Learners at the Centre
The learning environment recognizes the learners as its core participants, encourages their active engagement, and develops in them an understanding of their own activity as learners. (OCED, )
In my observations this usually looks like specific teaching methods that are applied to students. If students are placed at the centre of then there is usually a multiple pedagogies being followed. These can look like guided, co-operative, and inquiry based just to name a few. This allows students to create their learning through engagement and active exploration.
The Social Nature of Learning
The learning environment is founded on the social nature of learning and actively encourages well organized co-operative learning.
As the classroom is a social environment learning is typically carried out in a social way. I saw this multiple times in the classroom using the technique of group work, group discussion, and co-operative learning situations.
Emotions are Integral to Learning
The learning professionals within the learning environment are highly attuned to the learners’ motivations and the key role of emotions in achievement.
Humans are emotional beings. When I have observed students from kindergarten to grade 7 they are developing emotionally and as individuals. Taking students emotional state at the time of learning is very important as the way I approach learning with any particular student depends on the students emotional state at the time or expected with the learning.
Recognizing Individual Differences
The learning environment is acutely sensitive to the individual difference among the learners in it, including their prior knowledge.
Considering each student is a different unique person when planning lessons or units I have tried to take the students individual differences into consideration. Designing lessons that take the students prior knowledge, cultural backgrounds, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Stretching all Students
The learning environment devises programmes that demand hard work and challenge from all but without excessive overload.
Students are on a continuum with their learning. Some students will be average, some will be lower, and some will be higher. Designing lessons that accommodate these learners is something I did with my slam poetry unit. From the group selection, the poems selected, and extending activities offered understanding the need to not overload some students or push, stretch, other students was foremost on my mind.
Assessment for Learning
The learning environment operates with clarity of expectations using assessment strategies consistent with these expectations; there is a strong emphasis on formative feedback to support learning.
In my experience, being in my practicum, experience in classrooms, and in university, being clear about expectations, what the class or learner is doing, and why the students(s) are doing it makes the class run incredibly more smooth than not being clear. When assessing students should be given the criteria before hand of what is expected of them and the feedback should be meaningful to the learner.
Building Horizontal Connections
The learning environment strongly promotes “horizontal connectedness” across areas of knowledge and subjects as well to the community and the wider world.
Horizontal connectedness in education is a massive tool for teachers and students. The ability for educators to take a concept taught and build connections between competencies or content only helps to solidify and reinforce the learning taking place. This is even more important when making those connections between what is happening in the classroom and society, family, and the real world.
To discover more about the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OCED) 7 Core Principals of Learning please visit:
http://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/50300814.pdf
References
Association of Independent Schools of New South Whales. (2012). The 7 Principles of Learning [Infographic]. Retrieved from https://www.aisnsw.edu.au/EducationalResearch/Documents/Infographics/The%207%20Principles%20of%20Learning%20-%20Infographic%202017.pdf
Dumont, H. Istance, D. Benavides, F. (2010). The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice [PDF file]. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/50300814.pdf
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