i feel students seem to learn alot better when they feel comfortable and get to interact with their peers.
The learning environment sets the stage and tone for success for the student. It gives the instructor the ability to openly share and develop the opportunity to thrive as well. This is a win win in my experience.
Janice
Hi George,
Good point about helping students to become self learners. As much of our training in the career college sector is within the service industries a tremendous amount of our work is problem solving. Students have to develop their problem solving skills if they are going to successful out in the work world.
Gary
Hi Cara,
Way to get the students involved in the learning process as well as applying what they have just learned.
Gary
Dr. Meers,
The learning environment plays a big role in instructional process. The instructor should be able to instruct the course in a way to make the students maximize the course content.
This can be done by incorporating different instructional methods such question and answer, analysis of case studies, and researching relevant articles to the topic of the course or discussion.
The instructor should also allow free thinking within the students..... they should be self-learners.
When teaching I may have the students come up and watch how I make something verses just watching from their seat. I also like to have the student come up and assist me during my demo
The learning environment must allow and encourage learning to take place. A clean bright open enviroment will allow information interchange and greatly encourages learning.
Students have to feel that a learning environment must be visually and physically comfortable in order for them to be creative and to concentrate. Ideally the walls should be a light grey, as that is the color, according to the film "The Psychology of Color," that best stimulates focus and concentration on the part of a student. In an earlier answer to a similar question I stated something to the effect that clusters of focused examples and details relevant to their current assignment are good in order to stimulate their excitement and interest in doing the required work.
As an artist/designer, yes -- a visual person -- I would say that the learning environment which maximizes light from the outside, minimal detail on two of the three walls, and maximal visual interest in possible examples the instructor brings and in PowerPoint and slide presentations toward the front is the visual environment in which students can be best stimulated. They are neither bored nor do they suffer from too much clutter everywhere. On one of the two walls on either side of the front there should be display boards that students can mount their works upon.
Hi Brian,
Even though it is not the perfect setting at least the students know you are there for them by moving around to their stations. Keep up what you are doing.
Gary
It's a little hard for my classes as an IT instructor since we have two columns of desks with computers on them. I do my best to walk around the room and when presenting hardware to the students, I make sure to stop at every row where a student sits to show the material.
I do find that students are more engaging when you are walking around the room versus just standing behind a podium.
Classrooms should be functional, neat and easy to manuever in.
The learning environment helps students feel focused and involved. I have a u-shaped classroom setup, which seems ideal, giving all of us a conference-style area to converse.
The learning environment is an important element to consider when providing a conducive place in which to deliver and receive content. It should be one in which both the instructor and students feel comfortable. Ensuring a proper setting, including lighting, temperature control, equipment, etc.--keeping ergonomics in mind--will aid in learning.
Good points. Students should be free of outside distractions while in their learning environment.
Instructors need to be aware if any student is uncomfortable in their class and try to address those needs. We changed our classroom from rows to a horseshoe and found this helps students focus better
The learning environment must "match" the subject being taught to help students focus on the lesson. I wouldn't teach woodshop in a kitchen. The learning environment should reflect the environment of the "field" so students know what to expect.
The "learning environment" plays a critical role on a number of levels.
Most of the replies I read deal with the physical level...appropriate seating, temperature, free of intrusive noise and other distractions, etc.
Equally important is a more cognative level: if students are fearful (of failure or ridicule), uncomfortable with the material or group they are with, or are distracted by events outside the school (whole-person concept), then this is also something the instructor needs to have empathy and understanding for as well. Personal guidance and a sincere caring attitude for the student(s) may need to be more evidenced in certain situations.
A learning environment should be free from distractions, have proper lighting and comfort levels and produce an overall environment that is conducive to learning.
Hi A. Andaz Ahmad,
You make a very good point about instructors needing to personalize their courses within the restrictions of their college. It can be done but it takes creativity on the part of the instructors to bring into the classes their personality and instructional delivery to the point they enjoy teaching and the students are receptive to their instruction.
Gary
The environment plays a huge role in learning. It affects both the instructors way of teaching as well as the students way of learning. It could be as simple as the chairs too small and the room too hot to distract everyone from performing at their best. Having a lot of materials and objects from the course gives the students visual stimulation as well as being able to put your lecturing together with the visuals.
