching and learning.

Journal of Learning Spaces is an Open Access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of Open Access.

Submission Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.

The submission files are in Microsoft Word, RTF, or PDF document file format. Please use this submission template for Spotlight submissions or this submission template (in RTF) for any other submission.

Copyright Notice

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

Peer Review

All submissions are subject to double blind reviews by two reviewers. The review period is usually between 4 to 8 weeks depending on when the article is submitted in the publication process, and when the reviewers are available. Reports from reviewers are anonymized and returned to authors with a decision or for appropriate action. Articles are reviewed by experts in the subfields of learning space categories.

Licences

Journal of Learning Spaces allows the following licences for submission:

CC BY 4.0
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
CC BY-ND 4.0
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material. No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
CC BY-NC 4.0
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes. No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes. NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material. No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Publication Fees

The Journal of Learning Spaces does not charge article processing charges (APCs) or any other fees for submission or publication.

Publication Cycle

The journal is published approximately twice a year.

Sections

Section or article type	Public Submissions	Peer Reviewed	Indexed
Article
Research Manuscripts
Book Reviews
Learning Space Spotlight
Position Pieces
Case Studies
Field Reports
Articles

Journal of Learning Spaces

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