PREPARING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: AN OVERVIEW
FS2 Learning Episode 5
Overview of the Learning Environment
A learning environment, traditionally called classroom, is a space in the school that supports
student learning. It is a self-contained area where teacher teaches and children learn. In the classroom are
chairs or tables for students and a front table for the teacher and most often the students should face the
teacher as the chair arranged that way.
A conducive learning environment should have the following characteristics:
Flexibility - There is opportunity to have small groups, movable walls.
Openness - Learning corners/areas which could be shared.
Access to resources - Audio-visual materials are ready and open for use.
Physical classroom - Space is clean and safe.
Psychological atmosphere - It is friendly and accommodating.
The classroom climate nurtures the intellectual, physical, social and emotional development of the
students. Here are some specific strategies for developing the optimal classroom climate you may
consider:
1. Learning environment addresses both physical and psychological needs of the students for security
and order, love and belonging, personal power and competence, freedom and fun.
2. Create a sense of order. For example, teacher should teach students how to:
Enter the classroom and become immediately engaged in the activity;
Distribute and collect materials;
Get the teachers attention without disrupting the class; and
Arrange desks, tables quickly and quietly for various purposes.
3. Greet learners as they enter the your class.
4. In a healthy and conducive learning environment, everybody belongs and knows each other.
5. Encourage class building activities like games and team activities.
6. In a conducive learning environment, success whether small or big is recognized and celebrated.
Learning Environment can be traditional (f2f), virtual (on-line) or a combination (Hybrid).
Both approaches, either the traditional face-to-face or online, lead to positive results but in different
ways, so usually in practice both approaches are combined.
ENHANCING A FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
FS2 Learning Episode 6
Enhancing a Face-to-Face or In-Person Classroom Environment for Learning
In a face-to-face classroom, students and the teacher are physically present. They meet at a time
set in the classroom. The teacher prepares activities, provides instruction and evaluates students' learning.
Equipment and instructional materials are made available in the classroom where teaching and learning
take place most of the time.
Here are some of the advantages of a face-to-face learning environment for students:
less distraction and more concentration than when studying at home or elsewhere;
greater understanding and real world examples from teachers and classmates;
greater chance of completing course work by doing it in the classroom space;
learn more easily and more comfortably in familiar, traditional classroom situation;
access more relevant information from teachers and classmates interactions; and
greater opportunity to connect and socialize, network and solve problems together with classmates
and teacher.
Here are some characteristics of the face-to-face or in-person learning environment:
Learning space is physical. Both the teacher and learner see and hear each other from the same
contained safe place called the classroom.
Lessons are delivered with the teacher physically facilitating. Reading assignments are from
textbooks and other resources provided or referred.
Class meetings occur regularly on a specific time or schedule. Teacher leads the conversation,
within a limited amount of time.
Assessment is done face-to-face and usually during the class meeting.
Prepared by:
Shyrl Desiree Lagare
Jennefer Labad-labad
Mitchiel Morales
James Mark Orbita
BEED4-Group2
(Group 7)