Adaptive space as coalescence of existing spaces in language education contexts: perceptions of space through a Lefebvrian lens

Adaptive space as coalescence of existing spaces in language education contexts: perceptions of space through a Lefebvrian lens

The phenomenon of Adaptive Space (AS) is a recent conceptualization of how organisations achieve agility and respond to disruption, and consequently it is important to an increasingly globalised language education industry. This phenomenological study draws on the adaptive leadership theory of Uhl-Bien and Arena (2018) as well as a Lefebvrian tripartite interpretation of space (De Certeau, 1984; Lefebvre, 1991; Massey, 1991; Middleton, 2013; Soja, 2008b) to construct a conceptual lens to examine how participants within the Australian language education context perceive and experience Adaptive Space. Professionals from a wide range of language education contexts within Australia participated in a survey and follow up interviews that focussed on their perceptions and experiences of Adaptive Space. Data quality analysis and scaling analysis (dendrogram) were conducted on the survey data. Interview transcripts were analysed according to a Reflexive Thematic Analysis protocol. The findings indicated that there was no clear clustering of participants according to the three Lefebvrian groups identified in the Conceptual Framework. It was surmised that the onset of COVID-19 may have had a levelling effect on their perceptions and experience of Adaptive Space. Thematic Analysis of interview transcripts identified the three main themes of Context1 (i.e., the Where), Community (i.e., the Who), and most significantly Coalescence (i.e., the How) as a new conceptualization of perceptions of Adaptive Space as a phenomenon within language education contexts.

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