When it comes to exploring the impacts the learning environment has on the learner, many researchers and designers of the learning environment often debate whether the learner should adapt to the environment or if the learning environment should adapt to them. However these types of questions can be argued as wrong. Instead a better question would be to ask ourselves, how the learning environment shapes the learner and also how the learner influences the learning environment. This would consist understanding the incentives of the learner with respect to the time and place in which a person obtains knowledge (Lave and Wenger, 1991).
Twenty first century learning environments are intended to be
places in which the learner is engaged in self-directed, cooperative activities
and the physical environment is planned so that it can be routinely reorganised
to meditate learning (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2002).
When it comes to school environments the goal for all
teachers is to provide effective instruction that lead to student learning. However that particular goal is dependent on having
a safe and supportive environment in which teachers can teach and students can
learn. Without having an environment
that learners feel comfortable in and are able to reach their full learning
potential, instructional and learning time is lost.
The many different environments in which we learn can all
have different impacts both negative and positive, on the way in which we
develop a sense of understanding.
Montessori developed teaching tools that encouraged learners to explore
their environments through self-directed and co-operative learning
activates. When focusing on ICT rich
environments, it is important to understand that with all the positive effects
it can bring to the learning environment and ones enquiring mind it also comes
with many negative effects as well. ICT
rich classrooms can enhance the interest that young children have towards
education, as they often see the approach as fun and exciting and tend to
become more interested in learning and engage more. Today’s instructional settings have been
introduced with computers, tablets and SMART boards. All these different types
of technologies come with the following advantages:
- · Using the internet for research
- · Playing educational games
- · Creating PowerPoints for classroom presentations
- · Using Microsoft word for essay writing and classroom displays
- · Allows the opportunity for learners to present work in a variety of ways
There are so
many more advantages; this is merely a small list of examples.
Many children, including adolescents tend to be distracted
quite easily and become very bored with the traditional classroom environment
where they just use pen and paper to do/complete their work. Incorporating ICT into the learning
environment enables these learners with the opportunity to use a wide selection
of programs, and teachers can set up tasks on the computers for pupils to
complete e.g. work sheets or designing leaflets. Those pupils who have learning difficulties
can benefit from many of the programs that are found on computers, that aid
with drawing, spelling, reading, maths and so many more. Most educational programmes that are used on
computers are designed in a way that is attractive to the learner, with colourful
and eye-catching layouts. When I was in
primary school I remember simply copying from a black board which I found very
boring, you were only able to write on it in chalk, which I found very dull and
would become uninterested and never volunteered to answer questions were I would
have to write and answer on the board. In practically every school setting
today black boards have been replaced with the interactive white boards. Anything that is done on a computer monitor
can then be replicated on an interactive white board. Teachers are able to create engaging lessons
such as matching activity where pupils can match items using their fingers or a
pen; this is creative experience for pupils and a fun way for them to
learn. This technology makes the
one-computer classroom a workable instructional model.
Once issue that comes with ICT rich classrooms, is that all
teachers and staff are expected to know how to incorporate and use ICT in their
classroom. Many teachers may find it difficult
to understanding the different functions of computers and how they work, which
causes some concerns. These concerns
would be that some teachers may not understand the numerous functions of
computers and how they generally work, thus becoming unwilling and unconfident
to incorporate them into the classroom environment. Many teachers can believe that one of the
biggest disadvantages to using ICT within the classroom is the use of the
internet, and can tend to argued that not only can it become addictive but can
possibly prevent children from thinking from themselves, as they can simply search
the internet (google) for answers to questions.
Nowadays you can search the internet for practically anything you need
to know, and pupils may take advantage of this, thus I believe they are not
fully engaging in the learning experience.
When teachers set task sheets with questions of previous lessons, pupils
can simple search the internet for the answers without even thinking about
it. This could become a serious problem
if teachers do not limit pupils access to computers, as well as limiting their
usage to prevent them becoming addicted.
Overall I believe that integrating ICT into the learning
environment has certainly changed the way in which teachers are able to teach,
and has positive effects on engaging pupils within certain aspects of
learning. I think that all the
advantages that I have read and researched outweigh the negative and believe
that ICT can be a rewarding experience if used within education and has encouraging
prospects on the enquiring mind.
Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2002. Learning for the 21st century [pdf] http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Report.pdf [Accessed: 16 Apr 2014].
Refernces:
Lave, J. and Wenger, E. 1991. Situated learning. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press
Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2002. Learning for the 21st century [pdf] http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Report.pdf [Accessed: 16 Apr 2014].
Here are some links that I found quite interesting:
Here is a video full of useful information:
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