Principles & Methods of Teaching Accounting

Constantino, Charife B. BSA-3A

Dr. Noel F. Antijendra September 9, 2020

The Learning Environment

 ‘Learning environment refers to the diverse physical locations, contexts, and
cultures in which students learn. Since students may learn in a wide variety of
settings, such as outside-of-school locations and outdoor environments, the term
is often used as a more accurate or preferred alternative to classroom, which has
more limited and traditional connotations—a room with rows of desks and a
chalkboard, for example.

The term also encompasses the culture of a school or class—its presiding ethos
and characteristics, including how individuals interact with and treat one another
—as well as the ways in which teachers may organize an educational setting to
facilitate learning…..’

 This definition recognizes that students learn in many different ways in very
different contexts. Since learners must do the learning, the aim is to create a total
environment for learning that optimizes the ability of students to learn. There is of
course no single optimum learning environment. There is an infinite number of
possible learning environments, which is what makes teaching so interesting.

 Developing a total learning environment for students in a particular course or

program is probably the most creative part of teaching. While there is a tendency
to focus on either physical institutional learning environments (such as
classrooms, lecture theatres and labs), or on the technologies used to create online
personal learning environments (PLEs), learning environments are broader than
just these physical components. They will also include:
 the characteristics of the learners;
 the goals for teaching and learning;
 the activities that will best support learning;
 the assessment strategies that will best measure and drive learning
 the culture that infuses the learning environment.

 Principles of a learning environment:

 Learner-centred environments are designed for the active construction of
knowledge by and for learners. What students bring to the learning
environment and what they are actually learning (as opposed to what they
 Principles & Methods of Teaching Accounting

are being taught) are central to the notion of learner-centredness. Examples

include:
o Learner predictions – Students are asked to make a prediction
about the trajectory of an arrow and teacher uses these predictions to
uncover and deal with their misconceptions.
o Learner discussion – Students leads a discussion of a classic piece
of literature designed to bring out and value students' multiple
perspectives on the novel.
o Learner reflection – Teacher helps students to see that many of
their forms of everyday speech are examples of a very high form of
literacy.
 Knowledge-centred learning environments are those which support
students' deep investigations of big ideas through generative learning
activities which include opportunities for reflection, discussion, and
feedback. Examples include:
o Pre-assessment of learners – Teacher gives a pre-assessment to
uncover the understandings students are bringing to her class.
o In-depth projects – Course on Shakespeare emphasises depth by
covering just one play from a variety of perspectives and ending in a
performance.
 Assessment-centred learning environments provide frequent, ongoing,
and varying opportunities for assessment, including opportunities for
revision and for self and peer assessment. Examples include:
o Re-do an assessment piece – Students are encouraged to redo a
written assignment for a higher mark based on teacher feedback.
o Final assessment – Final statistics assessment gives students a data
set and ten questions about it that students answer using their choice
of statistical tools.
 Community-centred environments value collaboration, the negotiation of
meaning, respect for the multiple perspectives around which knowledge is
constructed, and connections to the local community and culture. Examples
include:
o Group productions – Students on a computing course work in
groups to produce web pages for local non-profit organizations.
o Reporting back to the group – Collaborative groups discuss a 'real
world' issue and 'report out' their solutions to the larger group.
 Principles & Methods of Teaching Accounting

Sources:
https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/chapter/5-2-what-is-a-learning-
environment/#:~:text=Since%20learners%20must%20do%20the,what%20makes
%20teaching%20so%20interesting.

https://federation.edu.au/staff/learning-and-teaching/teaching-
practice/development/principles-of-learning-environment