Title: Learning Environment approach and Network Building in Education
1Learning Environment approach and Network
Building in Education
Promoting Innovation and Creativity Schools'
Response to the Challenges of Future
SocietiesWorkshop 1 Partnership and networking
for creativity and innovation
- Dr. Jyri Manninen
- Professor, Director of Research
- University of Helsinki University of Joensuu,
Finland
2Key message
Traditional curriculum based approach (David
Istance standard/traditional models of schooling)
maintain individualistic work practices in
schools, and discourages networking with wider
society.
Modern Learning Environment approach (David
Istance modern, innovative directions of
schooling)
encourage team work practices in schools, and
require networking and cooperation with wider
society.
Manninen, J., Burman, A., Koivunen, A.,
Kuittinen, E., Luukannel, S., Passi, S. Särkkä,
H. 2007. Environments that support learning.
Introduction to Learning Environments approach.
Helsinki National Board of Education
3Use of term Learning environment
- 1. Learning environment as a pedagogical model
guiding the planning of teaching and education - 2. Learning environment as a way of thinking
- 3. Learning environment as a fashionable term
- New learning environment, Open, Digital
4Differences
- Curriculum approach
- teacher directed
- focus on teaching
- curriculum based
- delivery of information
- individualistic work practices (teacher class)
- school as a closed organisation
- working alone
- Learning Environment approach
- collaborative
- focus on learning
- problem based
- construction of knowledge
- team work practices (team of teachers
partners) - interaction with school and society
- networking
5Case Helsinki Museum of technology as part of a
learning path
- own tailormade project based learning paths for
schools - for example Amazing innovations theme
- preparatory work at school ? museum visit
(learning tasks, games, collaborative work) ?
conclusions, sharing of knowledge
6Case Helsinki Museum of technology as part of a
learning path (2)
- Learning paths planned in cooperation with
various actors - teachers
- museum specialist
- museum pedagogy specialist
- representatives from business industry
- university department
7Network / Planning team
Business industry designers
Museum of technology museum specialist museum
pedagogy specialist
Schools teachers
University researcher
8BACKGROUNDFive perspectives on Learning
Environments
- Manninen, J., Burman, A., Koivunen, A.,
Kuittinen, E., Luukannel, S., Passi, S. Särkkä,
H. 2007. Environments that support learning.
Introduction to Learning Environments approach.
Helsinki National Board of Education
9- Why Learning Environment approach is a relevant
theme? - Why new book on Learning Environments is needed?
- What is the (new?) message?
10Some definitions
- The learning environment refers to the entirety
of the learningrelated physical environment,
psychological factors and social relationships.
In this setting study and learning take place. - (Finnish National Core Curriculum for Basic
Education 2004, p. 16). - "A learning environment is a place or community
where people can draw upon resources to make
sense out of things and construct meaningful
solutions to problems" - Wilson, B. (ed.) (1996) Constructivist Learning
Environments Case Studies in Instructional
Design. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Educational
Technology Publications.
Is traditional teacher centred classroom a
learning environment?
11Traditional Teaching Studying Learning
process (Uljens 1997)
12Learning process in a web-based learning
environment
13Why new book on Learning Environments is needed?
- Learning Environment is a central and commonly
used, but very fuzzy concept - ? concrete definitions needed to clarify
discussion - LE metaphor commonly used as framework for
development work - ? deeper understanding about the nature of
Learning Environments is needed
14Why new book on Learning Environments is needed?
- Literature on Learning Environments is widely
available but fragmented, focusing on single
narrow themes - ? comprehensive analysis of the whole phenomena
is needed - Literature also fragmented according to age of
the learners, school level and formal informal
dimension - ? comprehensive approach covering all ages from
pre-school to adult learners
15Why new book on Learning Environments is needed?
- LE have different meanings for different people
(eg. architect a building, ICT-teacher Web
based learning environment) - ? common language and understanding of different
meanings is needed - ? helps to discuss over language barriers
- Theoretical background of LEs is seldom
discussed, or simply linked to constructivism - ? a deeper analysis of learning theories behind
learning environments is needed
16Group?
Building?
Didactic
Social
Physical
Technical
Local
Web?
Museum?
17Five perspectives on Learning Environments
- Physical
- LE as a space and a building
- architecture or space planning/design
- Social
- LE as human interaction
- social psychology, group Processes and
communication - Technological
- LE based on educational use of ICTs
- Information ciences
- Local
- LE as places and areas outside school, such as
the real world, places of work, the
countryside, the city - Museum pedagogy, Outdoor pedagogy, Learning
Organizations - Didactic
- LE as an environment that supports learning
- didactic and pedagogic models