{"id":199,"date":"2014-09-24T16:07:36","date_gmt":"2014-09-24T20:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/chapter\/5-2-what-is-a-learning-environment\/"},"modified":"2025-05-10T07:05:29","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T11:05:29","slug":"5-2-what-is-a-learning-environment","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/chapter\/5-2-what-is-a-learning-environment\/","title":{"raw":"6.2 What is a learning environment?","rendered":"6.2 What is a learning environment?"},"content":{"raw":"&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_198\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"700\"]<img class=\"wp-image-197\" src=\"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/09\/Personal-learning-environment-2-Janson-Hews.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\"> Figure 6.2.1 A technology-based personal learning environment<br>Image: Jason Hews, Flikr[\/caption]\n<h2 style=\"color: #2c2e35;text-align: left\">6.2.1 Definition<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"color: #2c2e35;text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\"><em><strong style=\"font-style: inherit\">'Learning environment\u00a0<\/strong>refers to the diverse physical locations, contexts, and\u00a0cultures\u00a0in which students learn. Since students may learn in a wide variety of settings, such as outside-of-school locations and outdoor environments, the term is often used as a more accurate or preferred alternative to\u00a0classroom, which has more limited and traditional connotations\u2014a room with rows of desks and a chalkboard, for example.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #2c2e35;padding-left: 30px\"><em>The term also encompasses the culture of a school or class\u2014its presiding ethos and characteristics, including how individuals interact with and treat one another\u2014as well as the ways in which teachers may organize an educational setting to facilitate learning.....'<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"color: #2c2e35;text-align: right\"><a href=\"http:\/\/edglossary.org\/learning-environment\/\">The Glossary of Educational Reform<\/a>, 29 August, 2014<\/p>\nThis definition recognises that students learn in many different ways in very different contexts. Since learners must do the learning, the aim is to create a total environment for learning that optimises the ability of students to learn. There is of course no single optimum learning environment. There is\u00a0an infinite number of possible learning environments, which is what makes teaching so interesting.\n<h2>6.2.2 Types of learning environments<\/h2>\nHere are some examples of different learning environments:\n<ul>\n \t<li>a school or college campus<\/li>\n \t<li>an online course<\/li>\n \t<li>military training<\/li>\n \t<li>friends, family and work<\/li>\n \t<li>nature<\/li>\n \t<li>personal, technology-based, learning environments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10216\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10216\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10216\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/figcaption>Nevertheless I will argue that despite the differences in context, there are certain elements or components that will be found\u00a0in most effective learning environments.<\/figure>\n<h2>6.2.3 Components of an effective learning environment<\/h2>\nDeveloping a total learning environment for students in a particular course or program is probably the most creative part of teaching. Although there is a tendency\u00a0to focus on either physical\u00a0institutional\u00a0learning environments (such as classrooms, lecture theatres and labs), or on the technologies used to\u00a0to create online learning environments such as learning management systems, learning environments are broader than just these physical components.\u00a0They will also include:\n<ul>\n \t<li>the characteristics of the learners and their means of inter-communication;<\/li>\n \t<li>the goals for teaching and learning;<\/li>\n \t<li>the activities that support learning;<\/li>\n \t<li>the resources that are available, such as textbooks, technology, learning spaces, and human support (teachers, librarians, etc.);<\/li>\n \t<li>the assessment strategies that will best measure and drive learning;<\/li>\n \t<li>the culture that infuses the learning environment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n[caption id=\"attachment_198\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"906\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-192\" src=\"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/11\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-08-at-2.49.12-PM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"906\" height=\"750\"> Figure 6.2.2: One learning environment, from a teacher's perspective[\/caption]\n\nFigure 6.2.2 illustrates one possible learning environment from the perspective of a teacher or instructor. A teacher\u00a0may have little or no control over some components, such as learner characteristics or resources, but may have full control over other components such as choice of content and how learners will be supported. Within each of the main components there are a set of sub-components that will need to be considered. In fact, it is in the sub-components (content structure, practical activities, feedback, use of technology, assessment methods, and so on) where the real decisions need to be made.\n\nI have listed just a few components\u00a0in Figure 6.2.2 and the set is not meant to be comprehensive. For instance it could have included other components, such as developing ethical behaviour, institutional factors,\u00a0or external accreditation, each\u00a0of which\u00a0might also affect the learning environment in which a teacher or instructor has to work. Creating a model of a learning environment then is a heuristic device that aims to provide a comprehensive view of the whole teaching context for a particular course or program, by a particular instructor or teacher with a particular view of learning.\u00a0Once again, the\u00a0choice of components and their perceived importance will be driven to some extent by personal epistemologies and beliefs about knowledge, learning and teaching methods.\n\nLastly, I have deliberately suggested a learning environment from the perspective of a teacher, as the teacher has the main responsibility for creating an appropriate learning environment, but it is also important to consider learning environments from the learners' perspectives. Indeed, adult or mature learners are often capable of creating their own, personal, relatively autonomous learning environments. Figure 6.2.3 below is one example of a student learning environment, created by Sucheta Dandekar, of Era University, India:\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_198\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1990\"]<img class=\"wp-image-198 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/05\/Learning-envir.-students-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1990\" height=\"1406\"> Figure 6.2.3 A learning environment from a student perspective Image: Sucheta Dandekar, 2023[\/caption]\n\nThe significant point is that it is important to identify those components\u00a0that need to be considered in teaching a course or program. In particular it should be recognised that there are other components of a learning environment as well as content or curriculum. \u00a0Each of the key components of the learning environment I have chosen is discussed briefly in the following sections, with a focus on the components of a learning environment that are particularly relevant for a digital age.\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\n<h3>Activity 6.2 Influencing a learning environment<\/h3>\n<ol>\n \t<li>Why do you think I focused on learning environments from a teacher's perspective rather than a learner's perspective?\u00a0Could you design a similar model of a learning environment from the perspective of a learner? What would be the main differences?<\/li>\n \t<li>In order to create the learning environment for HIST 305 in <a href=\"\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/chapter\/scenario-5-1-developing-historical-thinking\/\">Scenario D (Chapter 4)<\/a>, Ralph Goodyear carefully considered the learning environment he wanted to create and ones he had little or no control over.\u00a0 What components do you think\u00a0he had little or no control over?<\/li>\n \t<li>What would you add (or remove) from the learning environments in Figure 6.2.2 and 6.2.3?<\/li>\n \t<li>What is missing in Figure 6.2.1 - the technology-based personal learning environment?\u00a0For what kind of purpose would it work really well?<\/li>\n \t<li>Does thinking about the whole learning environment overly complicate the teaching endeavour? Why not just get on with it?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nFor my feedback on this activity, click on the podcast below.\n\n[audio mp3=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/teachinginadigitalagev2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/677\/2014\/09\/Influencing-a-learning-environment-2019-08-11-5.30-PM.mp3\"][\/audio]\n\n<\/div>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;","rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_198\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-198\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-197\" src=\"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/09\/Personal-learning-environment-2-Janson-Hews.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/09\/Personal-learning-environment-2-Janson-Hews.jpg 1372w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/09\/Personal-learning-environment-2-Janson-Hews-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/09\/Personal-learning-environment-2-Janson-Hews-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/09\/Personal-learning-environment-2-Janson-Hews-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/09\/Personal-learning-environment-2-Janson-Hews-65x46.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/09\/Personal-learning-environment-2-Janson-Hews-225x161.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/09\/Personal-learning-environment-2-Janson-Hews-350x250.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-198\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 6.2.1 A technology-based personal learning environment<br \/>Image: Jason Hews, Flikr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 style=\"color: #2c2e35;text-align: left\">6.2.1 Definition<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"color: #2c2e35;text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\"><em><strong style=\"font-style: inherit\">&#8216;Learning environment\u00a0<\/strong>refers to the diverse physical locations, contexts, and\u00a0cultures\u00a0in which students learn. Since students may learn in a wide variety of settings, such as outside-of-school locations and outdoor environments, the term is often used as a more accurate or preferred alternative to\u00a0classroom, which has more limited and traditional connotations\u2014a room with rows of desks and a chalkboard, for example.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #2c2e35;padding-left: 30px\"><em>The term also encompasses the culture of a school or class\u2014its presiding ethos and characteristics, including how individuals interact with and treat one another\u2014as well as the ways in which teachers may organize an educational setting to facilitate learning&#8230;..&#8217;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"color: #2c2e35;text-align: right\"><a href=\"http:\/\/edglossary.org\/learning-environment\/\">The Glossary of Educational Reform<\/a>, 29 August, 2014<\/p>\n<p>This definition recognises that students learn in many different ways in very different contexts. Since learners must do the learning, the aim is to create a total environment for learning that optimises the ability of students to learn. There is of course no single optimum learning environment. There is\u00a0an infinite number of possible learning environments, which is what makes teaching so interesting.<\/p>\n<h2>6.2.2 Types of learning environments<\/h2>\n<p>Here are some examples of different learning environments:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>a school or college campus<\/li>\n<li>an online course<\/li>\n<li>military training<\/li>\n<li>friends, family and work<\/li>\n<li>nature<\/li>\n<li>personal, technology-based, learning environments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10216\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10216\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10216\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/figcaption>Nevertheless I will argue that despite the differences in context, there are certain elements or components that will be found\u00a0in most effective learning environments.<\/figure>\n<h2>6.2.3 Components of an effective learning environment<\/h2>\n<p>Developing a total learning environment for students in a particular course or program is probably the most creative part of teaching. Although there is a tendency\u00a0to focus on either physical\u00a0institutional\u00a0learning environments (such as classrooms, lecture theatres and labs), or on the technologies used to\u00a0to create online learning environments such as learning management systems, learning environments are broader than just these physical components.\u00a0They will also include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the characteristics of the learners and their means of inter-communication;<\/li>\n<li>the goals for teaching and learning;<\/li>\n<li>the activities that support learning;<\/li>\n<li>the resources that are available, such as textbooks, technology, learning spaces, and human support (teachers, librarians, etc.);<\/li>\n<li>the assessment strategies that will best measure and drive learning;<\/li>\n<li>the culture that infuses the learning environment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_198\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-198\" style=\"width: 906px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-192\" src=\"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/11\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-08-at-2.49.12-PM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"906\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/11\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-08-at-2.49.12-PM.png 906w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/11\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-08-at-2.49.12-PM-300x248.png 300w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/11\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-08-at-2.49.12-PM-768x636.png 768w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/11\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-08-at-2.49.12-PM-65x54.png 65w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/11\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-08-at-2.49.12-PM-225x186.png 225w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2014\/11\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-08-at-2.49.12-PM-350x290.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 906px) 100vw, 906px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-198\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 6.2.2: One learning environment, from a teacher&#8217;s perspective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Figure 6.2.2 illustrates one possible learning environment from the perspective of a teacher or instructor. A teacher\u00a0may have little or no control over some components, such as learner characteristics or resources, but may have full control over other components such as choice of content and how learners will be supported. Within each of the main components there are a set of sub-components that will need to be considered. In fact, it is in the sub-components (content structure, practical activities, feedback, use of technology, assessment methods, and so on) where the real decisions need to be made.<\/p>\n<p>I have listed just a few components\u00a0in Figure 6.2.2 and the set is not meant to be comprehensive. For instance it could have included other components, such as developing ethical behaviour, institutional factors,\u00a0or external accreditation, each\u00a0of which\u00a0might also affect the learning environment in which a teacher or instructor has to work. Creating a model of a learning environment then is a heuristic device that aims to provide a comprehensive view of the whole teaching context for a particular course or program, by a particular instructor or teacher with a particular view of learning.\u00a0Once again, the\u00a0choice of components and their perceived importance will be driven to some extent by personal epistemologies and beliefs about knowledge, learning and teaching methods.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, I have deliberately suggested a learning environment from the perspective of a teacher, as the teacher has the main responsibility for creating an appropriate learning environment, but it is also important to consider learning environments from the learners&#8217; perspectives. Indeed, adult or mature learners are often capable of creating their own, personal, relatively autonomous learning environments. Figure 6.2.3 below is one example of a student learning environment, created by Sucheta Dandekar, of Era University, India:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_198\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-198\" style=\"width: 1990px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-198 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/05\/Learning-envir.-students-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1990\" height=\"1406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/05\/Learning-envir.-students-2.png 1990w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/05\/Learning-envir.-students-2-300x212.png 300w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/05\/Learning-envir.-students-2-1024x723.png 1024w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/05\/Learning-envir.-students-2-768x543.png 768w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/05\/Learning-envir.-students-2-1536x1085.png 1536w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/05\/Learning-envir.-students-2-65x46.png 65w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/05\/Learning-envir.-students-2-225x159.png 225w, https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/05\/Learning-envir.-students-2-350x247.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1990px) 100vw, 1990px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-198\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 6.2.3 A learning environment from a student perspective Image: Sucheta Dandekar, 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The significant point is that it is important to identify those components\u00a0that need to be considered in teaching a course or program. In particular it should be recognised that there are other components of a learning environment as well as content or curriculum. \u00a0Each of the key components of the learning environment I have chosen is discussed briefly in the following sections, with a focus on the components of a learning environment that are particularly relevant for a digital age.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\n<h3>Activity 6.2 Influencing a learning environment<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Why do you think I focused on learning environments from a teacher&#8217;s perspective rather than a learner&#8217;s perspective?\u00a0Could you design a similar model of a learning environment from the perspective of a learner? What would be the main differences?<\/li>\n<li>In order to create the learning environment for HIST 305 in <a href=\"\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/chapter\/scenario-5-1-developing-historical-thinking\/\">Scenario D (Chapter 4)<\/a>, Ralph Goodyear carefully considered the learning environment he wanted to create and ones he had little or no control over.\u00a0 What components do you think\u00a0he had little or no control over?<\/li>\n<li>What would you add (or remove) from the learning environments in Figure 6.2.2 and 6.2.3?<\/li>\n<li>What is missing in Figure 6.2.1 &#8211; the technology-based personal learning environment?\u00a0For what kind of purpose would it work really well?<\/li>\n<li>Does thinking about the whole learning environment overly complicate the teaching endeavour? Why not just get on with it?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>For my feedback on this activity, click on the podcast below.<\/p>\n<p><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-199-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/teachinginadigitalagev2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/677\/2014\/09\/Influencing-a-learning-environment-2019-08-11-5.30-PM.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/teachinginadigitalagev2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/677\/2014\/09\/Influencing-a-learning-environment-2019-08-11-5.30-PM.mp3\">https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/teachinginadigitalagev2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/677\/2014\/09\/Influencing-a-learning-environment-2019-08-11-5.30-PM.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"media-attributions clear\" prefix:cc=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/ns#\" prefix:dc=\"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/\"><h2>Media Attributions<\/h2><ul><li >Personal learning environment 2 &#8211; Janson Hews       <\/li><li >Screen Shot 2022-04-08 at 2.49.12 PM       <\/li><li >Learning envir. students 2       <\/li><\/ul><\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-199","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":193,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":200,"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/199\/revisions\/200"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/193"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/199\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=199"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=199"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openstudio.pub\/teachinginadigitalagev3m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}