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What Is A Learning Environment

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43 views4 pages

What Is A Learning Environment

Uploaded by

22-54017
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What is a Learning Environment?

A learning environment is more than just a classroom—it’s a space in which


students feel safe and supported in their pursuit of knowledge, as well as
inspired by their surroundings. Think back to some of the classroom
environments you’ve encountered on your educational path. In your
childhood, the learning environment you engaged in was probably vibrant and
colorful, with a desk layout that allowed for flexibility if a lesson required more
room for movement and physical expression. In high school, your learning
environment was likely more focused at the head of the classroom to direct
your attention, with rows of desks pointed forward.

But there’s more than just aesthetics at play in an effective learning


environment. Instructors can also influence a learning environment by the way
they teach and the atmosphere they create in the classroom. They can help
influence student learning by encouraging student engagement, providing
positive and constructive feedback that supports exploration, community
among peers, and diversity. Studies have shown that thriving learning
environments help increase student focus and retention of information.

As students continue to grow and evolve as learners, so, too, do the


environments in which they learn. Learning environments have changed over
time and can continue to expand to meet student needs, allowing teachers to
continually optimize their learning environment to help students meet their
educational goals.

What are the Different Types of


Learning Environments?
There are different types of landscapes or categories that impact our learning,
including our physical environment, psychological environment, and emotional
environment. Here’s how these three categories can influence a learning
environment:

Physical

Those vibrant, colorful classrooms of your youth or the rows of desks that
characterized high school both fall into the category of the physical learning
environment. This category is all about the design of a classroom, including
how it’s laid out to influence learning, and which spaces are designated for
learning activities. This can include the furniture that’s used to fill the space
and even the equipment a teacher relies on to enhance the learning
experience.

In recent years, at-home and distance learning have also become a part of the
physical environment discussion. Parents have had to make adjustments at
home to ensure their kids have a comfortable space to attend class via video
chat and do their classwork off-site. For many, this has meant creating a
designated space that helps students feel separate from the rest of the
standard home space so home students are encouraged to focus—and to
leave school behind at the end of the day once class is done.

Psychological

A positive psychological environment can encourage students to engage with


the curriculum—and their fellow students—in ways that can enhance their
personal and professional development. By building trust with students and
creating a safe space that feels welcoming for all, teachers create a positive
learning environment and make sure students have more opportunities to
participate, ask questions, take risks, and receive feedback.

Emotional

School can be stressful at any age, which is why students need a positive
emotional environment that supports their educational path. Part of creating
the psychological environment’s safe space means addressing the emotional
environment’s need for self-expression and the freedom to express emotions.
By supporting student’s emotional needs and feelings, teachers help enhance
their students’ emotional intelligence—which, in turn, gives them confidence.
Teachers can also create a supportive emotional learning environment by
creating routines students can rely on, encouraging diversity and choices, and
celebrating their achievements.
How Can I Create a Better Learning
Environment?
There are a lot of things that parents and both current and aspiring
teachers can do to create better learning environments. Some examples
include:

At Home

 Parents can ensure their kids have a comfortable space where they can
attend remote learning or video classes with the supplies they need,
good seating, a strong internet connection, and more.
 Teachers can set parents up for success by sharing upcoming lesson
plans so they can prepare for what’s to come, whether by getting
needed materials or doing additional reading, and reinforce lessons.
 If a student is having difficulty, parents and teachers can collaborate on
ways to support the student through the challenge, whether it’s through
updated teaching methods, tutoring or just additional support from
trusted parents.
 Make study time more fun with a little music, timed contests and drills,
scents that can jog the memory, and other unique learning approaches.

In the Classroom

 Consider the layout of your classroom and how it supports student


learning. Is there a better way to position desks so everyone can see
what’s going on at the head of the class? Instead of rows, would semi-
circles with the students facing one another create more engagement
and camaraderie? Don’t be afraid to try new things!
 Encourage students to become a part of creating their own learning
environment. This could mean having an art day where everyone
creates artwork to decorate the walls, or it could mean having an open
forum discussion where students can express what they need to be
successful in the classroom. It depends on how old the students are and
what the class focus is, but students will feel more connected to the
environment if they have a hand in shaping it.
 Consider employing one of the five most common educational
theories to adapt lessons to individual students and their learning
needs.

By creating a positive and engaging learning environment, teachers can give


their students the physical, psychological, and emotional support they need to
thrive and be successful—in school, and beyond.

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