IEDU132 ESE: Design content to transact and evaluate in various contexts of learning environments (Skill, Game, Task, Activity)

What is a learning environment?

Learning environment means the varying physical locations, contexts and cultures in which students learn. Since students usually learn in a wide variety of settings like outside of school locations and outdoor environments.  The learning environment is a term often used as a more precise or preferred alternative to a classroom, which has a more narrow and traditional implication – for example, a room with desks arranged in rows and a chalkboard.

The term also surrounds the culture of a school or class – including how individuals interconnect with one another and how they treat one another. It also involves ways in which teachers organize educational settings to facilitate learning. To name some examples are conducting classes in natural ecosystems which are relevant, using audio, visual and digital technologies. As the qualities and characteristics of a learning environment are determined by a wide range of factors, school policies, governance, structures, and other features which also be considered are elements of a "learning environment." (Learning Environment Definition, 2013)

 

Innovative Learning Environment

Learning and teaching in the past were both passive. In recent years, increasing emphasis has been placed on active learning through activities, tasks, games, and other means. The use of various activities in the learning environment encourages active engagement, resulting in a creative learning environment. The requirement of the hour is to create one of these. learning occurs more effectively in environments that are both comfortable and creative. Teachers play a significant role in developing them for kids. It should be mentioned that creative space varies depending on the subject and situation. It is impossible to be creative all of the time. In this aspect, they have a working knowledge of various teaching models that aid in making classroom learning more engaging and unique.

There are diverse approaches that can be used by teacher can create innovative learning spaces. Some of the following are mentioned below: (Shulman, n.d.)

1. Mindset

A teacher has the ability to bring in a change in mindset, mood, and overall classroom vibe. The teacher regulates the tone of the class from the minute students enter the building. If a teacher is excited about her own subject matter, the students will follow exactly what the teacher does. A teacher should always have a passion towards the subject matter or subject they teach, which makes their teaching interesting. A teacher is trained to educate from her/his point of view; this does not work in a regular classroom setting; hence the teacher needs to change her way of teaching and teach from the students' point of view. This kind of lesson delivery can be done by making the class innovative by thinking of their students as leaders too and acting as a guide to the students instead of teaching content and asking students to spill out the information during standardized tests.

2. Self-Reflection

Self-reflection helps the teachers to look back on their teaching strategies in order to discover how and why they are teaching in a certain way and how the learners responded to the teaching. Teaching being a challenging profession, self-reflection can offer teachers a critical opportunity to see what worked well and what did work in their classroom. Reflective teaching allows the teacher to analyze and evaluate their own teaching practices so they can focus on what works in the classroom. Effective teachers acknowledge that teaching strategies, delivery and finding success can always be improved.

 3. Ask Open-Ended Questions

Questions without the use of textbook answers are called open-ended questions. When teachers ask open-ended questions, they can receive various responses and different points of view. The answers of learners can lead to a collaboration of strong kind, exciting conversations, new ideas, and encourages leadership skills. These kinds of practices can help learners to identify the potential in them which they never found in themselves. Open-ended questions help in making connections to their own lives, real-life events or within other stories.

 4. Create Flexible Learning Environments

There are various teaching methods, and it's very important for teachers to consider how to use the space in their classrooms. Teachers can find ways to move the furniture around in their classrooms with ease; this can be considered as a crucial variable for improving student learning. The teaching has involved over the years, so the classroom space must provide learners ways to work independently, work in groups or with peers and provide areas of collaboration. Most of the classrooms these days are still crowded, cluttered and with loud spaces that restrict learners to move around with ease which creates a communication gap; this, in turn, leads to roadblocks when the learners need to concentrate in class. Learning spaces should be flexible to support one-to-one learning, collaboration, independent thinking and peer discussions.

 5. Create A Place for All Learners 

There are two kinds of learners some are introverts, and some are extroverts. Social interactions help extroverts to get their energy, and quiet places help introverts to get their energy and a time to think and reflect alone. Hence when classroom activities solely focus on group work and group discussions, gathering peer feedback, extroverts are the ones who grow and gain knowledge in these kinds of settings. Introvert learners feel drained within turn leads to a lack of motivation to participate in the activities of the class. Introverts are benefit when there are projects which solely focuses on quiet reflection or individual research. In these kinds of learning, introverted learners can thrive and blossom, leaving the extroverts lost. Teachers need to be able to give options to accommodate both types of learners because it's critical to encounter the needs of different learners. Teachers who give such activities best engage, inspire and sustains learners' love for learning and are more likely to set in their best efforts in enjoying the process and finding positive results.

 6. Use Problem-Finding

Teachers should help students look at the world by finding gaps to fill using problem-finding instead of problem-solving. The equivalent to problem discovery is problem finding. Problem-finding needs an intellectual and imaginative vision to find out what might be missing or should be added to something crucial. Using problem finding strategy, teachers can give students the opportunity to think deeply, ask critical questions and apply creative ways to resolve problems.

 7. Let Students Take Risks and Fail

Learners need to see that adults try a lot of things and repeatedly fail but still keep on trying. Learners need to experience failure in order to learn. When teachers provide projects related real world that gives students problems to solve, this is a way of offering a platform for students to learn from failure, try again and again to eventually find success.

 8. Consider a Flipped Classroom Model 

The teachers use a flipped classroom model in which the traditional way of teaching in classrooms are reversed.  This helps learners view lecture materials, read texts or do research as their home learning prior to coming to class. The class time can be reserved for activities such as group discussions, peer learning, independent learning and engaging in discussions or collaborative work. Flipped classrooms have improved the grades of learners.

9. Invite Entrepreneurs and Innovators into the classroom

Teachers can encourage entrepreneurs into their classrooms in various ways by employing technology as a means of communication and outreach. By pressing a button, educators can contact various leaders via social media sites such as LinkedIn or Twitter. Invite these leaders into your classroom either in person or via virtual means such as Skype. Teachers may be shocked to learn how many creative innovators want to give back, and giving back to youngsters can be one of the most rewarding ways a successful entrepreneur can make a difference.

 10. Use the Design-Thinking Process

 The design thinking process consists of a series of systematic techniques for identifying problems, gathering data, generating potential solutions, refining ideas, and testing solutions. 

 Different instructional models

Ø  ADDIE Model

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Ø  Merrill’s Model

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Ø  Kirkpatrick Model

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Ø Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction

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Ø Assure model

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Implementation of model

I will be using the Kirkpatrick model to implement my plan. Let us look in detail at what is Kirkpatrick model is.

 

Kirkpatrick Model

The Kirkpatrick Model is a model which is globally recognized method of evaluating the results of learning programs. This is a way of assessing both formal learning methods and informal learning methods and rates the learning against four levels of criteria: (Learning, n.d.)

 
Ø  Reaction
Ø  Learning
Ø  Behaviour
Ø  Result

 

Level 1 Reaction- This level gauges the reactions of the individuals by asking questions to understand their perceptions towards their learning. This is done through questionnaires, surveys, evaluation sheets, and making notes of participants' comments during the training session. Each session of the training programme can be assessed at this level as it helps to identify any areas of improvement. Participants' reactions may also help facilitators decide whether certain parts of the programme should continue to be included or not. 

Level 2 Learning- This level measures what the learners have learned during the training programme. In this level, short quizzes and tests may be used to check what they have learned during the training period. 

Level 3 Behaviour- This level assesses the participants' behavioural changes as a result of the training. These are mostly done through observations and comparing before and after training behaviours. 

Level 4 Results- The final step measures and evaluates the result of the training programme against the stakeholder’s expectations. It reviews whether participants of the training have met their learning objectives. Some factors organizations measure is productivity, ,morale, quality, sales, efficiency, and customer satisfaction ratings.

 

  

 

Reference

ADDIE Model—Information Technology—UW Bothell. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://www.uwb.edu/it/service-catalog/teaching-learning/hybrid-and-online-learning/instructional-design/addie

Learning, A. (n.d.). What is the Kirkpatrick Model? Learn the 4 Levels of Evaluation. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://www.ardentlearning.com/blog/what-is-the-kirkpatrick-model

Learning Environment Definition. (2013, May 15). The Glossary of Education Reform. https://www.edglossary.org/learning-environment/

Shulman, R. D. (n.d.). 10 Ways Educators Can Make Classrooms More Innovative. Forbes. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/robynshulman/2018/11/19/10-ways-educators-can-make-classrooms-more-innovative/

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