Thriving in Academe

Issues to Consider

Ecological Balance
Steps in designing classrooms that provide an ecologically balanced learning environment

Know and arrange the physical environment. Classrooms are physical spaces with many features—size, shape, lighting, acoustics, color, ergonomics, and artifacts. We should try to arrange the environment to be supportive of the learning goals.

For example, small group discussions are going to work less well in theater arrangements with bolted seats. If students cannot see or hear well, obviously their learning will be impacted.

The examples could go on, but the point is that many faculty accept poor classrooms-when perhaps something could be done to improve the situation. By accepting bad environments, we lose the potential of a critical ingredient helpful to a healthy learning ecology.

Know the students. The nature of the "organism" is of critical importance to all ecological frameworks, so that the environment can be supportive of its needs. This is true for classrooms.

What do we need to know? A basic list would include our students' names, a little social biography, their learning styles and preferences, disabilities, and expectations and aspirations regarding the class. Depending on the content of the class, this short list could be expanded.

Know the critical dynamic linkages between students and the classroom learning environment. Blocher's seven conditions of learning speak directly to the possible dynamic linkages between students and the classroom learning environment.

These seven conditions—involvement, challenge, support, structure, feedback, application, and integration—are compatible with the constructivist view of learning, which emphasizes active learning, the linking of new learning to previous experiences, and the importance of authentic application.

Know and implement the principle of participation. There is a general principle within the ecological view of learning that those impacted by a learning ecology should have the opportunity to participate in the design of the learning itself. The principle of participation helps to prevent "imposed social engineering."

A participatory design process is more likely to "get it right" than a solo design process. But more importantly a participatory design process is a learning opportunity for all.

For example, the professor outlines the overall instructional goal of the task but invites student participation regarding the nature of the process to reach the goal. By so doing, the students may learn and practice skills such as listening and negotiating, as well as learning whatever is associated with the assignment.

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