Examining Learning Environments
To say that effective learning
happens only in an environment conducive to learning is to state the obvious.
What exactly is this environment? Here are three types of environments that can
affect the learning process:
1. The environment
where the learner works (in the corporate context)
- Does
this environment support a learning culture?
- Does
it employ people who are open to learning new things and unlearning old things?
- Does
it encourage intellectual interaction among its employees?
- Does it support positive skepticism-in the sense of not taking things for granted?
- Does
the medium suit the learner and the content?
- Do
instructional strategies engage the learner?
- How
much power does the learner have in directing the course of learning?
- Is the depth of content pitched at the level of the learner’s expertise or lack of it?
- Is
the learner in a positive state of mind?
- Does
the learner have any deep-rooted preconceptions about the nature of the
content?
- Does he or she prefer the quiet corner of self-paced learning or the active sphere of collaborative learning?
Learning designers don’t have much
to do with the first environment-except, probably, develop platforms for
informal learning and collaborative learning, or develop performance support
systems and tools. However, a tool or a platform is one thing and the
motivation to use it is another.
As for the third type of
environment, I’m not sure how much a learning program (especially, one that
caters to a wide audience) can do to change a learner’s attitude to learning or
cater to his/her unique learning styles. Also, I think, learning style is not a
purely internal phenomenon; it is closely linked to the “styles” out there from
which one can choose.
That limits an instructional designer’s
influence to just the second type of environment (traces of which will spill
over to the third type and influence it). Here again, we need to look closely
at the question “How much power does the learner have in directing the course
of learning?”
Perhaps, it’s time for us to
redefine the way we approach instructional design.
(Anil Mammen is Senior Instructional Design Consultant with Tata Interactive Systems)




I really enjoyed this post -- it's practical and to the point. I really am enjoying this blog -- there are two areas that seem extremely valuable to me because they're fairly unique, and difficult to find in a single blog. Those are, the focus on learning disabilities (special needs), as well as SimBls... very interesting material, and I'm looking forward to reading more.
Posted by: susan nash | Jan 25, 2006 at 06:41 PM