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?

2. The environment which imparts learning (the media and the strategies employed to facilitate learning)

• 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?

3. The learner’s internal environment (in plain words, his/her mental state)

• 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)

Comments

[susan nash]

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.