Effective and Engaging Learning Environments

Learning Environments
- Designing effective learning
environments to engage life-long learners.
Chantel Borke
S00155641
EDFD459

By the end of this presentation staff will
understand how to effectively implement
strategies to re-develop our schools learning
environments and pedagogy for student and
teacher benefit. Five types of learning spaces
in regards to our future drama environments
will be discussed.
Learning Goal

Creating Effective, Engaging Learning Spaces
We as teachers need to implement strategies to ensure these learning spaces
work well and safely to be beneficial to ourselves and our students learning
and achievement.
The Classroom
and the School
Beyond the
Classroom
The Collaborative
Learning Space
The Electronic
Learning Space
The Individual
Learning Space
Figure 1, (Etrainingpedia.com, 2014)

The Classroom and The School
Classroom designs differ from all over the world. It is hard to explain what a
“normal” or “typical” classroom looks like when it can be interpreted in many
ways. All spaces are unique and should be designed to suit the learners and their
needs.
Marilyn Read from the Department of Design and Human Environment at Oregon
University makes a great statement about high and low stimulation in her article
about contemplating design. She states that high stimulation in a classroom may
appear “cluttered and overwhelming” for students, however lower stimulation
becomes static and may appear boring to the students (Read, 2010). This Is why
we need a balance and need to create a design that suits the environment or even
better, a design that can be changed to suit the class and their learning/teaching
needs.

The Drama Classroom
The drama classroom is very different to a usual classroom. First of all,
there are very little or no seats. The students are usually required to take
their shoes off and sit in a circle on the floor with the teacher. This is to
make all of the students feel equal and comfortable in their learning
environment. The ideal design of space for this would be free of clutter as
students move around the space every lesson. It should involve black walls
or curtains, stage lighting for students to practice in and props and set
pieces for students to use. This allows the classroom environment to change
every lesson depending on what the teacher has planned. It is a very
interesting and engaging space to teach and learn in. The teacher has a
large influence in the design of the classroom. Positioning the students in a
circle, potentially assigning a seating order or letting the students choose
themselves.
Figure 3, (Newscertain.com, 2009).
Figure 2, (Chs.edu.mt, 2015).
Possible implications to consider – Students with physical impairments
will need a chair, low stimulation environment, however can be changed
with props and posters.

Excursions and Incursions provide students with experiential and valuable learning
opportunities within or outside of school grounds (Lorenza, 2009). Excursions are where
the students travel to the place where the learning will take place and incursions are when
the presentation or exhibit comes to the school. I believe that before the excursion takes
place that the students need to have explored and understood the topic so that they can
construct and add onto the knowledge they already have of that subject. This is where a
“Community of Practice” (CoP) can be formed (Smith, 2009). After the students have
experienced the excursion then they should be given time within their CoP to delve deeper,
ask questions and experiment as a group. This may be in the form of assessment,
activities and discussions. Some CoP’s may be formal and some may be informal. The
teacher may be the leader or it could be student made. Schools need to implement
strategies to ensure excursions are beneficial to all students.
Beyond the Classroom

Drama Excursions and Incursions
A CoP is a great way to interpret and gather information from a range of people,
heir experiences and knowledge. Schools need to encourage students to engage and
understand concepts collaboratively to fully benefit from excursions and
Incursions. A hall with a stage and a school bus or bus hire would be beneficial to
the students safety and creativity when on drama excursions to the theatre or
incursions when the performers come to them.
Drama aids the personal and social development of students with their transitions
to puberty, adulthood and other stages of life. Through the life skills learned in
educational performance participants feel an increased sense of competence with
communication, social interaction and performance in other activities
(Heathcote,1984) . It gives children the ability to work on their own which gives
them independence in their imaginative and creative progress.
The space in and beyond the classroom must be a safe and supportive
environment where the learners can take risks ad trust themselves and others.
Teachers need to e cautious of the content delivered and the context.
Figure 4, (Bbc.co.uk, 2011).
Figure 5, (Familywithkids.com, 2015).

The electronic learning space incorporates not only ICT in the classroom but can also be
accessed beyond the classroom. ICT can include laptops, smart boards, iPads, tablets,
smartphones, video web sessions, skype and many more technologies. Digital technologies are
extremely important in the 21st century. Without these technologies information wouldn’t be as
readily available to all learners around the world (UNESCO, 2012). Students can engage with
exciting content save their progress and continue study and learning when at home.
In the drama classroom the electronic learning space is very beneficial and is integral to
filming performances for assessment and for student reflection. Also teaching students the
history of drama and different techniques on data projectors and in interesting, new ways.
Remember the blackboard? Me too. I'm sure some classes still have them today, but I believe
classes of the future may move forward to projections and smart boards. This way teachers
may be able to save valuable written work.
The Electronic Learning Space

Challenges of
A challenge with this space is that is has already been designed by
many people around the world and changes constantly. To ensure this
learning space is safe and engaging for students and teachers certain
security measures need to take place. Schools need an IT member
who is experienced in the field of information technology skills. This
way we can have an IT “hub” that involves people who know how to
best utilize ICT in the classroom and transfer this knowledge to new
and existing teachers. Teachers need to know how to use ICT
effectively and in moderation. It is a great tool when used right,
however can be dangerous and disengaging when used wrong.
These “Teaching and Learning with ICT” placemats are a great tool
for teachers to post in their classrooms or summarise and make their
own poster (pictures on the right).
Figure 6, (Education.qld.gov.au, 2014).

The Individual Learning Space
The individual learning space occurs when students go off on
their own to study in their chosen space. This can either be at
home, in school or outside of school. Every person has their
own approach to their studies whether it be at home, at school,
a library, using books or using technology.
It is important for us as educators to encourage students to
explore the way they study in their own learning spaces and
find out what works best for them. It is also important to
provide benches and study areas for students to use during
lunch and before or after school if needed.

Self Directed Learners
Students need to learn how to be self directed learners.
They need to learn how to:
- Be organised: write a plan, create a calendar, organise work so it
cannot get lost.
- Create goals and reflect on them.
- Ask for help or feedback when needed and know when or how to do
this.
- Enjoy learning. If a student is stressed and completing work just
because it needs to be done then they will not be learning effectively.
- Be positive. And know how to learn at their own pace.
Figure 7, (Academicis, 2015)
Figure 8, (my own image from
home, Brisbane)

The Collaborative Learning Space
An environment that encourages group work is a great environment.
This learning space encourages students to work together and give each
other ideas and feedback. Formative feedback is described as
Information that is communicated to the learner and will modify their
thinking to improve learning (Shute, 2008). It is feedback that occurs as
a process over time. Students who work together can construct on their
own knowledge and work with peers from the same age group.
It is important that teachers understand how to incorporate effective
group work tasks in the classroom as students need to be able to show
the skills that they can communicate with others. Implications of group
work can arise when two students are having a disagreement and the
teacher is unaware of this. This can be a very big factor in a groups
achievement and students behavior and well-being. Teachers need to e
open to feedback whether in the form of an online anonymous message
or verbal feedback.
Figure 9 , Own image
taken from a school in
Brisbane

Creative drama is used in classrooms for the advantage of all students. This
benefits their social skills and behavior though higher order thinking and
metacognition. In creative drama students improvise to create multiple roles,
analyze them and work collaboratively. Behavior within groups are seen to
improve as the students have developed the skills to cope with situations and
an acceptance of themselves and others (Bolton, G, 1979). Dorothy Heathcote
along with Phyl Herbert devised a system of teaching called “the mantle of the
expert” This is the swapping of roles between the teacher as a professional and
the student as a learner (Heathcote, 1984). This system allows the students to
become the expert and the teacher gives students the opportunity to take an
active part of the drama process and share their knowledge collaboratively.
Collaboration

Bolton G. (1984). Drama as education. London: Longman.
Heathcote, D. (1984). Dorothy Heathcote: Collected writings on education and drama.
London: Hutchinson.
Lorenza, L. (2009). Beyond four walls: why go beyond the bounds of school? [online]. Teacher. (198),
22-25.
Read, M. (2010). Contemplating design: listening to children's preferences about classroom design.
Creative Education, 2, 75 – 80
Smith. M. (2009). Communities of practice. Retrieved from
http://www.infed.org/biblio/communities_of_practice.htm on the 13th September.
UNESCO. (2012). Turning on Mobile Learning: Global Themes. France: United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Resources

Images Used.
Figures:
1.Etrainingpedia.com,. (2014). 3 Ways eLearning Can Revolutionize Education | eTraining Pedia. Retrieved 12
September 2015, from http://www.etrainingpedia.com/3-ways-elearning-can-revolutionize-education/
2. Chs.edu.mt,. (2015). SMC: Facilities. Retrieved 14 September 2015, from
http://chs.edu.mt/services/generalinfo/facilities
3. Newscertain.com,. (2009). New performing arts building completed after just 9 weeks on site – and a highly
sustainable solution | Newscertain. Retrieved 15 September 2015, from
http://www.newscertain.com/2009/11/09/new-performing-arts-building-completed-after-just-9-weeks-on-site-and-a-
highly-sustainable-solution/
4. Bbc.co.uk,. (2011). BBC - World Class Blog: Russian connection. Retrieved 13 September 2015, from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldclass/2011/11/russian-connection.shtml
5. Familywithkids.com,. (2015). Vene Teater, Русский театр Эстонии в Таллинне | FamilyWithKids.com.
Retrieved 14 September 2015, from http://www.familywithkids.com/ru/estonia/catalog/vene-teater-russkii-teatr-
estonii-v-tallinne
6. Education.qld.gov.au,. (2014). The Digital Classroom - Smart Classrooms. Retrieved 14 September 2015, from
http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/enabling-learners/digital-classroom.html
7. Academicis,. (2015). School libraries shelve tradition to create new learning spaces - Academicis. Retrieved 13
September 2015, from http://www.academicis.co.uk/school-libraries-shelve-tradition-create-new-learning-spaces
8. My own image from home, Brisbane.
9. My own image taken from a school in Brisbane.

Effective and Engaging Learning Environments

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