Educational Transformation: Life-Based Learning Spaces for Happiness

Abstract

This academic article aims to propose an educational reform approach that places the “happiness of learners” at its center. It critiques the limitations of traditional classrooms, which often emphasize teacher-centered instruction, Fixed content and inflexible learning schedules - factors that frequently hinder deep and meaningful learning. The article introduces the concept of “Life-based learning spaces,” where learning emerges through real-life experiences, interpersonal relationships, and authentic contexts, whether in natural learning settings, communities, or temples. The content is organized around key themes, including rethinking the conventional classroom structure, designing flexible learning schedules aligned with the rhythms of life, creating vibrant and joyful learning spaces, fostering emotionally secure relationships, redefining the teacher's role as a facilitator of happiness, and promoting culturally grounded learning environments that embrace diversity and community participation. Practical case studies are also presented, demonstrating that effective learning environments are not defined by material resources alone, but by pedagogical philosophies and meaningful design. The article concludes that if educational systems can create spaces and timelines that resonate with learners’ lives while also empowering teachers to become co-learners, education in the 21^st century will no longer be merely about “Teaching to know,” but rather about “Creating lives that desire to learn”.