Purpose This study investigates how university teachers appropriate active learning classrooms (ALCs) in their everyday teaching practices. While previous research has largely focused on experimental or training contexts, this study aims to explore the diversity of ALC usage in routine settings and its perceived impact on both students and teachers. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey was administered to 841 faculty members at a French university, resulting in 71 complete responses. Using K-means clustering, the study identified three distinct user profiles based on pedagogical objectives, perceived effects on students and self-reported changes in academic development. Findings The analysis revealed three profiles: (1) innovators with positive perceptions, who actively chose ALCs, received pedagogical support, and reported strong positive impacts on their teaching knowledge and practices, as well as on students' learning, (2) interaction-focused teachers, who valued student interaction but reported limited academic development and (3) reluctant users, who were assigned to ALCs without support and perceived minimal benefits. The findings underscore the importance of teachers' agency, institutional support and spatial flexibility in realising the pedagogical potential of ALCs. Research limitations/implications The survey was distributed by email to 841 teachers, with two reminders, and yielded 155 responses, of which 71 completed questionnaires were retained for analysis (response rate 8.4%). This relatively low rate is not unusual in voluntary online surveys in higher education. As such, the sample should be understood as self-selected and our findings as indicative rather than statistically representative. Practical implications The study offers a profiling framework that can inform institutional strategies for space allocation, academic development and pedagogical innovation. This highlights the need for differentiated support mechanisms and participatory policies to foster the effective use of learning spaces. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature by shifting the focus from experimental settings to everyday teaching practices in ALCs. It provides empirical evidence on how teachers engage with learning spaces and offers actionable insights for higher education institutions aiming to enhance teaching and learning through spatial innovation.
Messaoui et al. (Wed,) studied this question.