Hi Ginny,
You are right about the need for a supportive learning environment. What might be considered as being little things can really influence the learning of students. As instructors we need to be aware of the physical as well as the social/emotional tone we set for the class.
Gary
The learning environment plays a huge role in the instructional process. First and foremost, if it is not comfortable, then more than likely the process will be difficult.
Involvement from the students can maximize the instructional process. If the students are involved then it opens more doors for learning. That said, it can open doors due to the questions that may be asked could potentially help someone understand a topic through another student's words, comments or even questions.
Hi Steven,
You make a number of very good points about the learning environment. The interruptions one is especially important. I had a fellow instructor that thought it was ok to walk into my class and tell my students a new joke he had heard. I talked with him about this but he didn't get it and he continued doing it on a regular basis. I finally locked the door to my lab so he couldn't interrupt anymore. He finally got the picture that I did not want him interrupting my class. It takes 5 to 10 minutes to regain full control of a class after an interruption occurs and this is wasted time for everyone.
Gary
Hi Christopher,
A supportive comfortable learning environment is important. This helps to get them settled and ready for the course. This really enhances learning.
Gary
The learning environment has a huge part in the process. I beleive the room should be good for both the instructor and the student. If either one walks into a bad room it can affect the days out come for both. The classroom should refect the course that is being taught in it or at least have areas that relate to course. The room should be fun ,someplace you want to go. We've all sat in those sterile white walled classrooms.All you can think about is when's this class over with. The environment helps keeps your head in the course.
The learning environment is very important in the process, as stated in the other postings. Students can be distracted by many things and generally have poor attention spans for a variety of reasons, some medical and some because of outside influences(Party the night before etc.). Lighting, chairs, and room temperature, are all typical factors.
Our school has additional element of distraction. We have public tours of the building for possible incoming students. We also have occasionally, interruptions from other staff and teachers this can have a very negative effect on the environment.
The solution I am trying is to leave an e-mail notification and at the weekly staff meeting where I am trying to stress to others the importance of non- interruption, as our curriculum deals with lecture and demonstration as well as a lab for students to complete assignments.
I have asked if there are any interruptions that the happen at the beginning (first 10 min.), of class before we do demos and lab work. This is a possible solution to create a better learning environment without distraction to “maximize the instructional process”
If students are comfortable and well advised about the logistics of the course, they should absorb material better. I think some basic ways of maximizing the instructional process would be as simple as air conditioning on a very hot day....heat during cold days...or providing breaks during lectures so that students do not get bored.
Hi Heidi,
Right you are about trying to meet the different learning preferences found within a class. Even though the class is primarily lecture you can introduce learning groups and other activities that allow the students to use the different learning areas such as tactile during these times. This helps them get involved plus it changes the pace of the class so they can stay engaged and focused.
Gary
Hi Denise,
With the hybrid courses you teach you are looking at two environments, online and on-site. The online site can be made supportive and comfortable in relation to navigation and use, etc. The on-site one based upon the physical aspects of the setting. The addition to this is the use of Blackboard. This to me is value added support. There are so many things you can do with Blackboard that help students have access to resources, each other and faculty. We use Blackboard at our university and I really appreciate having this resource as a faculty member.
Gary
The students need to feel relaxed in order to learn. More space, more visual information
I found maxknowledge very helpful in using the different methods for different learning types. It is hard sometimes to reach all the different type of learners when you teach a mostly lecture based program!
I believe it plays an important role in the process. If students are not engaged and comfortable in their environment, then it is difficult for them to learn and they lose interest.
I answered another post tonight where I talked in detail about hybrid classes-which utilize residental and online learning. I have found this to be a very positive method for teaching Microsoft Office.
For one, it allows students greater flexibility in completing their work. They meet residentially one day a week and then complete their work within the week from home or on campus, when it is convienent to them. It has really reduced the number of students who drop out of class.
Students seem to be more engaged because when they work from home they need to work more independently because they can not immediately ask the teacher for the answer all of the time. I have found that my students grades have gone up since we implemented this program. And I have found that when we do meet, students tend to interact more with each other. In fact some have formed study groups and get together outside of class.
The other big change is by using Blackboard I am able to upload other interactive learning resources for their use. Not everyone uses them but the ones who do feel it adds to their experience.
Denise
Hi Patrick,
A ready to learn environment is a must. Thank you for sharing a very comprehensive list of the things that need to be in place in order for students to be ready to learn. Little things soon add up to major blocks to learning if they are not taken care of at the onset of the course.
Gary
An atmosphere that is conducive to learning is a fundamental part of the learning environment. This means that all students, whatever their background, level of education, or time away from formal study, should be comfortable in the classroom and feel that their contribution will be valued. Maximizing the instructional process means recognizing the diversity in the classroom and responding to it by incorporating multiple methods of learning.
Hi Robert,
I think this is a great idea. That way if an administrator comes into your classroom he or she knows they will participate. So when they do come in you can be assured that the reason they are there is important or they wouldn't run the risk of being there during the discussion of a topic that know know nothing about. I know the students enjoy seeing the administrator talk about something that they didn't think they knew anything about. It helps them see the administration in another light as well.
Gary
Hi Steven,
Good point about knowing the platform. By knowing how to use the support and technology it is easier to focus on the students and their needs. Plus, it helps you help the students to get familiar with how they can contribute and participate without feeling overwhelmed by it all.
Gary
First, a learning environment has to be a safe place where students feel comfortable studying.
It has to have the necessary resources and material to achieve learning goals.In our particular case, it not only includes cooking equipment, food and supplies, but also, IT and Video equipment necessary to fit the several different learning styles of our student population.
To be ready for your demonstrations and have your course material ready(hand-outs for instance).
You can also adapt the learning environment by varying your presentation formats to maximize the instructional process. To organize field trips, to change your delivery options and make them as interactive and fun as possible with students.
To relate to your students as a person as well as an instructor makes you more approachable.
I definitely recommend the circle or semi-circle form for student interaction. Because so much of my course content revolves around discussion, it definitely helps for students to be able to see each other when they respond. They spend as much time discussing the material with each other as they do with me; I tell them that many times, I might at most throw the topic out there and take a back seat when they take the topic and run with it, or at least operate as just a participant and not necessarily as a moderator/authority. After all, it's not just a vague idea they're responding to, it's also a person, and that person is entitled to the respect of recognition. It also reminds students to conduct themselves appropriately, by reminding them that they ARE members of a society in the classroom and not merely a one-member class focused purely on their own performance.
One technique that I also like to enforce is to ALWAYS treat my classroom as a learning environment. Many times as a routine matter of campus hustle and bustle, an administrator or other campus personnel will stop in my classroom to ask a question, seek a student, etc. I always tell them that if they're coming into MY classroom, they should be prepared to participate - so I'll freely ask the administrator a question based on whatever topic we're discussing, or ask them to give their insight into or opinion about the topic, etc. I don't do it as a way of preventing or discouraging interruption; I mean it as a way of showing the students that they can get meaningful input from a variety of sources and that they should see their entire campus as a resource full of knowledgeable professionals dedicated to their success. (It also keeps the administrators on THEIR toes about what's happening in my classroom!)
In online classes the learning environment effect can be managed by being positive and supportive. Complete knowledge of the learning platform also helps students feel that they can manage the demands of online learning even if their machine skills are weak.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for this personal example of how you worked through the difficult times and setting to realize your goal of the Ed.S.
Gary
