Week 6 : Changing Learning Environments

The spaces in which we work, live and learn can have profound effects on how we feel, how we behave and how we perform. That is why physical learning and teaching spaces is important in improving student learning experience. My previous school is a secondary boarding school and opened since April 2002. It has a nice landscape with an artificial ponds and some benches to make students feel comfortable being there. However, the structure of the land is a little bit unstable. The soil settles in some area of the school undermines the efforts to beautify the school compound. The limitation of the budget also one of the main problem for this school. But it is not an excuse for the management to stop their effort. 

The new principal had set up a target for the school to achieve the standard of 5S : Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize & Sustain (A quality standard for best environment workplace introduce by Japan) within less than 6 months. He made some major changes to the surroundings of the schools to make sure the children will get a better place and feel more comfortable to continue their study here. Moreover, as a boarding school, it should give all students to feel like being at home. With that, they will feel comfortable and enjoy studying and learning at school.

                                                     Facilities that had been upgraded

Some changes that have been made, for examples; provide all classroom, laboratories and meeting rooms with LCD projector,change all the tables and chairs (as it is already more than 10 years) for students, teachers and staffs with the new one, upgrading the classroom and workstation for all teachers and staffs and repainting all the classrooms, students’ hostels and all buildings in the area of the schools. He also create students learning area in some suitable places and upgrading the area for students to have their selling and business activities which we call it as TransGarden. (Students given an opportunity to run their business every weekend according to a specific schedule). 

These changes remind me about what Victorian Institute of Teaching had proposed, ‘the quality of the physical environment significantly affects student achievement.’ As Earthman, 2004 said ' Some research had found that the building in which students spends a good deal of their time learning give an influence how well they learn'. In that particular topic discussed also mention from Bunting, 2004,’ Schools must attract students interest to go to as well as cafes attract people, rather than the space being purely functional.’ 

                                  They try to design students' accommodation like their home

There are some projects still in planning stage. (Preparing the paperwork for the budget). It focusing on the learning and teaching facilities, for examples, build a pavilion, lecture hall and a students’ learning center as it is a demand from the students. RMIT University refer to Blackmore et al. (2011) to identify a conceptual framework of four temporal stages connected to the adaptation and use of new learning spaces ; Design, Implementation and Transition, Consolidation and Sustainability/re-evaluation phase.This guide can be used to make an effective changes to the school environment in order to promote student learning.
Environment could allow a leaner to configure and develop a learning environment to suit and enable their own style of learning. (Graham Attwell, 2007). People have different styles of learning, so we have to try some method and provide various type of environment to encourage students’ learning process. Here, I would suggest some planning that they should considered for longer term improvement. As what had been discussed and mention in my previous post (Week 5), technology play a big role in the classroom literacy teaching. It is a good starter to provide each classrooms with LCD projectors. They also can put a smart board for more interactive learning and teaching for certain room. As what have been done at Smart MRSM school, they can introduce the use of IPads or IPhones in the teaching and learning process. They also can encourage student to use video conference, blogging or internet networking to share their knowledge with people in the other country. But of course, with some rules and guidance from teachers. Jamieson, Fisher, Gilding, Taylor, and Trevitt, (2000) emphasize the needs of teachers consideration how the new setting will enhance the student learning experience when new ICTs being used.Graham in his paper emphasized the use of PLE (Personal Learning Environment) which focus at two developments in technology; ubiquitous computing and the development of social software. So, I would suggest that schools maybe can make useful of some software and other alternative ICT technology tools.

                                             Smart MRSM Alor Gajah using the smart board

 Another suggestion would be cheaper and easier I guess, the arrangement of the desk and chairs in the classroom. They could make a research on the effectiveness arrangement that will help to improve student participation or interest in the classroom. The shape of the students’ desk would be another factors that they could considered. When I was at my previous school at Malacca, my principal shown us the unique shape of desk (trapezium shape) that been used in one of the school at UK that attract students interest and help them to move actively and easily in the class especially for the discussion activity. Now they already have their own trapezium desk. Stevenson and Bunting suggesting that 'traditional academic classrooms may disappear, replaced by holistic learning labs and exploratory centers'. While Gifford (2002) notes that open learning spaces can have positive outcomes when teaching strategies are matched to the space.

               Students of Smart MRSM Alor Gajah having their class using the IPads and unique desk.

                    Some arrangement that can be made using the trapezium desk in a classroom

                           Upgrading the noticeboard to be more interactive and informative.

                                  Example :  Main Library at Shah Alam,Selangor
Reference :

Personal Learning Environment :http://moodle.telt.unsw.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=318424

The Effect of the Physical Learning Environment on Teaching and Learning

http://www.vit.vic.edu.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/PDF/1137_The-Effect-of-the-Physical-Learning-Environment-on-Teaching-and-Learning.pdf

The impact of new learning spaces on teaching practice : Literature Review

http://mams.rmit.edu.au/grpmt6tzfgf9.pdf

MRSM Transkrian : https://www.facebook.com/mjsctranskrian/photos_stream

Raja Tun Uda Library : http://www.ppas.gov.my/