Learning Through Vulnerability: Applying the Principle of Prospect-Refuge to Create Emotionally Resonant Learning Experiences

Learning is a process of change that increasingly challenges as it becomes more meaningful. Feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and vulnerability can become stumbling blocks as we work through the transition from who we are to who we are becoming. The principle of prospect-refuge, applied in fields such as architecture and urban design, reflects the dynamic tension between our desires for vista and for sanctuary in our experience of physical environments. In the conceptual learning space, prospect-refuge can be understood as the balance between exploring new ways of feeling, thinking, and behaving on one hand, and taking opportunities to retreat and reflect on the other. As learning professionals, we need to acknowledge and design for learners’ natural desire for refuge, to take stock of where they are and how they are feeling, especially during more difficult moments in the process. Applying the principle of prospect-refuge to the design of learning experiences allows us to provide emotionally resonant support for learners through their transformation from who they are today to who they will be tomorrow.