The physical setting impacts the learning preferences of students because students percieve differences in learning environments, which in terms could have an affect on classroom enjoyment, classroom learning, as well as instructors organization. It also impacts sudents satisfication and learning as well as the evaluation of instructors and the educational facility.
I believe alot. If you have outside distractions, to dark of colors, or even to bright, I believe people can not focus. Also temperature has alot to do with it as well.
i think the setting should be one that the environment is open to learning. it should ne neat, organized and the students should feel comfortable to ask questions
Hi Letitia - I agree that those ice-breakers and games can indeed make students more relaxed with each other. Best wishes- Susan
I am new to teaching at a 2 year Technical college and I found that by setting up a physical seeting in which the students feel comforatbale with each other and myself helps. We are foten very cramped for space and by the ice breaker games we played at the beginning of the semester, my students tolerate each other more and will share there space and the flow seems to work better.
I agree. I am a stickler for a clean and organized classroom. I find it hard to focus on teaching and I am sure it distracts the students as well when the classroom is disorganized.
Hi Edwardo - I also find that the technology skills of the younger students most often are much better than those of their older colleagues. I try to pair older and younger students together when possible. They really help each other in a lot of ways! Best wishes - Susan
Creating a positive learning environment the instructor should develop some structure to meet the objectives and goals that the students can get.
Hi Mike - Thanks for your post to the forum. I like your idea of using the dry erase board. Do students post to it as well? Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I make use of the dry erase board everyday. I want my students to refer to it without asking me the same question multiple times. If I have nothing of note that day I try to come up with a motivational / thought provoking phrase. "Are you want to be?" "How will you get there?"
By, Edwardo Mojena
I feel that younger students are well rounded in this tech age that keeps the older students lagging behind.
The physical setting is everything for many students. A comfort level, all the equipment needed, lighting, often times quiet, and most especially a good feeling that the instructor is there for anything needed, and moral support.
This is very true. In my culinary and pastry classes, we drill home the respectful treatment of our equipment. Fostering an 'ownership' way of thinking gives the students great pride. When students have pride and a vested interest in their environment, they are actively participating in their learning.
The physical setup of the room seems to impact the learning environment. At our college, we position the tables at 90 degree angles around the room so the students can see each other as the lecture or demonstrations are given. This seems to motivate them more than looking at the back of other peoples heads or only seeing the Instructor if they're sitting up front. When delivering a lecture, I like to sit in the back of the room right next to the students and use a radio-frequency controlled device to advance the slides. This creates the impression that I'm learning along with the students as part of their class and puts them more at ease especially during the first few lectures. I make sure they understand from the first day that I do not use grading curves because I feel that they reward poor performance and that their final grade will be the grade they earn and that the only competition is their individual ability to master the course material. Consequently, if one student is doing better in the course than another, it won't affect the final grades of either student. I also make sure that they understand that any form of dishonest behavior will not be tolerated and if I catch them cheating they will more than likely be expelled from the class. These policies have prevented me having to deal with unfriendly rivalries or excessive worrying about how the other students are doing so each student concentrates on their individual performance.
Hi Diane - Thanks for some great ideas to vary the learning environment! Susan
I try to change the physical set up of the class room every couple of weeks when I teach a lecture class. By changing the setting creates a different atmosphere in the room. When I assign work groups I always change the dynamics of the groups by changing up the members. On occasion we have even changed rooms for a day (or two) to mix things up. Mention field trip and watch their expressions, even for adult learners.
The physical setting has a profound impact on the learning preferences of Student. Let's say in a culinary school or mechanic school, one of the "First Impressions" along with the instructor will be how equipped the classroom (lab). Are there enough "tools" for the class to be successful? I think that the expectation is harder to recapture when the learning environment does not meet the expectation of the Student. This my not only due to the facility itself but as well to the level of expectation the student assigned.
I need a clean and organized learning environment to...
A lot of my students are either adult learners who have not been in a classroom setting for a long time and/or they may be younger students who may not have been the most motivated high school students. Either way, a drab and antiseptic environment may crush the initial optimism of students. While being careful not to have too many "distractions," a nice, inviting, and friendly physical setting may tend to assist in the overall positive mental attitude that a sudent finds necessary while trying to learn new (and often difficult) information. A comfortable physical environment may help ward off the intimidation of school.
There are many variations to answering this question. The physical setting could be anything from the classroom, the actual tempurature of the room, or the noise level in the room. Being a good classroom mananger is a vital part of creating an environment that makes the student feel comfortable to express themselves. Too much noise creates a aura of frustration in the class especially with older students. The tempurature in the room can really affect how receptive students are to recieving the material presented especially by lecture.
