Definition of Learning Environment

learning environment refers to the diverse physical locations, contexts, and

cultures in which students learn. Since students may learn in a wide variety of
settings, such as outside- of- school location and outdoor environments, the tern
is often used as a more accurate or preffered alternative to classroom, which has
more limited and traditional connotations- a room with rows of desk and a
chalkboard, for example.

Components of an effective learning environment

Developing a total learning environment for students in a particular course or

program is probably the most creative part of teaching. While there is a
tendency to focus on either physical institutional learning environments (such as
classrooms, lecture theatres and labs), or on the technologies used to to create
online personal learning environments, learning environments are broader than
just these physical components. They will also include:

 the characteristics of the learners;

 the goals for teaching and learning;

 the activities that will best support learning;

 the assessment strategies that will best measure and drive learning

 the culture that infuses the learning environment.

Type of Learning Environment

1. Learner-Centered Environments
Learner-centered environments pay close attention to the needs of the
student. Students bring culture, beliefs, attitudes, skills, and knowledge to
the learning environment. A learner-centered teacher builds on the
conceptual and cultural knowledge of each student. The classroom is
often involved in discussion, where the students do much of the talking
and construct their own meaning based on prior knowledge and
experiences. The teacher acts as a bridge between new learning and what
students already know.

2. Knowledge-Centered Environments
Knowledge-centered environments focus on helping students learn
information with deep understanding so students can use it in new
situations and contexts. Teachers who believe in knowledge-centered
classrooms believe rote memorization does not lead to true understanding
and only helps students learn at the surface. Deep learning involves
learning through problem-solving.
An example of this type of learning environment is one where a teacher
directly teaches a concept, such as how to find area and perimeter. The
teacher would then take this concept one step further, connecting this new
knowledge to a real-life scenario. Maybe the school needs new tile floors.
The students would actually measure the area and perimeter of the
classroom and the hallway, using the measurements to calculate how
much tile would need to be ordered. This would give them the
understanding that these new math skills are used in real jobs, such as
installing tile.

3. Assessment-Centered Environments
To be effective, learning environments must also be
assessment-centered, which stress the importance of feedback to learning.
Students need opportunities to get feedback so they can revise their work.
Assessments must match learning goals. Formative, or classroom
assessment, used to improve teaching and learning, is a constant source of
feedback throughout the context of a course. Examples include teacher
comments on work and quick checks for understanding in the classroom.
Summative, or end-of-unit or course assessment, measures what students
have learned by the end of a period of learning activities. Examples
include state-wide assessment tests and teacher-made end-of-unit exams.

Four perspective on the design learning environment

Focus on providing opportunities for

feedback and revisison.

Pros Encourage students to ask

question

Engages students while

teaching lessons

Gives opportunity to correct

Assessment
mistakes made coursework
Centered

Questions may infere with

Cons
delvering the lesson

Not all children may fell comforable

responding in front of classmates
 Focus on people learning from one another
and contributing to the larger societies of
people who share common interests goals.

pross Help build upsocial media

Children will learn from each

other
Community
Centered
Students will buld a relationsip with each other,
and be able to relate on a more personal level

Students may learn incorrectly from

another student

It would be hard for thse struggling to get

individual time to focus on their issues.
 Focus on the attitudes, skillsm knowledge, and
beliefs that students bring to an innstructional
setting.

Focusedon the individual, and get

Pros
progress made throughout the class

Learner Build kill and a knowledge base to create a

Centered firm foundation in which to build upon

More foocused on the individualratherthan

the class as a whole

Students may not” improve” due to

this environment
 Focu on theinformation and activities that
help learners develop an understanding of
diciplines.

Pros A detailed approach on

Knowledge Centered learning the information

The use of activities that will cultivate the

learning process

May be too complex for some students to

Cons
grasp fully compared to other approaches

Couldbe too focusedon the content, and

not the students other skills and abilities

Understanding the Relationship between Research and Teaching

The relationship between teaching and research is often assumed and just as
often ignored. Research should and does influence teaching (and vice versa),
but the gulf between the two can at times seem large. Teachers are told to use
“research-based strategies” and yet such strategies may be presented to them
stripped of the very sensitivity to context, analytic rigor, and thoughtful
skepticism that are the hallmarks of quality research.
Research informs practice and policy in the teaching and learning of
English language art
The ultimate goal of research in English language arts is to enable teachers,
teacher educators, and institutions to make sound decisions about the
educational activities and experiences that will best serve students. Decisions
informed by English language arts research range from systemic matters such as
the selection of standards and benchmarks or the evaluation of instructional and
assessment programs at the national, state, and local level, to the individual
decisions each teacher and teacher educator must make about her or his
particular classroom. While not all English language arts research focuses
directly on student learning (for instance, some studies might explore teacher
development, instructional materials, or workplace writing), all English
language arts research is guided by an interest in the processes and challenges
people experience in becoming literate citizens.

Research supports high quality English language arts instruction for all
students
Because learners have varying backgrounds, skills, and needs, an important
purpose of English language arts research is to ensure that practice and policy
decisions are appropriate for the full range of learners in a setting. English
language arts research seeks to illuminate both differences among various
groups and common principles that can guide decision-making across a range of
settings.

5 affective Teaching strategies for the classroom:

1. Visualization
Bring dull academic concepts to life with visual and practical learning
experiences, helping your students to understand how their schooling applies in
the real-world.
Examples include using the interactive whiteboard to display photos, audio clips
and videos, as well as encouraging your students to get out of their seats
with classroom experiments and local field trips.

2. Cooperative learning
Encourage students of mixed abilities to work together by promoting small
group or whole class activities. Through verbally expressing their ideas and
responding to others your students will develop their self-confidence, as well as
enhance their communication and critical thinking skills which are vital
throughout life.

Solving mathematical puzzles, conducting scientific experiments and acting out

short drama sketches are just a few examples of how cooperative learning can
be incorporated into classroom lessons.

3. Inquiry-based instruction
Pose thought-provoking questions which inspire your students to think for
themselves and become more independent learners.
Encouraging students to ask questions and investigate their own ideas helps
improve their problem-solving skills as well as gain a deeper understanding of
academic concepts. Both of which are important life skills.

4. Differentiation
Differentiate your teaching by allocating tasks based on students’ abilities, to
ensure no one gets left behind.
Assigning classroom activities according to students’ unique learning needs
means individuals with higher academic capabilities are stretched and those
who are struggling get the appropriate support.

This can involve handing out worksheets that vary in complexity to different
groups of students, or setting up a range of work stations around the classroom
which contain an assortment of tasks for students to choose from. Moreover,
using an educational tool such as Quizalize can save you hours of time because
it automatically groups your students for you, so you can easily identify
individual and whole class learning gaps.

5. Technology in the classroom

Incorporating technology into your teaching is a great way to actively engage
your students, especially as digital media surrounds young people in the 21st
century.
Interactive whiteboards or mobile devices can be used to display images and
videos, which helps students visualize new academic concepts. Learning can
become more interactive when technology is used as students can physically
engage during lessons as well as instantly research their ideas, which develops
autonomy.

Mobile devices, such as iPads and/or tablets, can be used in the classroom for
students to record results, take photos/videos or simply as a behaviour
management technique. Plus, incorporating educational programmes such as
Quizalize into your lesson plans is also a great way to make formative
assessments fun and engaging.
http://www2.ncte.org/statement/researchandteaching/
https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/chapter/5-2-what-is-a-learning-
environment/