THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: INTRODUCTION

CONCEPTS OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The learning environment refers to the learning context or learning situation that can
stimulate students to learn and achieve the target of behavioral change
This includes the learning environment in the classroom, the school and in the home
Three aspects of the learning environment:
psychosocial
physical
learning community
Psychosocial Aspect
Refers to the psychological aspect and social interaction among children
Children who are from families that are full of love and warmth are usually more
positive and psychologically more stable - they develop positively as well in school
The importance of the psychological aspect is emphasized by Maslow in his
Hierarchy of Needs (safety, belongingness, love and self-esteem needs)
Social interaction in the classroom refers to interaction between the T-S and S-S
Student interaction can be studied through drawing a sociogram - asking students o
indicate who they like most and then compiling their responses graphically
Teachers play a very important role in ensuring that a healthy classroom
environment exists
Teachers should be good managers of the classroom environment and ensure that
there is:
- healthy relationships between students
- classroom routine
- fair implementation of classroom rules
- a warm psychological environment
The situation at home also affects learning in children
Children from families that prioritize learning i.e. parents who give support and
guidance and monitor their childrens progress usually do better academically
compared to their counterparts from families that do not prioritize learning
The Physical Aspect
The physical environment in the classroom, school and home can influence learning
The physical condition in the classroom includes:
- the physical facilities / infra-structure arrangement of chairs and tables
- the ventilation, lighting, cleanliness, esthetic aspects of the classroom
The location of the classroom and school also affects learning - in terms of noise
level, distraction, interruption, safety
Learning Community
Refers to a group of people who share, cooperate and collaborate in the learning
process
The school and classroom is where the learning community study, help and support
each other
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Each learning community has the following four characteristics:

- membership
- influence
- meets the individuals needs
- shares events or actions and feelings
The teachers role is to create a healthy learning community where there is rapport
among members and each is always ready to help the other
The outside environment is not under the control of the teacher refer to
Bronfenbrenners theory regarding the effect of the environment on social
development of children but the teacher should be aware of this and not assume
that all children have the same learning environment outside school

Childrens Learning Experience

Children learn through the experiences that they have first-hand experience
First-hand experience is the natural way human beings learn and this form of
learning is most effective, more meaningful and permanent in memory
Holts (1995) principles concerning how children learn naturally; They:
- have innate interest and ability to learn
- themselves know how to learn
- need peace and quiet to think are not afraid to admit that they dont know or to
make mistakes
- are able to appreciate intrinsic values in what they learn
- learn about relationships with others through interaction
- learn best about the world through first-hand experience
- need enough time to be with the family
- cannot study under pressure
These principles show that first-hand experiences are very important
Children learn through doing, experiencing or going through what they are learning
Children like to question and try out new things without feeling afraid of making
mistakes as a result, they learn faster and acquire skills such as using the
computer, hand phone, etc much faster compared to adults
The role of teachers is to expose children to environments that stimulate their minds
and provide opportunities for them to study / explore on their own
Teachers who are aware of how children learn will take the following four aspects
into consideration when planning effective T-L activities, that is, learning must be:
- student centered
- information/knowledge-based
- guided by learning assessment
- learning community-based
THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF PLAY IN THE LEARNING PROCESS OF
CHILDREN
What is PLAY?
First-hand experiences that are most basic occur during play
Children learn through the process of play
Learning that occurs through play is holistic
Children often create their own play, includes the rules, taking turns and improvising
things
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They are also very innovative as they are able to create play with just anything
Piaget believed that play can contribute to the cognitive development of children
Vygotsky and Piaget believed that play provides opportunities for children to learn
more about the world around them besides expanding their thinking and imagination
Play provides opportunities for children to learn in an informal, enjoyable, free,
intrinsically motivated, voluntary, active and safe environment
Play has often been wrongly assumed to be useless or a waste of time or something
that is used to keep children occupied so that they wont disturb adults

Learning Through Play

Play is one of the most powerful vehicles children have for trying out and mastering
new skills, concepts, and experiences
Play can help children develop the knowledge they need to connect in meaningful
ways to the challenges they encounter in school
As children play, they resolve confusing social, emotional, and intellectual issues by
coming up with new solutions and ideas
They experience the sense of power that comes from being in control and figuring
things out on their own (something children often do not get to do in real life)
Play helps them develop a positive attitude toward learning
Importance of Play
The main aim of play is to help in the holistic development of children
Play provides opportunities for children to express their ideas, feelings and emotions
Children are able to relax during play
Play can help in the development of gross and fine motor skills
Play prepares children to face the adult world
Play contributes to socioemotional, moral dan cognitive development
Play results in learning in the cognitive, social and psychomotor domains
Play reinforces learning: - repetition, recall, exploring, summarizing, relating,
imitating, rehearsing, imagining
Play helps to develop the individual in terms of moral values, skills, intrinsic
motivation to learn, self-respect and self-confidence
As a whole, play helps in cognitive, physical and socio-emotional development of
children
Physical development through play
Psychomotor skills, that is, gross and fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and
locomotor as well as non-locomotor movements can be developed through play
(Latin loc from a place)
Children learn to run, jump, climb, throw and kick a ball while engaged in games or
sports
Science garden activities involve planting, watering, touching, digging these
activities help in the development of gross and fine motor skills as well as sensory
abilities
Activities such as coloring, tracing, drawing, building, joining are able to develop
manipulative, eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills
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Cognitive development through play

Listening, reading, discussing, and conversing during play contribute to cognitive
development in children
Through play, acting out a play/story that has been told can speed up language
acquisition
Socio-emotional development through play
Social games provide children with the opportunity to interact with peers they learn
how to respect others, share materials and wait for their turn
Activities such as drama and simulations help children to mature faster so that they
are more ready to face the adult world
References:
Noriati A. Rashid, Boon, P. Y., Sharifah Fakhriah Syed Ahmad. (2008). Murid dan alam
belajar. Shah Alam: Oxford Fajar Sdn Bhd.
Woolfolk, A. (2010). Educational Psychology(11th ed). New Jersey: Pearson