by James Rutherford

To look into the near future, it would be sensible to start by avoiding this typical question: ‘What technology do we need to install in these rooms?’ We would be wise to ask instead: ‘What do we want our education to look like?’ Future learning spaces and associated educational technologies require an approach that supports teaching and student collaboration, with accessibility features and environmental adaptations embedded within the design of learning spaces rather than delivered through standalone audio-visual equipment.

Research on learning spaces highlights the importance of aligning technology decisions with pedagogy and intended learning activities, rather than allowing the space and in-class technology to dictate educational practice. (Radcliffe et al, 2008) This principle resonates strongly with my experience working in HE learning environments, where the most successful spaces are those that enable effective communication and participation for all learners. The technical and physical space itself must therefore support diverse forms of engagement, ensuring that staff can teach effectively and that students can participate fully through listening, discussion, collaboration, practice and observation. (Jamieson, 2003)

Audiovisual technology

At City St George’s, University of London, the educational technology allows staff to enter any learning space, connect a laptop, teach, collaborate, record or stream sessions with minimal effort. This has largely been achieved through the learning spaces project (Designing Active Learning Initiative (DALI), 2026) and subsequent upgrade work, with room controls and user experiences standardised across the institution to reduce complexity and support requirements.

Design for learning and teaching

However, this can mean that technical decisions are made before the educational intent has been planned and shared with all stakeholders. It is advisable that educational technology supports the intended teaching activities rather than determines them, with the educational strategy and signature pedagogy of the university driving the learning environment design (Rudd, 2006; Hasper, 2024). Spaces ought to be designed around the learning and teaching needs of an institution, making it straightforward for staff to teach effectively and for students to engage successfully.

Environmental prerequisites

In many learning environments, audio quality often receives less attention than display technology, but it is obvious that students need to hear clearly, be able to participate in discussions and access lecture capture recordings. It is increasingly recognised as a key contributor to students’ learning outcomes, and there is evidence that speech intelligibility and the control of background noise are fundamental requirements for effective learning. This is because the design of each space directly influences effective communication. (Acoustic Design for Schools, DFE, 2015) This includes unwanted noise from corridors, neighbouring rooms, ventilation and external sources, as extraneous noise can be a real hindrance to learning and teaching capabilities.

Therefore, acoustic treatment needs to be considered as fundamental, now and in the future, not least with accessibility at the forefront of our minds. Universities can often improve existing spaces through acoustic treatment and interventions designed to reduce reverberation, although the feasibility and cost will vary by building.

Controllable lighting, appropriately designed and ergonomic furniture, thermal comfort and excellent sightlines all contribute to an effective learning experience. Classroom furniture is now expected to be comfortable, robust and appropriate for the type of teaching taking place. Spaces need to accommodate different body sizes, the requirements of student movement, with diversity and accessibility alongside different timetabled patterns of use and perhaps involving longer teaching sessions.

Accessibility is fundamental

Future learning spaces will need to be designed with diverse learners in mind, consistent with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (Universal Design for Learning｜CAST, 2026). Spaces are required to include captioning, recordings, remote participation and flexible methods of seating and student engagement. Across HE, accessibility is increasingly being incorporated into space planning from the outset through features such as captions, accessible controls, suitable furniture for students with access needs, clear audio and barrier-free access. Real inclusion is developing into a measure of quality rather than an afterthought.

Design for hybrid delivery

Hybrid delivery could be seamlessly integrated into learning space design while ensuring that the on-campus experience remains the priority. Spaces need to support clear sound and appropriately intelligent camera angles. Video conferencing tools permit content sharing, recording and online participation as standard, but hybrid teaching must not feel like an add-on; rather, it should be a flexible and inclusive addition to the learning approach (Beatty, 2007; Melcher et al, 2025). In hybrid spaces, students need to hear the lecturer, hear questions from the room, follow discussions and revisit recordings afterwards.Consequently, excellent microphones, clear loudspeakers, robust voice support, as well as captions and assistive listening are expected to be core requirements.

AI tools

AI is likely to support areas such as transcription, captioning, camera tracking controls, fault detection and remote monitoring for the service teams. Its role would be to improve accessibility, as well as provide data analysis of how the space is performing environmentally and reduce workload rather than add complexity. Such developments must, however, consider how AI tools relate to privacy, ethics, and data governance, which will remain important factors in their implementation.

Support and maintenance

Learning spaces will become easier to monitor, maintain and update through centralised management tools that do exist, but with emerging AI capabilities that could enhance these processes through predictive maintenance, intelligent system monitoring, automated troubleshooting, and data-driven insights. Support teams would then be able to identify and resolve many issues remotely, improving reliability and assisting with planning of new environments.

The transformation of accessibility and inclusion

Accessibility is no longer regarded purely as a matter of compliance, but as an essential component of the learning environment. Future learning spaces ought to be planned and designed on the basis that:

• some students will need captions
• some students will rely heavily on lecture capture recordings
• some students will be neurodivergent
• some students will join remotely
• some students will be working in noisy or shared environments
• some students will need language support

This is key because it changes accessibility from a ‘special provision’ into part of the normal learning experience, in particular the essential role that lecture recordings play for neurodivergent and disabled students (Horlin, Hronska and Nordmann, 2024).

The AI-supported room

AI technology is likely to be adopted within learning spaces with support for:

• automatic camera framing
• lecturer tracking
• capture of student questions
• reduction of background noise in lecture capture
• live transcription
• searchable lecture capture recordings
• automatic chapters in those recordings
• summaries of sessions
• early warning of equipment faults
• better support information for technical teams
• information about how rooms are being used

There are obviously numerous risks with adopting AI: too much monitoring; weak governance; data protection and privacy concerns; intellectual property questions; and technology that looks clever but does not help teaching. However, as two recent literature reviews illustrate, the opportunity that AI tools can bring is undoubtedly significant, with the potential for less pressure on academics to operate the technology in a classroom and by offering better access for students (Crompton and Burke, 2023; Adamakis and Rachiotis, 2025).

Conclusion

If the last twenty years were defined by the digitisation of teaching, the next decade could be defined by the redesign of learning itself. Will higher education across the UK embrace this opportunity? Can it afford not to in the current climate of financial uncertainty and geopolitical vulnerability? Accessibility, hybrid participation, intelligent systems and engaging learning environments can no longer be regarded as enhancements, as they will surely become the standard to meet the expectations of students and staff. The institutions that thrive will not be those with the most technology, but those that use it most purposefully. The future of learning spaces is not about what technology we install; it is about what we enable.

James Rutherford is a Senior Educational Technologist at City St George’s, University of London, specialising in learning spaces, educational technology, and hybrid delivery. With over 35 years’ experience in higher education, he has worked as a learning space designer, AV project manager, and video producer, leading initiatives that support innovative and inclusive learning and teaching. James holds a Master’s in Advanced Educational Practice from the UCL Institute of Education and is a Fellow of Advance HE.