Effective Learning Environment
Dr. SHAZIA ZAMIR
DEPARTEMENT OF EDUCATION
NUML H-9 ISLAMABAD

Characteristics of a Highly Effective Learning Environment
• What is learning environment in the classroom?
• 'Learning environment refers to the diverse physical locations, contexts, and cultures in
which students learn. ... Since learners must do the learning, the aim is to create a total
environment for learning that optimizes the ability of students to learn.
• In a highly modern, technical and innovative environment, there are millions of ways to
learn and teach but understanding of students can be created by the measurements of its
effectiveness in a successful classroom environment.
• During our childhood days, we think that our classrooms are intellectually active places
that has progressive learning environment and conducive and highly effective to student-
centered learning. but in reality, trend of classroom’s learning has been changed and
become highly effective for both the students as well as teachers.
• .

CONTD
• In the early foundation age, the effective learning characteristics are considered as the key element
and it introduces different methods that students should learn from their experiences, environment
and activities.
• But no one can deny from the fact that both learning and teaching styles are difficult to be
considered as a single or individual events or things.Both of these methods can generate
authenticity, affection, curiosity and self-knowledge which are usually difficult to address.
• So, what makes a classroom highly effective? Professionals all over the world has found out
creative ideas that teachers should consider while studying the learning effectiveness of teachers.

Components of an effective learning environment
• Developing a total learning environment for students in a particular course or
program is probably the most creative part of teaching. While there is a tendency to
focus on either physical institutional learning environments (such as classrooms,
lecture theatres and labs), or on the technologies used to create online personal
learning environments (PLEs), learning environments are broader than just these
physical components. They will also include:
• the characteristics of the learners;
• the goals for teaching and learning;
• the activities that will best support learning;
• the assessment strategies that will best measure and drive learning
• the culture that infuses the learning environment.

A learning environment from a teacher’s
perspective(Figure A)

ACTIVITY
• What would you add (or remove) from the learning environment in Figure
A?
• Figure A focuses on a learning environment from a teacher’ perspective.
Could you design a similar model of a learning environment from the
perspective of a learner? What would be the main differences?

Strategies for Building a Productive and
Positive Learning Environment
• Step 1 - Make learning relevant. ...
• Step 2 - Develop a Code of Conduct. ...
• Step 3 - Employ a Positive Actions Curriculum. ...
• Step 4 - Help Students Develop Intrinsic Motivation. ...
• Step 5 - Reinforce Positive Behaviors. ...
• Step 6 - Always Respond With Positivity.

1. THE STUDENTS ASK THE QUESTIONS- GOOD QUESTIONS
• Asking maximum questions in the classroom might not make you feel good but it is very important
to make the entire learning process effective.
• A research has been conducted on the role of curiosity which says that learner enters in the learning
activity with no or low curiosity, in some cases.
• It prospects for important and meaningful interaction with particular class tasks.
• Most of the teachers force students to ask questions from the lessons and units
• These questions can reflect little understanding of the content but also discourages teachers from
allowing them.
• Therefore, it is important to ask great questions in the elementary school or university so that
everything can remain balanced.

2. QUESTIONS ARE VALUED OVER ANSWERS
• For an effective learning, questions are considered as important when compared to the answers, as
it opens the mind and increases the thinking capacity of an individual or a student.
• Questions can be valued more, good questions will lead the learning.
• Teachers can add currency, grades or anything for praise and motivation whenever it is possible
during learning.
• You will definitely going to notice changes in your learning pattern and results.

3. IDEAS COME FROM DIVERGANT SOURCES
• Ideas for reading, projects, lessons and tests are considered as the base of formal learning as they
come from variety of sources.
• Divergent thinking is a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring
many possible solutions.
• Some other examples of divergent thinking include: Wondering how many ways you can use a
fork. Showing a person a photo and asking them to create a caption for the photo. Giving a child a
stack of blocks and asking them to see how many shapes they can create with those blocks.

4.A VARIETY OF LEARNING MODELS ARE USED
• A learning model is a description of the mental and physical mechanisms that are involved in the
acquisition of new skills and knowledge and how to engage those mechanisms to encourage and
facilitate learning
• Learning model is a conceptual framework that describes a systematic procedure in organizing
learning experiences to achieve specific learning objectives and serves as a guide for learning and
the crier proclaimed and teachers in implementing the learning activities.
• The possibilities of learning models are endless, as some of the models include direct instruction,
flipped classroom, eLearning, peer-to-peer learning, mobile learning, Inquiry-based learning, active
learning, project-based learning and many more.

4.A VARIETY OF LEARNING MODELS ARE USED
Cooperative Learning Model
Model of cooperative learning is a learning approach that focuses on the use of small groups of
students to work together in maximizing the learning conditions for achieving learning objectives.
Contextual Learning Model
Contextual learning model is the concept of learning that encourages teachers to link between the
material being taught to the students real-world situations. This study also encourages students make
connections between knowledge and its application in their daily lives. Knowledge and skills gained
from the efforts of students to construct their own knowledge and skills as students learn.

5.LEARNING IS PERSONALIZED BY A VAREITY OF CRITERIA
• The routes of the students are completely on the shoulder of the teachers, or in other words,
teachers are fully responsible for the level of learning students are getting.
• Therefore, personalized learning has been introduced as an option.
• Personalized learning is an educational approach that aims to customize learning for each student's
strengths, needs, skills, and interests. Each student gets a learning plan that's based on what they
know and how they learn best.
• Unlike traditional learning where students are grouped together by age and apparent ability, taught
and tested, and then told to move on, personalized learning allows students to master the material
before moving on to the next subject, thus increasing the chances of each student having the
knowledge, skills and attitudes.

7.ASSESSMENT IS AUTHENTIC, PERSISTANT, NEVER PUNITIVE AND
TRANSPARENT
• The understanding of the learner can be increased through the attempt described as an assessment.
• Teachers can easily separate good thinkers with the good learners, if the students are murky,
infrequent, clinical or threatening. In general, clinical ideas are closely related to the tone and
emotions of the classroom and different from the format of the test.
• It is important to analyze the actual reasons of testing the students which can be the future
improvement opportunities.
• In such cases, when grading of a student does not work, feedback is considered as good option.

7. CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT IS TRANSPARENT
• Transparency means that it will be clear to students how they will be
assessed and based on what criteria. Examples include the manner in
which assignments need to be submitted, deadlines, the assessment
procedure and how the final mark will be calculated.

8. LEARNING HABITS ARE CONSTANTLY MODELED
• There are certain learning habits which can be molded easily.
• Also, there are some classic habits of mind including flexibility, curiosity, collaborative,
persistence, priority; revision and creativity are considered as great places to start.
• Having these factors all around allow the students to learn from indirect and observation sources.

HOW TEACHER CREATES A POSITIVE LEARNING
ENVIORNMENT

1. MAKING LEARNING RELEVANT
• Students are more engaged in learning and retain knowledge better when they see that it is relevant
and vital to their own success and happiness.
• By discovering students' talents, learning styles, and interests, teachers can adjust teaching methods
and strategies.
• By giving students a say in how the classroom operates, teachers increase students' sense of
ownership in the education process.

2. CREATE CLASSROOM CODE OF CONDUCT
• A positive and productive classroom requires a common understanding of positive and negative
behaviors.
• To establish this understanding, teachers ask students to identify the ways they like to be treated.
• This discussion elicits lists of behaviors that are respectful, fair, kind, and empathetic.
• Together, teacher and students conclude that treating others the way you want to be treated is the
best code of conduct, and they agree that this code will dictate the behaviors that are appropriate for
their classroom.

3. TEACH POSITIVE ACTIONS
• We need to teach students positive behaviors in a thorough, consistent, systematic way; we cannot
assume that students just know them.
• The Positive Action curriculum covers the following concepts.
• The importance of doing positive actions to feel good about yourself.
• Positive actions for a healthy body (such as nutrition, exercise, and sleep).
• Positive actions for the intellect (such as thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills).
• Positive actions for self-management (such as managing time, energy, emotions, and other personal
resources).
• Positive actions for getting along with others (such as treating others fairly, kindly, and
respectfully).

CONTD
• Positive actions for being honest with yourself and others (such as taking responsibility, admitting
mistakes, and not blaming others).
• Positive actions for improving yourself continually (such as setting and achieving goals).

4. INSTILL INTRINSIC MOTIVATION
• People need to feel good about themselves.
• In the Positive Action program, teachers help students understand that people are likely to feel
good about themselves when they engage in positive actions.
• The program explains a three-step process for choosing positive actions: First, we have a thought;
second, we act consistently with the thought; third, we experience a feeling about ourselves based
on the action.
• That feeling leads to another thought, and the cycle starts again.
• With practice, students learn that if they have a negative thought, they can change it to a positive
one that will lead to a positive action and a positive feeling about themselves—a powerful intrinsic
motivator.
• With repeated reinforcement by the teacher, this simple explanation helps students understand and
improve their behavior in any situation.

5. REINFORCE POSTIVE BEHAVIORS
• Teachers can strengthen intrinsic motivation by recognizing and positively reinforcing positive
actions when they see them.
• Recognition activities and items—such as tokens, stickers, and certificates—can be effective.
• But when teachers or other staff use this strategy, it's important that they recognize the positive
behavior, ask how it made the student feel, and tell the student the extrinsic reward is a reminder of
that good feeling.
• When students make the connection between their performance and feeling good about themselves,
intrinsic motivation is enhanced and positive behaviors continue.

6. ENGAGE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS
• Families and community members are concerned about their children's welfare, often want to be
engaged in their children's education, and have resources to offer.
• Educators can integrate them into many classroom and school activities, such as curriculum
activities, assemblies, committees, after-school events, and homework.

7. ALWAYS BE POSITIVE
• Perhaps the most important strategy, yet often the most difficult to carry out, is to be positive—
from classrooms to playgrounds, during school and after.
• There is always a positive way to respond to a situation.
• A positive attitude is the change agent that will create positive classrooms and schools that produce
happy and successful students