research
book—
Blyth, A., Patel, H., Worthington, J. & Young, F (Eds). (forthcoming). Shaping Places: A Framework for Collective Design. Routledge.
PhD Thesis—
Young, F. (2021). Learning environment affordances: Bridging the gap between potential, perception and practice. [PhD Thesis] https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/items/dba5107e-f9a9-5da0-9413-a653cfc94aa2
book chapters—
Young, F. (2026). Affordance Theory: Unpacking the Opportunities and Challenges of Innovative Learning Environments. In: Benade, L. & Bradbeer, C. (eds). Innovative Learning Environments: Concepts and Theories for Educational Spaces. Emerald Insight. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83708-128-820261005
Tuckwell, D., Young, F., Vaughan, J. (2026). Making Space. In: Mahat, M., Aldridge, J., Fisher, K. (eds). International Handbook of Research on Learning Environments. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-2591-1_11-1
McConnell, S., Deibe, L. & Young, F. (2026). The Great Playventure: Exploring Play-Based Learning Through the Journey of Building a School. In T. Gray., M. Sturges, & J. Barnes (Eds). Risk and Outdoor Play: Listening and Responding to Collective Voices Part 2, (pp. 55-73). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-5275-7_4
Young, F., Ash, M. & McConnell, S. 2022. It takes a village to educate a child: LLV’s evolving story of building innovation in a context of constraint. IUL Research. 3, 6 (dic. 2022), 230–249. DOI:https://doi.org/10.57568/iulres.v3i6.360
Young, F., & Murray, G. (2017). Designing for serious play. In S. Lynch, D. Pike, & C. à Beckett (Eds.), Multidisciplinary perspectives on play from birth and beyond. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2643-0_10
papers—
Ottley, M. & Young, F. (2024). What does learning sound like? A STEM outreach experience. Acoustical Society of America. https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001824
Young, F. & Cleveland, B. (2022). Affordances, architecture and the action possibilities of learning environments: A critical review of the literature and future directions. Buildings. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12010076
Young, F., Tuckwell, D. & Cleveland, B. (2021). Actualising the affordances of innovative learning environments through co-creating practice change with teachers. The Australian Educational Researcher. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-021-00447-7
Young, F., Cleveland, B., & Imms, W. (2019). The affordances of innovative learning environments for deep learning: educators’ and architects’ perceptions. The Australian Educational Researcher, 47(4), 693-720. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-019-00354-y
articles—
Vogels, J. & Young, F (2022). Furniture is a critical learning resource, here’s how school leaders can nail its selection. Education HQ. https://educationhq.com/news/furniture-is-a-critical-learning-resource-heres-how-school-leaders-can-nail-its-selection-115388/
Steer, V., Leonard, R. & Young, F. (2021). Strategy and vision: Why your school’s master plan must be front and centre. Education HQ. https://educationhq.com/news/strategy-and-vision-why-your-schools-master-plan-must-be-front-and-centre-109918/
Young, F. (2021). Shifting perceptions: Enabling the potential of innovative learning environments. Dialogues, Issue 05. http://pubs.royle.com/publication/?m=31173&i=724524&p=1&ver=html5
Young, F. & Martin, D. (2020). Designing space for every body. Architecture Australia. https://issuu.com/hayball.com.au/docs/aa2020_dossier_gendered_space_learning_environment
Young, F. & Krysiak, N. (2019). The playability of playgrounds: What do the children think? Association for Learning Environments Australasia. https://a4le.org.au/news/regional-news/the-playability-of-playgrounds-what-do-the-children-think
Young, F. (2019). Putting people in the picture. Association of Consulting Architects. https://aca.org.au/putting-people-in-the-picture/
Young, F. (2018). Addressing architecture’s wicked problems through affordances. Association of Consulting Architects. https://aca.org.au/addressing-architectures-wicked-problems-through-affordances-/
Young, F. (2018). Educator for an hour. Hayball. https://issuu.com/hayball.com.au/docs/hayball_educator_for_an_hour_-_2018
presentations—
Blyth, A. & Young, F. (2026). Designing for Belonging. PULSE 2026, Indore, India.
Young, F. (2026). Built for Efficiency or Built for Children. InspireX, Melbourne and Sydney.
Young, F. & Leonard, R. (2020). Affordances: Synchronising pedagogy with space. Invited presentation at EduTECH 2020 Virtual, Australia.
Young, F. & Imms, W. (2020). Designing ‘innovative’ learning spaces that positively impact teaching and student learning. Invited presentation at The 5th International Symposium on Planning and Design of Contemporary K-12 Education Buildings, Shenzhen, China.
Young, F. (2019). Does space make a difference? Invited presentation at The great debate: Learning spaces and architecture, NSW ACT Independent Education Union, Sydney, Australia.
Young, F. (2019). The affordances of innovative learning environments. Invited presentation at the Designing Learning symposium, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS), Sydney, Australia.
Young, F. (2019). Affordances, objects and learning environments. Keynote at Teachers Big Day Out, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
Young, F., Cleveland, B. & Imms, W. (2018). Affordances of innovative learning environments (ILEs): A participatory action research process to engage educators in developing and utilising tools to support transition to ILEs. Paper presented at Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE), Sydney, Australia.
Young, F. & Krysiak, N. (2018). Designing for serious play: Why play is key to resilience and (re)imagined learning spaces. Presented at Learningscapes, Association for Learning Environments, Chicago, USA.
Young, F. & Leonard, R. (2018). Hacking the classroom: Using prototyping to (re)imagine new learning environments. Presented at Learningscapes, Association for Learning Environments, Chicago, USA.
Young, F. & Leonard, R. (2018). Collaborating to repurpose and redesign learner-centric spaces. Invited presentation at Connecting Innovative Learning Spaces and Pedagogy conference, Criterion, Melbourne, Australia.
Young, F. & Imms, W. (2017). Who is really in charge of designing innovative learning environments? Keynote at Learning Environments Australasia Regional Day Out, Brisbane, Australia.
