On : The Design of Learning Environment

The Design of Learning Environment
Redesigming of LE based on new developments on the science of learning. In our fast-changing environment, our pupils need to be able to build on the current state of knowledge and made decisions on the face of uncertainty.
It is therefore imperative that we think through what to teach, the method of delivery and eventually the means through which we assess what was taught.
LE is important as learning goals does not remain constant and we need to have different instructional approaches to cater to the diverse learning goals, which have undergone dramatic changes through the century. One notable change is where functional literacy has evolved from having the ability to sign one’s name to reading for new information.
The article explore the design of LE from 4 different perspectives, looking at the degree to which the LE are ;
1. Learner Centered
Taking into careful consideration the learners’ existing knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs and proceeding to ride on the conceptual and cultural knowledge that these learners bring into the instructional setting.
Starting from the learners’ existing knowledge ~ This is especially important in the local Mathematics curriculum which is spiral in nature. Teachers could use diagnostic test to ascertain pupils’ existing knowledge and use it to tailor the next level of skills to be imparted so as to build on what has been taught/learnt in the previous level.
Sensitive to the learners’ cultural practices ~ In multi-racial and multi-lingual Singapore, teachers could made learning more effective if they are able to incorporate some of the cultural practices of the various groups into their classroom instructions. Teachers could ask pupils to do a write-up on the various festivities or pupils from a certain racial composition could make use of their language skills to share their beliefs and practices with their peers.
Respect the learners’ languages practices ~ Pupil’s exposure to languages does affect their ability to process knowledge and make sense of the information in a classroom setting. Pupils from a disadvantage background very often lag behind as a result of this handicap and teachers, especially those teaching in the lower primary, should be made more aware of the issue. In the local setting Chinese Language teachers could use English to explain, if called for, the meaning of certain phrases to pupils from a English-speaking background to ensure that learning can be maximize. Teachers, most of whom come from a more privileged background, can exercise greater understanding and try to use language that the learners could identify with in their daily classroom instructions.

2. Knowledge Centered
Our curriculum specialist are periodically making changes to the curriculum to ensure that concepts taught at each level are age appropriate. Concepts / ideas are also most easily introduced if pupils see a need for their use. Hence its best to try to get pupils to apply what they have learnt to real life situations.
Help students become knowledgeable ~ In the local context teachers are very efficient, with all the testing in place, in ensuring that pupils acquire the required knowledge before proceeding to the next level. What we are not so good at is the transferring and making sense of the acquired knowledge.
Emphasis on sense-making ~ Our pupils are not so cognizant of new knowledge and they tend not to clarify with their teachers when the knowledge doesn’t make sense to them. In Mathematics teachers should move away from the mere algorithms and place more emphasis on problem solving. Teachers can also build on the existing informal ideas that pupil bring with them into the classroom. Such an example can be seen in algebra where pupils start with the concrete, moving to the pictorial and eventually using alphabets to represent an object in the abstract form.

3. Assessment Centered

The main purpose of assessment should be that it allows for feedback as well as revision and assessment should be aligned with the learning goals.
Formative Assessments ~ As a source of feedback to improve teaching and learning. It should focus on understanding and not testing of memory or facts. This can be in the form of topical tests, problem posing, effective and skilled questioning or journal writing. Assessments that places great emphasis on memorizing facts and procedures produces pupils who score well for that particular assessment but are unable to apply themselves to a new situation. This is quite commonly the case in our local pupils. This calls for teachers to set more innovative assessments. In Mathematics, teachers could set more of the “Spot the mistake” kind of questions or set questions that have not been discussed in class but requires concepts already taught.

4. Community Centered

Classroom and school community ~ Social norms that value understanding and accept the making of mistakes in the learning process, such as in Japan, seems to enhance learning. In the local setting pupils are afraid to ask/answer question for the fear of making a mistake and getting laughed at. This perceived norm can severely hinder the learning process. Some teachers expect the classroom to be totally quiet when the teacher is teaching, unlike the American classroom, and this expectation can hinder the pupils’ willingness to ask questions even if he/she does not understand what was taught. Some teachers have different expectation for different pupils and this could inadvertently hamper the learning ability of the pupils. Teachers need to understand the cultural norms of their pupils in order to maximize classroom instruction. What works in one setting may not work in another.

Questions

1. How can we make alternative assessments more beneficial to our pupils?
2. How can we make our classroom more pupil-centered?
3. Is there a need to redesign our classroom environment?