FS2 EPISODE 5: Preparing the Learning Environment: An Overview

To have a meaningful and successful accomplishment in this FS episode, be sure to read through the
whole episode before participating and assisting in your FS 2 Resource Teacher’s class. Note all the
information you will need and tasks you will need to do before working on this episode.

Target Your Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this Learning Episode, I must be able to revisit the concept of learning environment in the
context of the current teaching and learning situation.

Clarify Your Task

Overview of the Learning Environment

A learning environment, traditionally called the classroom, is a space in a school that supports student
learning. It is a self-contained area where teacher teaches and children learn. In the classroom are chairs
or tables for students and a front table for the teacher. This a traditional face-to-face classroom. Most
often the students should face the teacher as the chairs are arranged that way. But as teaching
deliveries changed to enhance learning, modification in the seating arrangement evolved and more
opportunity for the learners to move about for cooperative

Learning was addressed. A conducive learning environment should have the following characteristics:
Flexibility – There is opportunity have small groups, movable walls.

Openness-Learning corners/areas which could be shared. Access to resources – Audio-visual materials

are ready and open for use.

Physical classroom-Space is clean and safe.

Psychological atmosphere – It is friendly and accommodating.

The classroom climate nurtures the intellectual, physical, social and emotional development of the
students.

Here are some specific strategies for developing the optimal classroom climate. You may consider these.

1. Learning environment addresses both physical and psychological needs of the student for
security and order, love and belonging, personal power and competence, freedom and fun.
2. Create a sense of order. For example, teacher should teach students how to enter the classroom
and become immediately engaged in the activity, distribute and collect materials; find out about
missed assignments due to absence and how to make up for them; get the teacher’s attention
without disrupting the class and arrange desks, tables quickly and quietly for various purposes.

3. Greet learners as they enter your face-to-face or on-line classroom.

4. In a healthy and conducive learning environment, everybody belongs and knows each other.

5. Encourage class building activities like games and team activities.

6. In a conducive learning environment, success whether small or big is recognized and celebrated.
Both approaches, either the traditional face-to-face or online, lead to positive results in different
ways, so usually in practice both approaches are combined.

Face-to-face Learning Environment On-line learning environment On-line Learning

Environment
Learning environment can be traditional (F2F), virtual (on-line) or a combination (Hybrid).

Activity

What will you do to assist your mentor in setting up a conducive learning environment in the following
conditions:

1. Bulletin Board Display

2. Small Group Discussion

3. Checking class attendance in a virtual classroom (i.e. google meet or zoom)

Activity 2

Learning Environment 1: • What have you noticed of the display in the class bulletin
board? What message or theme does it convey?

. What makes it attractive to the learners? . Does it help in the learning process?

How?

Learning Environment 2:

• If the teacher is using a

distance delivery of learning
through the modules, where

most likely the learning space of

 the students?

. Can you describe?

• How can you as a teacher help

to make such environment
conducive for

learning?

The examples above, describe two contrasting situations. The first shows that the learners are in the
same room or space while in the second, the learners maybe in different learning spaces like homes,
study hubs or in extreme cases parks or under the trees.

As a teacher, in which of the two situations would you prefer to manage for learning? Choose between
Learning Environment 1 or Learning Environment 2. Explain your choice: Why?

Activity

Based on my noticing and analysis, I realized that

a.

b.

c.

d.

Activity

What probable problem may result from the two situations of the learning environment?

Activity

What solutions can I think of to solve the problem?

Activity

How should I do it?

Choose the best answer from the options given.

1. Learning environment is only confined to a specific place called schools. This statement is ____.

A. True
B. False
C. Doubtful
D. Cannot be determined

2. What kind of learning happens anytime, anyplace and anywhere?

A. Traditional learning
B. On-line learning
C. Hybrid learning
D. Face-to-Face learning

3. which situation can learners learn with more physical presence and intervention of the teacher?

A. Face-to-Face
B. Virtual
C. On-line
D. D. All of the above

4. Which of the two kinds of learning environment encourages independence and self
management of the learners? Why?

A. Face-to-Face, because there is always the presence of the teacher who will give guidance to the
learner.

B. Virtual/On-line, because the learners are given time to learn on their own and progress at their
own rate.

C. Both, because they can always shift from one modality to another.

D. Face to face because there always the need of a teacher in a classroom all the time.

5. If on-line or virtual learning environment is not applicable, the traditional face-to-face Or in-
school will continue. How will you improve the physical learning environment?
A. Use tables with chairs to allow cooperative learning.
B. Provide learning spaces or corners for independent study.
C. Give credits to success than failures.
D. A, B and C
In not less than 300 words, write an essay on the topic: “My Conducive Learning Environment”

“My Conducive Learning Environment”

By:
FIELD STUDY 2

Learning Episode7

Making On-line or Virtual Learning Environment Safe and Conducive

To have a meaningful and successful accomplishment in this FS episode, be sure to read through the
whole episode before participating and assisting in your FS 2 Resource Teacher’s class. Note all the
information you will need and tasks you will need to do before working on this episode.

Target Your Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this Learning Episode, I must be able to explore the different ways of establishing a mate
and conducive on-line or virtual learning environment.

Clarify Your Task

Safe and Conducive On-line or Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

Education has dramatically shifted in recent years. Schools aligned physical spaces to flexible spaces that
integrate technology to support the 21” century learning opportunities. The modern learning
environment incorporates the three elements: (1) connected devices such a notebooks, tablets, smart
phones; (2) audio visual tools including projectors and touch screen displays and (3) purposeful furniture
such as standing desks, collaborative work stations and connected seating that allow students to learn in
different ways at different times.

The on-line learning environment requires a constant acce to connectivity which allows learning to take
place anytime, anyplace and anywhere. On-line or virtual learning can be delivered synchronously or
asynchronously, so the teacher’s role is a moderator between the technology and the students.

Unlike face-to-face, on-line or virtual learning does not happen in one contained physical space but
learners are in different imaginary spaces made possible by technology such as computer network.
Virtual classrooms refer to digital learning environment that allows teachers and students to connect on
line in real time.

Let us now consider an on-line or virtual classroom or learning environment. What are some safety
reminders remember?

1. Encourage parents and carers involvement. Keep parents/carers informed of how you
and the children will be using the on-line platform.
Assist them on how to set up appropriate home learning spaces, learning from home. Provide contact
times and classroom schedules. Students will be

Provide procedures to follow and consequence if they failed.

Share information about protection from cyberbullying and image abuse.

2. Make lesson plans as interactive as possible to keep attention of students. Be flexible

with class length and topics.

. Make assignments as guided as possible. Teachers may need to source research sites to ensure on-line
safety.

Provide students with resources. Share with your students websites and videos so

As not to take them to inappropriate materials such as ads from You Tube and other

Sites.

3. Encourage public chatting. Avoid texting students one-on-one, instead send a group

Text, or group chat. When using technology like zoom, google.meet, MOOCS allow

Public chatting or group instead of chatting privately so that you can be part of their

Conversation.

4. Use of password, log in and log out.

All students should have individual password. This should not be disclosed.

No one should log in as another person. All users should log off when they have finished working.

There are more reminders t follow in the use of the digital platform for virtual or on-line learning
environment but for the meantime let us have a few.. As technology advances, so do policies and
guidelines.
Participate and Assist
If you are assisting your mentor in an on-line class, these are some reminders you should share to your
remote learners on a synchronous platform like google.meet, zoom, MOOCS or any other platforms you
are familiar with and are using.

With the use of any google.meet, Zoom or any platform, organize virtual class. Do this With the guidance
of your mentor.

Try to handle one on-line class and use the guidelines above. Happy virtual teaching!
Activity

Unlike the traditional face-to-face classroom environment, online or virtual environment is a bit difficult
to manage. It is because Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is imaginary and not in the physical sense. It
has no corners or walls and it can be set up with the support of technology.

As a teacher, what have you discovered to be easy to implement in your virtual class?

How did the students show their active participation in the lesson?

Analyze

Which of the following is/are your analysis/analyses of on-line learning environment?

Check one or more..

It was difficult to observe the physical behavior of the students.

It takes time for students to learn how to use the platform.

Students who are alone in their home space find difficulty make responses.

Internet connectivity is a great factor to support a conducive environment.

Reflect

As a future teacher I feel that the on-line learning environment can be safe if

Think that teaching in a virtual learning environment is

Metion Research Promote

ORSERVE Identify the problems brought about by the on-line learning environment.

REFLECT How would you solve this problem?

PLAN What initial plan do you intend to do to solve the problem?

Check for Mastery

Direction: Choose the appropriate answer.

1. What is common among the following learning environments: (a) remote learning, (b)

Virtual learning. © on-learning learning?

A. Presence of a teacher

B. Use of cyberspace

C. Asynchronous delivery

D.f module

2. If your co-teacher asks you borrow your email address password for an urgent concern,
which action should you take as a safety measure?
A. Deny your friend’s request because privacy.
B. Open your email yourself and print your friends email.
C. Quickly share your password to your friend.
D. None of the A,B,C.

3. Why should parent be involved and be a part of a safe on-line environment?

E. A. Parents should provide guidance in the selection of websites for children's references.
F. B. Parents know better than the children so they can coach in answering on
G. C. Parents can do research for their children's assignments.
H. D. Parents should sit by their children's side during virted class time

4. a virtual synchronous class, when a student would like to talk, which of the following
Actions should be done?

A. Mute the microphone

B. Open the camera
C. Raise hand
 D. Send message to chat box

5. Which would describe a safe and conducive virtual learning environment?

A. When parents are involved

B. When the teacher provides open communication

C. When students are supported with resources

D.A, B and C

Make a list of 10 websites where you can source references and instructional materials for this episode.
Place the list in the matrix like the one below. Share this with your mentor.

LIST OF WEBSITES and the TITLES of the CONTENTS

Name of Website Topics/Title of Content or

instructional Materials