AILE DAY 5 REFLECTION

Today we covered how to improve the learning environment. The improvement generally involves the following:

• Identify the gaps after the administration and assesment of the learning environment.
• To design the interventions, approaches and strategies to address the gaps.

And the process / approach would be to:

• Conduct an interview or focus group discussion with the participants
• Design an intervention plan and track the process
• Review the LE (repeat)
• Reflection - If the LE is favourable, then the case is closed.
• Bring in external help to bring about the changes if the if the LE is not ideal.

It is important when making the assessment that the learning environment questionaire must be suitable. Qualitative methods must be used. cutural context must be considered.

We were then introduced to the SPSS software to analyze the consolidated data to calculate the mean and standard deviation. Each group was tasked to use the SPSS software to calculate 2-3 dimensions of their scale and item mean and standard deviation. Our group then consolidated the survey results and generated the table for the class presentation.

In any setting, it is important that all stake holders take ownership of their roles and contribute through collaboration and single mindedness of purpose. All participants must suspend judgement, give respect and work for the greater good of the organisation goals. This must be consistent at all levels of the orgsanisation. The organisation must be able to handle constructive feedback and take the feedback seriously to make the changes needed to improve the Learning Environment.

Its been a very enriching 5 days. I must commend Dr Quek who used various innovative methods to keep our enthusiam going and interests illuminated. Her approach was learned centered and the class welcomed her unique initiatives and her kind gestures of providing snacks, coffee trips, etc. We actually toured parts of the campus and could see the physical aspects of the NIE learning environment that makes NIE a very conducive learning environment.

Kudos to Dr. Quek who is truly an expert in this field. Her explanations were effortless as she could handle any questions that was thrown to her.

Thanks Ma'am for your competency, knowledge, unconditional sharing, and thoughtfullness!!!

AILE DAY 4 REFLECTION

Today we discussed how to modify / customise existing learning environment instruments and to critique case studies on learning environment.

Instruments may not fit all context or all environments. A best fit must be inevitable. Therefore they must be customised and then validated for use. We can use validated instruments and use them to tailor to get the best fit. So the process would be to

• Examine the statements in the validated instruments.
• Change the context for the target groups; validate and
• Create the forms into Preffered and Actual for disemination.

Case study was interesting as the various groups shared their views on the different learning environments, in this case local schools in Singapore. The session was interesting as many views were shared about the conducive aspect of the learning environment. Sometimes, personalities like principals make a difference about how the learning environment is based on their leadership styles.

We visited the MXL lab and previewed a new portal called second life. If we can create this as a learning tool in the SAF where we can simulate Aircraft Generation involving Instructors and Trainees who virtually go about carrying out the following skills development tasks like recovery of jets, debriefing of pilots, troubleshooting of reported problem and launch of subsequent sorties. It will allow trainees more exposure than they are actually getting a serviceable aircraft for training is rare. So simulation can replace the instances where a serviceable aircraft is not available.

Here is a sample video on second life that shows "Second Life Tutorial Advanced Texture Align".

AILE DAY 3 REFLECTION

Day 3 was rather an interesting day. Dr Quek touched on improving the learning environment. The approaches would be to conduct an interview or focus-grp discussion with the participant. Design an intervention plan, review the LE, do some reflection and bring in external help to bring about the changes.I also understood that there will be learning environment issues such as suitability of learning environment questionnaires, qualitative methods, cultural context and learning environment assessment to guide improvement.

A video on RJC was also shown for our awareness. the video was an actual footage how a teacher was reprimanding a student for his poor performance. I have attached this video for your viewing and comments. I must say it was quite evident that the teacher was at her wits end as she was not able to motivate the student to do as she directed. We had quite a bit of discussion about the Teacher and Student perspective. I concluded that there was lack of awareness on the part of the teacher and the student. I felt that both needed counselling. Teacher was overstressed due to work pressure and student was overstressed as he was a a foreign student and did not understand her expectations. I empathize with both of them. So I ask myself what shall I do if I see such incidents in my work area?

Did you know that the Counselling profession reported that the highest number of clients being counselled worldwide were teachers?

Have a look and post your comments."Video - Mad TJC Tutor"

AILE DAY 2 REFLECTION

Today we were formerly introduced to 'WetPaint' (a Wiki platform) as a information sharing portal over the web.

Works and contributions of Murray, Lewin, Barry Fraser, Fisher and Wubbels who were key Gurus in Psycho Social Learning Environment were discussed briefly.

Both the environment and its personal characteristics of the individual determine the behaviour of that individual (Fraser, 1998). This is reflected in the Lewinian Model.

Interrelationships between Lewinian's Formula and Murray's (1938) Needs Press Model were reiterated. Murray (1938) followed Lewin's approach and proposed a needs press model. In this model, the personal needs refer to the tendency for an individual to move in the direction of his goal, and the environment press refers to the external situation that supports or hinders the realisation of personal needs. The work of Lewin and Murray lay the foundations for classroom environment research. Here are some websites about Murray and Lewin and their contributions to society:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Murray
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Lewin


We were also taught on how to use 'Copernic Search Engine' as a reliable resource for information. The class did a research on 5 key 'Gurus' in the learning domain and our group (Group 5) shared the key works of Harry Alexander Murray

AILE DAY 1 REFLECTION

Day 1 included an overview of Learning Environment and creating a personal blog and linking with classmates through a portal called wetpaint.

Learning Environment – Learning takes place in human development via the cognitive, the affective and the psychomotor realms. When we apply what we learn from a well designed learning environment, and gain a rewarding value from it we tend to repeat it and internalize it. A well designed Learning Environment (LE) is one that impacts the 5 domains of physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual aspect of a participant. When this happens, holistic learning can take place.

For learning and the transfer of learning to be effective, the environment needs to be conducive for learning. The learning environment must fit the context of what we are doing.

It must be continually developed and maintained to shape the behaviour of the participants to achieve desired outcomes. It must allow our learners space and time to interact within the learning and the instructional processes.

Psychologists have discovered that a well designed learning environment produces positive emotional responses from participants; aesthetics also play an important role to make the learning environment more conducive. The learning environment does make a difference to the motivation for learning and becoming when it is inclusive, integrated, innovative, interactive and comprehensive.

Participants - An ideal learning environment is one that is designed well to introduce a good mix of learning activities that caters to the different learning styles of the participants. Nowadays participants are better equipped in IT skills and they are exposed to different forms of media. This it is important that we take this into account when designing a learning environment.

This potentially results in participants having the maximum probability to maximise the learning opportunity, and leveraging on essential information to learning effectively.

Teachers / Trainers - In ideal learning environment teachers make it their goal to state the expectations of students’ behaviors and the intended outcomes of the training. When trainers are engaging and nurturing the day becomes invigorating and stimulating.

Deliberate initiatives in Learning Environment are purposeful in that they encourage holistic learning and invoke the need to cascade the learning experience back to the work centers to orientate the environment to align with the context and the goals of the organisation.

Creating a Blog - Creating a blog is simple and yet not easy.

It will take a while before I can navigate effeciently.

This blog will serve as a knowledge portal that stores experiences and reflections of my learning journey.

It also serves as a good resource for reference.

However it still is instrumental in creating a learning environment from which information, knowledge and experiences can be stored, exchanged and updated for my benefit, and with those who belief in Life Long Learning.

I have attached 2 videos entitled Learning Environment and Innovative Schools for your viewing. These videos give a glimpse of the Learning Environment overview, philosophy and applications and how we can can transfer and duplicate these ideas into our own working environments.

"Video 1 - Learning Environment"

"Video 2 - Innovative Schools"