The Learning Environment

What does learning

environment
consist of?
Physical Environment Psychological Atmosphere

The Learning Environment

consists of:
Physical Environment
 Includes the physical condition of the
classroom, the arrangement of furniture,
seating arrangement, the classroom
temperature and lightning.
Psychological Atmosphere / Climate
 Let’s not forget that equally important, if
not more important, is the psychological
atmosphere or climate that reigns in the
classroom.
Researchers agree that in addition
to conducive physical environment,
the favorable school climates
include:
 Safety
 Relationships
 Teaching and learning
Safety
 E.g rules and norms, physical safety, social
–emotional safety.
Relationships
 E.g respect for diversity; school
connectedness/engagement; social
support-adults; social support – students;
leaderships
Teaching and Learning
 E.g social, emotional, ethical and civic
learning; support for learning; professional
relationship
Facilitative Learning Environment
 which promotes and facilitates the
individual’s discovery of the personal
meaning of idea

 Which emphasizes the uniquely personal

and subjective nature of learning
Pine and Horne (1990) described a
facilitative learning environment for
learning. It is one:

 which encourages people to be active

 In which difference
is good and desirable

 Which consistently recognizes people’s

right to make mistakes
 Which tolerates ambiguity

 In which evaluation is cooperative process

with emphasis on self-evaluation
 Which encourages openness of self
rather than concealment of self

 In which people are encouraged to trust

in themselves as well as in external
sources
In which people feel
they are respected

 In which people feel they are accepted

 Which permits confrontation

 A conducive learning environment is

necessary in the full development of the
cognitive and appetitive faculties of the
learner