Learning Environments

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The introduction of information technologies into teaching and learning prompted educators to reexamine the spaces where learning takes place and to design new learning spaces that take fuller advantages of the possibilities that technology offers. The work done on learning spaces has been extremely valuable and serves as the foundation for an expanded look at other factors that affect learning and the context in which learning spaces exist. Those factors include space, but a broader look at the conditions and circumstances of learning reveals that learning is equally influenced by people, by technology and the resources it affords access to, and by the cultural backdrop against which learning takes place. These elements come together in a new, broader discussion of learning environments, which builds on the resources and knowledge generated about learning spaces.

The term learning environment encompasses learning resources and technology, means of teaching, modes of learning, and connections to societal and global contexts. The term also includes human behavioral and cultural dimensions, including the vital role of emotion in learning, and it requires us to examine and sometimes rethink the roles of teachers and students. The focus on information technology in education is expanding from the enhancement of learning spaces to include factors beyond hardware, software, and the network. The learning environment is a composite of human practices and material systems, much as an ecology is the combination of living things and the physical environment.

Articles and Reports

Privacy Considerations in Cloud-Based Teaching and Learning Environments, ELI White Paper, November 2010.
The following EDUCAUSE Quarterly Magazine themed issues contain various articles on Learning Enviroments;
- EDUCAUSE Quarterly, Vol. 33, No. 3, 2010: Learning Environments
- EDUCAUSE Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 4, 2009: Student Engagement
- EDUCAUSE Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 1, 2009: Learning Spaces
Making the Case for Space: Three Years of Empirical Research on Learning Environments, EDUCAUSE Quarterly, Vol. 33, No. 3, 2010
Reflections on Play, Pedagogy, and World of Warcraft, EDUCAUSE Quarterly, Vol. 33, No. 3, 2010
Eight Simple Ways to Embrace the "Froom", EDUCAUSE Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 4, 2009
Learning Environments: Where Space, Technology, and Culture Converge, ELI white paper, October 2009
ELI 7 Things You Should Know About...
- Google Wave, November 2009
- Personal Learning Environments, May 2009
Active Learning Classrooms Pilot Evaluation: Fall 2007 Findings and Recommendations, University of Minnesota, 2007. Report and Web Site
New Learning Environments for the 21st Century, John Seely Brown, Aspen Symposium 2005

Conference Proceedings

EDUCAUS Learning Initiative 2010 Annual Meeting, "Learning Environments for a Web 2.0 World"
EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative 2009 Online Fall Focus Session, "Flattening the Classroom: Building Collaborative Learning Environments"
EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative 2008 Fall Focus Session, "Revisting Learning Space Design"

Conference Sessions, Videos, and Web Seminars

The Future of Learning Environments, EDUCAUSE Video, July 2010
Building Best Practices for Data-Driven Assessment of Technology-Enabled Learning Spaces, ELI Annual Meeting, January 2010.
Stanford University's Wallenberg Hall: Looking Back, Looking Forward, ELI Annual Meeting, January 2010.
Clickers and Peer Instruction: A Powerful Way to Improve Student Engagement and Learning, but Only If You Do It Right, ELI Web Seminar, October 05, 2009
A Space of One's Own: Learning Environments Derived from User-Centered Discovery Techniques, EDUCAUSE Live!, November 21, 2008
Guidelines for Implementing Authentic Tasks in Web-Based Learning Environments, ELI Web Seminar, November 3, 2008
Creating Learning Environments that Promote Active Learning, Critical Thinking, Collaborative Learning, and Knowledge Creation, A Solutions in Action Webcast, September 21, 2009
Powerful But Not a Panacea: Virtual Worlds as a Tool for Situational Learning, ELI Web Seminar, February 19, 2008
Assessing What Students Learn in Technology-Based Learning Environments, ELI Web Seminar, September 15, 2006

Library Items on this Topic

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EDUCAUSE Library Items for Learning Environments

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Education Achievement Authority: Nolan Elementary-Middle School: November 28, 2012

Charged by the governor of Michigan to transform the lowest five percent of the persistently lowest achieving schools in the state while simultaneously developing a new approach to educating st…
7 Things You Should Know About Navigating the New Learning Ecosystem: May 2, 2012

The LMS was once the undisputed center of the digital learning ecosystem . But on many campuses, the situation has changed such that the campus online learning environment might be better v…
Empowering Students and Instructors: Reflections on the Effectiveness of iPads for Teaching and Learning: April 12, 2012

Devices like the Apple iPad call for purposeful experimentation to see how mobile technology might be used in teaching and learning and in updating established educational models to engage today�…
Lessons Learned from Adopting Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Oman: December 15, 2011

Key Takeaways Traditional teaching methods in the Middle East have not prepared graduates for work in the 21st century. Computer-supported collaborative learning can incr…
In Search of Future-Focused Learning Technologies: May 31, 2011

Jonathon Richter ( jrichter@uoregon.edu ) is Research Associate, Center for Advanced Technology in Education, and Director of the Center for Learning in Virtual Environments, at the Un…
Learning Analytics: The Coming Third Wave: April 13, 2011

Learning analytics (LA) is the third wave of large-scale developments in instructional technology that began with the advent of the learning management system (LMS) . As a compelling diagnost…
Mixable: A Mobile and Connected Learning Environment: March 29, 2011

Key Takeaways Students increasingly turn to social networks to enable coursework discussions outside of class , a factor that promotes their academic engagement and success. A ne…
Privacy Considerations in Cloud-Based Teaching and Learning Environments: January 5, 2011

In this white paper, we outline the privacy issues relevant to using cloud-based instructional tools or cloud-based teaching and learning environments for faculty members and those supporting ins…
Wikify Your Course: Designing and Implementing a Wiki for Your Learning Environment: September 22, 2010

Key Takeaways Wikis help engage students in their learning while providing social interaction with their peers in the learning process. A wiki assignment should enable students to work …
Transforming Teaching in High-Tech, Collaborative Learning Environments with Critical Reflection: September 22, 2010

Key Takeaways Teaching in high-tech learning environments that center on collaboration and team-based learning often requires a complete course redesign and great deal of faculty time. …