Joe Walsh - Theory Review: Learning Environment and Context
Theory Review: Learning Environment
and Context
Joe Walsh
Ball State University
EDAC 635 – Adult and Community
Education
9/27/2020
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Joe Walsh |
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The learning
environment is the physical environment where learning occurs. It may be
a classroom or training area, but it is dedicated to training. The
environment sets the stage on how the learning process occurs, and how the
learning audience will respond.
Dorothy MacKeracher
lists five distinct area of the learning environment: comfort of chairs and
tables, sound quality, light and visual quality, air quality, and technology. (MacKeracher, 2010) MacKeracher
describes the learning environment as, “the physical environment generally
refers to anything affecting the physical comfort and well-being of both
learners and facilitator.”
(MacKeracher, 2010) Each area can improve or inhibit
leaning.
The first area of the
learning environment is the comfort if chairs and tables. In The Trainers Handbook Karen Lawson breaks down what steps can be
taken to create a positive learning environment. She discusses the many
different seating arrangement and how they can shape a training session. (Lawson, 2016) The second area
MacKreacher explores is the sound quality of the learning environment. This focuses more on the learners with
hearing impairments. Light and visual quality can refer to the lighting
of the training area, or visual aids on the walls. Air quality looks at any dust or debris in
the air. Learners with, “asthma,
allergies, and other respiratory ailments,” (MacKeracher, 2010) may struggle with bad air quality. Technology in the learning environment is the
las distinct area. Lawson went into
great detail on the use of technology in training. Technology greatly
alters the training since learning occurs in a virtual environment. All
previous areas of chairs and tables, sound quality, light and visual quality,
and air quality are dependent on the learner and not the facilitator. (Lawson, 2016) Deng and Tavares compared
Google Sites and Facebook as two virtual platforms for adult learning. They found that “Structure and control
provided by Google Sites and immediacy and interactivity afforded by Facebook
become complementary to each other.” (Deng
& Tavares) Thomas showed that the idea of learning being attached to a
physical location is changing. The
virtual environment is displacing physical environment. (Thomas, 2009) Even with different platforms, technology aids
in learning and is becoming more prominent in the learning environment.
Applications
I find that
technology is highly effective for facilitator and learners in the learning
process. As society continues down the
path of technology, facilitators should make technology a top tool to use. I use technology immediately in class. I have a large television I use to display my
PowerPoint presentations. I follow the
directions of death by PowerPoint to create the best slide show I can. I have received great feedback from the
learner and members of management over my use of this presentation style. It is not just information on a screen. I have found that have a white screen with
all the information and giving a handout of the presentation does not work in
my industry. I make myself the
presentation and the technology as a point of reference.
I go on in
class to place scanners in their hands.
Using physical technology to learn has become an invaluable asset in the
physical learning process. I put the
learners through all the proper steps over how to use the scanner properly. This helps limit training that occurs as a
result of context on the floor. Many times,
the context teaches the learner bad habits.
When I spend substantial time with the proper way to use a scanner in
the physical learning environment, I can limit negative of seasoned employees.
Context in Learning
MacKeracher describes the context in
learning as the cultural environment. “Invisible
contexts surround us. These contexts
derive from the cultural and social expectations that control and direct how
people relate, and work gets done in our various environments.” (MacKeracher, 2010) Where the physical environment deals with tangible
factors a learner can engage with at the sensory level, the cultural
environments focus on unseen forces at work.
A facilitator can create a comfortable and conducive physical learning
environment, but the context of learning, “exists in the mind of the beholder.”
(MacKeracher, 2010) Context is invisible but can greatly affect
the learner. There are studies that show
adolescents adopted healthier lifestyles that, “were often linked to
corresponding need-supportive teacher behaviors.” (Dongen
et al.)
Applications
I find that
the learning context to be a polarizing topic in my current situation. I have spent a great amount of time to create
an effective physical training environment.
Once my learners join the floor, they quickly pick up bad habits is the
befriend experienced Associates who have bad habits. If they are lucky to befriend and model employee,
they adopt their good habits.
I am
working with management to change the learning context on the floor. The goal is the create a production
environment that is standardized, uniform, and only changes using formal
routes. This will limit bad contexts
that can derail the learning process. I
have been a part of organizations that have a positive cultural
environment. The military is a good
example. The physical training
environment matches what is seen in the cultural environment. We trained exactly as we operated. There was no room for bad habits to be
learned since there is a standard across the board.
Reflection
Highlight
I really
enjoyed learning about the physical learning environment. I deal with both daily in my job as the
Trainer of my facility. As I read and
learned more over the topic I saw how much the physical and cultural
environments in my work environment take from my training. I work very hard to ensure I create a world
class training environment to match my company’s motto. I spend two full days training all new
hires. I have found that once they enter
the floor the context of the work environment greatly affects the learning
process. Positive or negative
experiences can improve or hinder learning.
Process
The first thing I did in writing
this paper was to refer to the class readings since they are full of
knowledge. MacKeracher was my main
source for the paper. I used Lawson to
find tangible ways of using physical environment. After I found the information from these two sources,
I went to the Ball State library database.
I searched for adult education, learning environment, and learning
context. I was able to find four additional
scholarly resources.
Table 1. Summary of theoretical ideas
|
Area |
Summary |
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Technology is highly effective for facilitator and
learners. |
Used in a positive manner, technology can be a great
resource for facilitators to teach. I personally
use technology to improve my teaching. By using effective methods (Death by
PowerPoint) you can have technology supplement and not supplant the facilitator. |
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Physical technology can be used in the physical learning
process |
Using physical technology to learn has become an
invaluable asset in the physical learning process. Physical technology can create muscle
memory and create good habits prior to context taking over in the learning
process. |
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Learning context is an invisible culture environment. |
Even with a robust physical training environment, the
learning context can quickly set the stage for learning. Cultural and social expectations can set
the stage for a positive of negative learning environment. My own personal experiences have shown that
if a negative learning context takes place the physical learning environment
can be quickly forgotten. |
References:
MacKeracher, D. (2010). Making sense of adult learning.
Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Lawson, K. (2016). The trainer's handbook. Hoboken:
Wiley.
Dongen, B., Finn, T., Hansen, V., Wagemakers, A., Lubans,
D., & Dally, K. (n.d.). The ATLAS school-based health promotion programme:
Does a need-supportive learning context help to motivate adolescent boys?
Retrieved September 27, 2020, from https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/the-atlas-school-based-health-promotion-programme-does-a-need-sup
Deng, L., & Tavares, N. (n.d.). Exploring university
students' use of technologies beyond the formal learning context: A tale of two
online platforms. Retrieved September 27, 2020, from
https://ajet.org.au/index.php/AJET/article/view/1505
Thomas, H. (2009, June 05). Learning spaces, learning
environments and the dis'placement' of learning. Retrieved September 27, 2020,
from https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.00974.x
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