A Conducive Learning Environment Essay

An online and/or adult student must have an internal control psych to motivate themselves to continue and excel in the classes and educational career they decided to pursue. In education, there are choices that must be made in order for the adult student to be successful. One important tool necessary for the student to succeed is a conducive learning environment. These environments begin in the student’s mind at a very young age and are developed through parents, teachers, staff, and others connected to the school and educational environment. Today various explanations about learning are available. Some people believe that students learn either through the natural or biological make up of the person without any outside influences. These people believe that there is not any influence from the environment. While others believe people learn according to the environment they are involved. This type of person understands learning is established through circumstances or the surroundings. This is proven by the releasing of a learned habit of doing something and accepting the new thoughts and ways of doing something. For example, a child has been taught to print his/her name by the parent; once this child reaches a certain level in school, the child is taught to write his/her name by the teacher in the school environment. Changing one’s thoughts refers to the process by which failure leads to further learning; where a new experience that is contrary to one’s expectations causes one to change their attitude. (Brown, 2006) A conducive environment has a positive effect on a student because it can determine how and what the person is learning. Conducive environment is defined as favorable surroundings or conditions. One would make the environment conducive to learning starting within. Students should be and are motivated internally as well as externally. Built in instructions, found within our genetics drive the behavior of the student. Meaning the student should have an excellent base to build their education on. The student, especially an online learner, must learn to control the environment which they have chosen to complete class work, homework and study/reading time. The student must also develop the ability to absorb or ignore the surroundings available to him/her. Students in most cases need a well lit, natural lighting is best, and ventilated area that is air conditioned or heated maintaining a certain temperature for comfort. A student will need the typical supplies to complete the required coursework. These supplies and/or tools will come in handy but the area or environment one is utilizing to study, complete class work and homework is just as vital. Students have numerous necessities on a personal and student level. The environment a student decides to use for his/her educational purposes vary from one person to the next. Every student has a special area that is conducive to the person’s education. The student should have a means of self control. Success and failure is attributable to forces outside of themselves. (Sullo, 2007) The student should have a clean and comfortable environment free from foul odors and/or over bearing scents or loud noises to include friends and family. The student’s environment is a secluded area of sorts. The conducive learning environment may exist practically anywhere inside and outside of the classroom environment solely dependent on the student. This environment should be a relaxing and comfortable setting, but not so comfortable that would be enticing one to sleep or nap, if one were in a classroom setting, the student would be unable to nap there. An education requires outside sources as well; teachers, instructors, and professors just to name a few of the sources. They are required to appease to an environment which is conducive for the student to learn and for them to be able to teach. An environment with instruction with the transformative power of an effective teacher is the environment one desires and most of all need. (Tucker & Stronge, 2005) This type of teacher has a compassion for the subject matter and enjoy their work and with this excitement he/she has the ability to convey to the students with ease of reception. The instructor has received the proper training and has earned the proper credentials to practice this type of instruction. (Tucker & Stronge, 2005) The prior explains that not only the physical environment, being the building, is of importance to the student’s educational training but the instructor is just as if not more important for a conducive environment. Learning styles differ from culture to culture or from background to background. (Brown, 2006) In the United States, students are taught in an environment which allows interaction such as teacher to student and student to student. This is an acceptable practice while in other environments which are very formal and controlled, African and Asian societies fit this description, students are discouraged or disallowed to voice their own opinions. Additionally, most parents, teachers and other mentors enforce strict discipline during the learning process. (Brown, 2006) However, in other developed countries such as the US, learning occurs in a less controlled environment as parents, teachers and other mentors allow children time to participate actively in the learning process. (Brown, 2006) Learning habits greatly depends on the nature of the environment in which the student has available to him/her. These would include access to the internet as an example of a need for further education even at the elementary school age. The more advanced the technology the more likely the student will have an opportunity to learn a greater deal of education than those without. Students with access to text books, internet, supplies, a feasible area or work space, and an instructor that is qualified and certified stands an immense opportunity to be successful in the educational training they require as primary students and seek as a secondary student. A student’s success is based on the environment that the student has available to them to be educated. In order for this environment to be a conducive environment the student requires certain entities to be met in order for each individual student to receive just what they are seeking. The student must have an area that is personable for them for their comfort. They must also have available to them an instructor which is qualified to teach the students. Proper equipment to include text books or e-books, well written lectures and well taken notes, and interaction between the student and faculty are just the basics of what a student need to be successful. The most significant element of a conducive environment is the student’s â€Å"I can be successful in my education attitude† . Without a mindset of being able to complete or conquer any challenges that will come to the student, the student will not be successful. With that said, the most conducive environment begin internally. The student has to want, need, and desire the success of being educated in order to recognize and build the perfect conducive learning environment. In conclusion, different environments may be conducive or distracting for the student. A student’s cultural rearing is an influence on their access to necessary resources as well as the style of learning the student has. They may be influenced with a teacher-centered learning environment and the student may or may not have active roles in the class. Families that take interest in the student’s education play a role with equal importance to that of the instructor in the learning process. The design of the classroom, either traditional or online, is an important portion of a conducive environment Works Cited Wood, D. (1998): How Children Think and Learn, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd p 12 Piaget, J. (1950): The Psychology of Intelligence, New York: Routledge, p 35-46 Jonassen D.H., Lowyck, T. & Duffy, J. (2002): Designing environments for constructive learning Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, pp. 231-247 Clark, R., Nguyen, F., and Sweller, J. (2006): Efficiency in Learning: Evidence-Based Guidelines to Manage Cognitive Load; Pfeiffer, p 59 Tucker, N., Stronge, J. (2005). Linking Teacher Evaluation and Student Learning Retrieved from http:/www.netlibrary.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=129351. Sornson, B. (2001). Preventing Early Learning Failure Retrieved from http:/www.netlibrary.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=70546. Brown, C. (2006). How the environment plays a role in learning. 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