**4. E-learning about architecture and sustainable spatial practices for nonexperts**

Architecture as profession has been recently dealing not only with the design and planning but more and more frequently engaging in awareness-raising and education about spatial values and sustainable practices as well. In these processes different participants that act in existing natural and cultural contexts are addressed. The participation always brings to the surface the questions of who the participants are and what, if any, intersection of knowledge, (visual) communication skills, attitudes and values they share.

The proverbial lack of common visions regarding architecture, eco-spatial values and spatial interventions does not arise merely from misunderstandings and expression disabilities, as already highlighted at the introduction. The national surveys (in Slovenia) indicate (Tos, 2004) that there is a wide overlap of professional and general public values regarding natural and built environmental issues. But as in many similar cases the divide between declarative statements of respondents and their actions and interventions when it comes to materialization becomes painfully obvious as they start solving their everyday living and housing needs.

The Lifelong Learning Process (LLP) presents an opportunity to address such problems before they emerge (prevention), it presents them to wider audience (who is not always even aware of wrong-doing) at different stages in life, especially at times when changing attitudes does not re-quire as much effort as in later years.

The basic presumption when addressing the LLP, architecture and space is axiomatic: the awareness and education of the non-experts and the inclusion of sustainable spatial topics into the process of LLP can improve the comprehension of professional baselines and values. Furthermore they may contribute to more prudent space management and spatial interventions as well as in decrease of spatially related problems and conflicts. By means of education and educational system it is sensible not only to administer the values and motives which underlie the legal acts and experts' positions but also to explain them. Assuming comprehension is the solid foundation for acting, building and the decision making regarding space the actual behaviour of individuals in space is influenced by more factors than knowledge alone (affect, values vs. needs, etc) - blind belief the education is the cure for every perennial spatial issue is thus contra productive and exaggerates its potential and we are giving it some thought later on (see subchapter 4.7).

Overcoming the first barrier - learning the visual language or offering a suitable alternative and support to participate and to express oneself in visual debate can be facilitated through means of e-Learning and ICT. 56% of households in Slovenia have a broadband internet access1. With 98% regular users among the population between 10 and 24 years of age this constitutes ever more suitable environment for distance learning: ICT seasoned users and widespread and fast network access. Through e-learning in particular we can reach the ICT 'fluent' generations who know how to use the ICT to their advantage in everyday life and when solving different tasks: not merely as passive users but as creative, responsive and reflecting individuals. Using the required visual-, desired parametric-, logic-, networkingand multiple feedback communication- possibilities of e-learning (existing and future) tools allow us to make the transition, from merely transmitting the knowledge and information to a wider audience, to engaging the non-experts, making the participants and collaborators

<sup>1</sup> Source: Eurostat, 2010

Architecture as profession has been recently dealing not only with the design and planning but more and more frequently engaging in awareness-raising and education about spatial values and sustainable practices as well. In these processes different participants that act in existing natural and cultural contexts are addressed. The participation always brings to the surface the questions of who the participants are and what, if any, intersection of

The proverbial lack of common visions regarding architecture, eco-spatial values and spatial interventions does not arise merely from misunderstandings and expression disabilities, as already highlighted at the introduction. The national surveys (in Slovenia) indicate (Tos, 2004) that there is a wide overlap of professional and general public values regarding natural and built environmental issues. But as in many similar cases the divide between declarative statements of respondents and their actions and interventions when it comes to materialization becomes painfully obvious as they start solving their everyday living and

The Lifelong Learning Process (LLP) presents an opportunity to address such problems before they emerge (prevention), it presents them to wider audience (who is not always even aware of wrong-doing) at different stages in life, especially at times when changing

The basic presumption when addressing the LLP, architecture and space is axiomatic: the awareness and education of the non-experts and the inclusion of sustainable spatial topics into the process of LLP can improve the comprehension of professional baselines and values. Furthermore they may contribute to more prudent space management and spatial interventions as well as in decrease of spatially related problems and conflicts. By means of education and educational system it is sensible not only to administer the values and motives which underlie the legal acts and experts' positions but also to explain them. Assuming comprehension is the solid foundation for acting, building and the decision making regarding space the actual behaviour of individuals in space is influenced by more factors than knowledge alone (affect, values vs. needs, etc) - blind belief the education is the cure for every perennial spatial issue is thus contra productive and exaggerates its potential

Overcoming the first barrier - learning the visual language or offering a suitable alternative and support to participate and to express oneself in visual debate can be facilitated through means of e-Learning and ICT. 56% of households in Slovenia have a broadband internet access1. With 98% regular users among the population between 10 and 24 years of age this constitutes ever more suitable environment for distance learning: ICT seasoned users and widespread and fast network access. Through e-learning in particular we can reach the ICT 'fluent' generations who know how to use the ICT to their advantage in everyday life and when solving different tasks: not merely as passive users but as creative, responsive and reflecting individuals. Using the required visual-, desired parametric-, logic-, networkingand multiple feedback communication- possibilities of e-learning (existing and future) tools allow us to make the transition, from merely transmitting the knowledge and information to a wider audience, to engaging the non-experts, making the participants and collaborators

**4. E-learning about architecture and sustainable spatial practices for non-**

knowledge, (visual) communication skills, attitudes and values they share.

attitudes does not re-quire as much effort as in later years.

and we are giving it some thought later on (see subchapter 4.7).

**experts** 

housing needs.

1 Source: Eurostat, 2010

out of a passive audience, which is deemed crucial when it comes to questions of responsible spatial interventions and sustainable spatial behaviour.
