Innovative Learning Environment: A Pathway to Effective Learning

2138102 Brian Jeevan Fernandes

Prologue

An innovative learning environment, as the name implies, is the implementation of new, creative, and fascinating instructional methods with the goal of providing students with a better platform to learn and enhance their capabilities. Students nowadays find it tedious to simply read school books and memorise information(Ferrari et al., 2009). This results in a lack of development and reasoning abilities in students. They require something interesting that tickles their interest in learning new things.One of the most important factors in students' learning is their learning environment. The learning environment should have a positive and encouraging effect on students. They can only demonstrate an interest in learning if they believe the learning environment is safe, comfortable, and secure. There are numerous arguments for the value of a creative learning environment.

• When students feel safe and comfortable in their surroundings, they are more likely to ask questions that will help them learn more effectively.
• When compared to learning from school textbooks, visual learning allows students to learn new concepts more easily.
• An innovative learning environment aids students in developing interests in subjects of their choice.

There are a few key actions teachers can take to create a more innovative and entrepreneurial classroom in order to create an innovative, open, creative, and trustworthy environment for students to grow, take risks, and feel comfortable in their own patterns of learning. Herein, This article tries to explain  the efficacy of learning environment

Creating Innovative Learning Environment

Learning and teaching in the past were both passive. In recent years, increasing emphasis has been placed on active learning through activities, tasks, games, and other means. The use of various activities in the learning environment encourages active engagement, resulting in a creative learning environment. The need of the hour is to create one of these.Learning occurs more effectively in environments that are both comfortable and creative. Teachers play a significant role in developing them for kids. It should be mentioned that creative space varies depending on the subject and situation. It is impossible to be creative all of the time. In this aspect, having a working knowledge of various teaching models aids in making classroom learning more engaging and unique.

There are a variety of approaches that can be used to develop an innovative learning environment. Some of the following are mentioned below (Shulman, n.d.). 

Mindset: The instructor is the catalyst for a shift in thinking, mood, and overall classroom atmosphere. From the moment students enter the building, the instructor sets the tone for the lesson. Students will tend to follow professors who are enthusiastic about their subject area. To make the classroom more innovative, teachers must consider their students as leaders as well, serving as mentors rather than lecturing or pushing pupils to spill information on a standardised test.

Self - Reflection: In the classroom, self-reflection allows teachers to look back on their teaching tactics to see how and why they were teaching in a certain way, as well as how their students responded. Effective teachers understand that instructional strategies, delivery, and student achievement can all be improved.

Ask Open-Ended Questions : Questions with no textbook answers are known as open-ended questions. When teachers ask open-ended questions, they may receive a variety of responses and points of view. Student responses can foster great collaboration, engaging conversations, fresh ideas, and leadership abilities. This exercise can also assist students in realising potential they previously overlooked. They can also find connections to their own lives, other stories, or real-world events by asking open-ended questions.

Create Flexible learning Environments : Teachers must consider how to use their classroom space when using various instructional approaches. Teachers, for example, may discover that being able to move furniture around the classroom with ease is an important factor in boosting student learning. As teaching has progressed, the classroom environment has become more important in providing opportunities for pupils to work alone, interact with their peers, and collaborate. Many classrooms today are still congested, cluttered, and noisy settings with little space for pupils to move around freely, resulting in a communication gap and blockages when they need to concentrate. To promote one-on-one learning, collaboration, independent thinking, and group debates, learning spaces should be fluid and flexible.

Let Students Take Risks and Fail : Students need to see that the grownups in their lives do a lot of different things and fail a lot of the time, but they keep trying. Failure is necessary for students to learn. When teachers assign real-world projects that require students to address challenges, they are providing a platform for students to learn from their mistakes, rise to the occasion, and eventually achieve success.

Consider A Flipped Classroom Model : The conventional order of teaching and classroom events is reversed when teachers employ a flipped classroom style. Students can usually access lecture materials, study text, or conduct research as assignments before arriving to class. Peer-to-peer learning, group conversations, autonomous learning, as well as engaging dialogues or collaborative work, are all examples of activities that can be done in class.

Invite Entrepreneurs and Innovators into the classroom :Teachers can encourage entrepreneurs into their classrooms in a variety of ways by employing technology as a means of communication and outreach. With the press of a button, educators can contact various leaders via social media sites such as LinkedIn or Twitter. Invite these leaders into your classroom either in person or via virtual means such as Skype. Teachers may be shocked to learn how many creative innovators want to give back, and giving back to youngsters can be one of the most rewarding ways a successful entrepreneur can make a difference.

Use the Design - Thinking Process : The design thinking process consists of a series of systematic processes for identifying problems, gathering data, generating potential solutions, refining ideas, and testing solutions. 

Teaching Training Models and Their Implications:

ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) model represents a flexible guideline for building effective training and instructional materials(October 3 & 2019, 2019).

Merrill's First principles of Instructions: It deals with activation of prior experience, demonstration of skills, applications of skills and integrations of the skills into the real world (Pappas, 2017)

Donald Kirkpatrick's Four levels of Training Evaluation: The four levels such as Reaction, Learning, Behavior, Results helps in identifying the efficacy of learning in educational systems. It can also serve as a tool for educational research(Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Training Evaluation Model, n.d.).

ASSURE (Analyze, State Objectives, Select Modify or design Materials, Utilize Materials, Require Learner Response, Evaluation). This model ensures a systematic approach towards effective learning via activities and proper strategies (Unknown, 2017).

Brian's SEE model (Brian J F, 2021). 

(This model will be created and published based on a complete literature review, data, and facts. It is, however, the first time mentioned here.)

After conducting extensive research on many models, I have reduced all of these training (educational) approaches into what is known as Brian's SEE (Strategy, Execute, Evaluate) model. In relation to many complicated models, it is important to highlight that the entire classroom teaching or learning process can be separated into three tiers. Infographic of the same has been shown below.  

Tier 1: Strategy (Start)

Prior to the class's execution, proper homework or a plan is created. Remember. These tactics are devised in response to the topic's theme and nature.

Tier 2: Execute

Carry out scheduled classroom/teaching activities. Any other model or differential educational technique may be used to aid in the execution of the plan.

Tier 3: Evaluate (END)

As a formative sort of assessment, we analyse the learning outcomes in this paper. It is also possible to undertake a submittive type of examination here. The teacher, on the other hand, can utilise this time to reflect on the class.

For example: Using Flipped Classroom Technique in SEE model

Topic : Capacitors and Capacitance

Tier 1 Strategy

Content (Click Here) is given prior to the class 

Tier 2 : Execution

Activities such as kahoot game(Click here) can be played

Group discussions and presentations can be asked to made

Demonstration of experiment and worksheet solution

Tier 3: Evaluation

Students' reflections on their learning and feedback on their comprehension (which will help the teacher to modify the techniques)

Reflections:

The necessity of the hour is to create an interesting learning environment. In the realm of education, there is a lot of study going on. Teachers are suffering as a result of their efforts to make learning exciting and engaging. Teachers' workload is lessened because of technological improvements. To a greater extent, digital tools that are intended and verified for educational practises are assisting. A little imagination, hard work, and effort can make the new learning experience more delightful than before.

References

Ferrari, A., Cachia, R., & Punie, Y. (2009). Innovation and creativity in education and training in the EU member states: Fostering creative learning and supporting innovative teaching. JRC Technical Note, 52374, 64.

Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Training Evaluation Model: Analyzing Training Effectiveness. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2021, http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/kirkpatrick.htm

October 3, E. Q. P. on & 2019. (2019, October 3). ADDIE: 5 Steps To Effective Training. LearnUpon. https://www.learnupon.com/blog/addie-5-steps/

Pappas, C. (2017, September 29). Merrill’s Principles Of Instruction: The Definitive Guide. ELearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/merrills-principles-instruction-definitive-guide

Shulman, R. D. (n.d.). 10 Ways Educators Can Make Classrooms More Innovative. Forbes. Retrieved December 2, 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/robynshulman/2018/11/19/10-ways-educators-can-make-classrooms-more-innovative/

Unknown. (2017, January 12). Instructional Technology: THE ASSURE MODEL IN TEACHING. Instructional Technology. http://pascapbi-3a.blogspot.com/2017/01/theassure-in-teaching-by-trihari-nurdi.html