a conducive learning environment essay

My Conductive Learning Environment Essay In 300 Words

In this short essay, we explore the topic of “My Conductive Learning Environment” from the perspective of a student. From supportive teachers to helpful resources, we provide a brief overview of what makes a learning environment conducive to success.

My Conductive Learning Environment Essay (300 Words)

1. Introduction Paragraph

As a student, I have come to appreciate the importance of a conducive learning environment. A conductive learning environment is a place where students can learn, grow, and succeed. There are several factors that contribute to a conductive learning environment, and I am fortunate to have experienced many of them.

2. Body Paragraph

One of the key components of a conductive learning environment is supportive teachers. Teachers who are passionate about their subject and committed to their students’ success can make a huge difference in the learning process. They encourage questions, provide clear explanations, and offer helpful feedback. They make learning engaging, interesting, and fun.

Another important aspect of a conductive learning environment is access to helpful resources. This includes textbooks, online resources, and educational tools. Having access to these resources makes it easier for students to learn and understand the material. It also helps to foster a sense of independence and self-directed learning.

A conducive learning environment is also one that is inclusive and welcoming. This means that students from all backgrounds and abilities are treated with respect and given equal opportunities to learn and succeed. In such an environment, students feel safe and supported, which helps them to learn and grow to their full potential.

Finally, a conductive learning environment is one that promotes collaboration and teamwork. This involves creating opportunities for students to work together on projects, assignments, and activities. Collaborative learning not only helps students to develop important social and communication skills, but it also enhances their ability to learn and retain information.

3. Conclusion

In conclusion, a conductive learning environment is essential to student success. Supportive teachers, helpful inclusive resources and teamwork are key factors that contribute to such an environment. As a student, I am grateful for the conductive learning environment I have experienced, and I hope that others can have the same opportunities to learn and succeed.

Hello! Welcome to my Blog StudyParagraphs.co. My name is Angelina. I am a college professor. I love reading writing for kids students. This blog is full with valuable knowledge for all class students. Thank you for reading my articles.

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Classroom: Its Role in a Conducive Learning Environment

• May 20, 2019

Learning takes place not just in the classroom but also in different spaces and areas in life. However, the majority of the things that one learns in life happen in those four walls. This is especially true when building learning foundations in children.

Thus, having a conducive learning environment that encourages little people to enjoy the whole process of knowing new things is important. Schools are considered to be a student’s second home as they spend a huge chunk of their daily life in it.

A conducive learning environment goes beyond having the right school furniture supplies and is actually composed of several important factors. These factors, when taken as a single entity should be a space where students can freely express their ideas to their classmates and teachers, while at the same time feel comfortable in exploring different aspects of different subjects and themselves.

Physical space

As an adult, having a workspace that is too hot or too cold with non-ergonomic chairs and tables will affect your productivity in a lot of ways. Same is true with children who are learning their ABCs and 123’s.

Having a comfortable physical space where children are able to sit comfortably, see and understand what their teacher is saying, as well as socialise with their fellow classmates is one of the major components of a conducive learning environment.

Learning ambiance

Every child is different. Student A might easily grasp the lesson just by looking at the board and listening to what the teacher says. Student B, on the other hand, would prefer having visual aids to understand the content of the lesson properly. Then, Student C is the type who gets the lessons when an actual experience is involved. The point is, the pace and manner of learning of each child are different .

As a teacher, it is your responsibility to craft an environment that encourages students to learn at their own pace, style, and despite differences. Establishing rules and regulations inside the classroom can help guide them into being a part of a group.

Sense of community and belongingness

In support of the second point, making students feel like they belong to a community, regardless of how different they are from each other is crucial in creating a conducive learning environment. At a young age, children are able to understand the reality of coming from various families, having different values, beliefs, and religion, as well as the fact that every individual is unique.

This uniqueness is something that has to be accepted, respected, and even celebrated. A student who feels confident in himself despite being different from others is one who belongs to an effective learning community.

All these three components (and more!) can help foster a conducive learning environment that celebrates the uniqueness of every student. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to create a space that encourages every student not only to learn, but have fun while respecting everyone around him. Learning might go beyond the classroom, but the things learned inside also matter as much.

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What are the key elements of a positive learning environment? Perspectives from students and faculty

Shayna a. rusticus.

Department of Psychology, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 12666 72 Ave, Surrey, BC V3W 2M8 Canada

Tina Pashootan

The learning environment comprises the psychological, social, cultural and physical setting in which learning occurs and has an influence on student motivation and success. The purpose of the present study was to explore qualitatively, from the perspectives of both students and faculty, the key elements of the learning environment that supported and hindered student learning. We recruited a total of 22 students and 9 faculty to participate in either a focus group or an individual interview session about their perceptions of the learning environment at their university. We analyzed the data using a directed content analysis and organized the themes around the three key dimensions of personal development, relationships, and institutional culture. Within each of these dimensions, we identified subthemes that facilitated or impeded student learning and faculty work. We also identified and discussed similarities in subthemes identified by students and faculty.

Introduction

The learning environment (LE) comprises the psychological, social, cultural, and physical setting in which learning occurs and in which experiences and expectations are co-created among its participants (Rusticus et al., 2020 ; Shochet et al., 2013 ). These individuals, who are primarily students, faculty and staff, engage in this environment and the learning process as they navigate through their personal motivations and emotions and various interpersonal interactions. This all takes place within a physical setting that consists of various cultural and administrative norms (e.g. school policies).

While many studies of the LE have focused on student perspectives (e.g. Cayubit, 2021 ; Schussler et al., 2021 ; Tharani et al., 2017 ), few studies have jointly incorporated the perspectives of students and faculty. Both groups are key players within the educational learning environment. Some exceptions include researchers who have used both instructor and student informants to examine features of the LE in elementary schools (Fraser & O’Brien, 1985 ; Monsen et al., 2014 ) and in virtual learning and technology engaged environments in college (Annansingh, 2019 ; Downie et al., 2021 ) Other researchers have examined perceptions of both groups, but in ways that are not focused on understanding the LE (e.g. Bolliger & Martin, 2018 ; Gorham & Millette, 1997 ; Midgly et al., 1989 ).

In past work, LEs have been evaluated on the basis of a variety of factors, such as students’ perceptions of the LE have been operationalized as their course experiences and evaluations of teaching (Guo et al., 2021 ); level of academic engagement, skill development, and satisfaction with learning experience (Lu et al., 2014 ); teacher–student and student–peer interactions and curriculum (Bolliger & Martin, 2018 ; Vermeulen & Schmidt, 2008 ); perceptions of classroom personalization, involvement, opportunities for and quality of interactions with classmates, organization of the course, and how much instructors make use of more unique methods of teaching and working (Cayubit, 2021 ). In general, high-quality learning environments are associated with positive outcomes for students at all levels. For example, ratings of high-quality LEs have been correlated with outcomes such as increased satisfaction and motivation (Lin et al., 2018 ; Rusticus et al., 2014 ; Vermeulen & Schmidt, 2008 ), higher academic performance (Lizzio et al., 2002 ; Rusticus et al., 2014 ), emotional well-being (Tharani et al., 2017 ), better career outcomes such as satisfaction, job competencies, and retention (Vermeulen & Schmidt, 2008 ) and less stress and burnout (Dyrbye et al., 2009 ). From teacher perspectives, high-quality LEs have been defined in terms of the same concepts and features as those used to evaluate student perspective and outcomes. For example, in one quantitative study, LEs were rated as better by students and teachers when they were seen as more inclusive (Monsen et al., 2014 ).

However, LEs are diverse and can vary depending on context and, although many elements of the LE that have been identified, there has been neither a consistent nor clear use of theory in assessing those key elements (Schönrock-Adema et al., 2012 ). One theory that has been recommended by Schönrock-Adema et al. ( 2012 ) to understand the LE is Moos’ framework of human environments (Insel & Moos, 1974 ; Moos, 1973 , 1991 ). Through his study of a variety of human environments (e.g. classrooms, psychiatric wards, correctional institutions, military organizations, families), Moos proposed that all environments have three key dimensions: (1) personal development/goal direction, (2) relationships, and (3) system maintenance/change. The personal development dimension encompasses the potential in the environment for personal growth, as well as reflecting the emotional climate of the environment and contributing to the development of self-esteem. The relationship dimension encompasses the types and quality of social interactions that occur within the environment, and it reflects the extent to which individuals are involved in the environment and the degree to which they interact with, and support, each other. The system maintenance/change dimension encompasses the degree of structure, clarity and openness to change that characterizes the environment, as well as reflecting physical aspects of the environment.

We used this framework to guide our research question: What do post-secondary students and faculty identify as the positive and negative aspects of the learning environment? Through the use of a qualitative methodology to explore the LE, over the more-typical survey-based approaches, we were able to explore this topic in greater depth, to understand not only the what, but also the how and the why of what impacts the LE. Furthermore, in exploring the LE from both the student and faculty perspectives, we highlight similarities and differences across these two groups and garner an understanding of how both student and faculty experience the LE.

Participants

All participants were recruited from a single Canadian university with three main campuses where students can attend classes to obtain credentials, ranging from a one-year certificate to a four-year undergraduate degree. Approximately 20,000 students attend each year. The student sample was recruited through the university’s subject pool within the psychology department. The faculty sample was recruited through emails sent out through the arts faculty list-serve and through direct recruitment from the first author.

The student sample was comprised of 22 participants, with the majority being psychology majors ( n  = 10), followed by science majors ( n  = 4) and criminology majors ( n  = 3). Students spanned all years of study with seven in their first year, three in second year, five in third year, six in fourth year, and one unclassified. The faculty sample consisted of nine participants (6 male, 3 female). Seven of these participants were from the psychology department, one was from the criminology department and one was from educational studies. The teaching experience of faculty ranged from 6 to 20 years.

Interview schedule and procedure

We collected student data through five focus groups and two individual interviews. The focus groups ranged in size from two to six participants. All sessions occurred in a private meeting room on campus and participants were provided with food and beverages, as well as bonus credit. Each focus group/interview ranged from 30 to 60 min. We collected all faculty data through individual interviews ranging from 30 to 75 min. Faculty did not receive any incentives for their participation. All sessions were conducted by the first author, with the second author assisting with each of the student focus groups.

With the consent of each participant, we audio-recorded each session and transcribed them verbatim. For both samples, we used a semi-structured interview format involving a set of eight open-ended questions about participants’ overall perceptions of the LE at their institution (see Appendix for interview guide). These questions were adapted from a previous study conducted by the first author (Rusticus et al., 2020 ) and focused on how participants defined the LE, what they considered to be important elements of the LE, and their positive and negative experiences within their environment. Example questions were: “Can you describe a [negative/positive] learning [students]/teaching [faculty] experience that you have had?”.

We analyzed the data using a directed content analysis approach (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005 ) that used existing theory to develop the initial coding scheme. We used Moos’s (Insel & Moos, 1974 ; Moos, 1973 , 1991 ) framework and its three dimensions of personal development, relationships, and system maintenance/change to guide our analysis. During the analysis phase, we renamed the system maintenance/change dimension to ‘institutional setting’ as we felt it was more descriptive of, and better represented, the content of this theme.

We analyzed student and faculty data separately, starting with the student data, but used the same process for both. First, we randomly selected two transcripts. We each independently coded the first transcript using the broad themes of personal development, relationships and institutional setting, and developed subcodes within each of these themes, as needed. We then reviewed and discussed our codes, reaching consensus on any differences in coding. We then repeated this process for the second transcript and, through group discussions, created a codebook. The first author then coded the remaining transcripts.

When coding the faculty data, we aimed to maintain subcodes similar to the student data while allowing for flexibility when needed. For instance, within the personal development theme, a subcode for the student data was ‘engagement with learning’, whereas a parallel subcode for the faculty data was ‘engagement with teaching’.

We present the results of the student and faculty data separately. For both, we have organized our analysis around the three overarching themes of personal development, relationships and institutional setting.

Student perspectives of the learning environment

Personal development.

Personal development was defined as any motivation either within or outside the LE that provide students with encouragement, drive, and direction for their personal growth and achievement. Within this theme, there were two subthemes: engaging with learning and work-life balance.

Engagement with learning reflected a student’s desire and ability to participate in their learning, as opposed to a passive-learning approach. Students felt more engaged when they were active learners, as well as when they perceived the material to be relevant to their career goals or real-world applications. Students also said that having opportunities to apply their learning helped them to better understand their own career paths:

I had two different instructors and both of them were just so open and engaging and they shared so many personal stories and they just seemed so interested in what they were doing and what I was like. Wow, I want to be that. I want to be interested in what I’m learning. (G6P1)

A common complaint that negatively impacted student motivation was that instructors would lecture for the entire class without supporting materials or opportunities for students to participate.

I’ve had a couple professors who just don’t have any visuals at all. All he does is talk. So, for the whole three hours, we would just be scrambling to write down the notes. It’s brutal...(G7P2)

Trying to establish a healthy work-life balance and managing the demands of their courses, often in parallel with managing work and family demands, were key challenges for students and were often sources of stress and anxiety. For instance, one student spoke about her struggles in meeting expectations:

It was a tough semester. For the expectations that I had placed on myself, I wasn’t meeting them and it took a toll on me. But now I know that I can exceed my expectations, but you really have to try and work hard for it. (G6P1)

Achieving a good work-life balance and adjusting to university life takes time. Many students commented that, as they reached their third year of study, they felt more comfortable in the school environment. Unfortunately, students also noted that the mental and emotional toll of university life can lead to doubt about the future and a desire to leave. One student suggested more support for students to help with this adjustment:

I think school should give students more service to help them to overcome the pressure and make integration into the first year and second year quicker and faster. Maybe it’s very helpful for the new students. (G7P4)

Relationships

Relationships was the second dimension of the LE. Subthemes within this dimension included: faculty support, peer interaction, and group work. Most students commented on the impact that faculty had on their learning. Faculty support included creating a safe or unsafe space in the classroom (i.e. ability to ask questions without judgement, fostering a respectful atmosphere), providing additional learning material, accommodating requests, or simply listening to students. Students generally indicated that faculty at this university were very willing to offer extra support and genuinely cared for them and their education. Faculty were described as friendly and approachable, and their relationships with students were perceived as “egalitarian”.

I think feeling that you’re safe in that environment, that anything you pose or any questions that you may have, you’re free to ask. And without being judged. And you’ll get an answer that actually helps you. (G1P4)

While most students felt welcome and comfortable in their classes, a few students spoke about negative experiences that they had because of lack of faculty support. Students cited examples of professors “shutting down” questions, saying that a question was “stupid”, refusing requests for additional help, or interrupting them while speaking. Another student felt that the inaction of faculty sometimes contributed to a negative atmosphere:

I’ve had bad professors that just don't listen to any comment or, if you suggest something to improve it which may seem empirically better, they still shut you down! That’s insane. (G2P2)

The peer interactions subtheme referred to any instances when students could interact with other students; this occurred both in and out of the classroom. Most often, students interacted with their peers during a class or because of an assignment:

I think the way the class is structured really helps you build relationships with your peers. For example, I met S, we had several classes with each other. Those classes were more proactive and so it allowed us to build a relationship… I think that’s very important because we’re going to be in the same facility for a long time and to have somebody to back you up, or to have someone to study with…”. (G1P4)

However, other students felt that they lacked opportunities to interact with peers in class. Although a few participants stated that they felt the purpose of going to school was to get a degree, rather than to socialize with others, students wanted more opportunities to interact with peers.

The final subtheme, group work, was a very common activity at this school. The types of group work in which students engaged included classroom discussions, assignments/projects, and presentations. Many students had enjoyable experiences working in groups, noting that working together helped them to solve problems and create something that was better than one individual’s work. Even though sometimes doing the work itself was a negative experience, people still saw value in group work:

Some of the best memories I’ve ever had was group work and the struggles we've had. (G2P2) I don’t like group work but it taught me a lot, I’ve been able to stay friends and be able to connect with people that I’ve had a class with in 2nd year psych all the way up till now. I think that’s very valuable. (G6P1)

Almost all students who spoke about group work also talked about negative aspects or experiences they had. When the work of a group made up a large proportion of the final grade, students sometimes would have preferred to be evaluated individually. Students disliked when they worked in groups when members were irresponsible or work was not shared equally, and they were forced to undertake work that other students were not completing.

A lot of people don’t really care, or they don’t take as much responsibility as you. I think people have different goals and different ways of working, so sometimes I find that challenging. (G7P2)

Institutional setting

The third overarching theme was the institutional setting. Broadly, this theme refers to the physical structure, expectations, and the overall culture of the environment and was composed of two key subthemes: importance of small class sizes; and the lack of a sense of community.

Small class sizes, with a maximum of 35 students, were a key reason why many students chose to come to this institution. The small classes created an environment in which students and faculty were able to get to know one another more personally; students felt that they were known as individuals, not just as numbers. They also noted that this promoted greater feelings of connectedness to the class environment, more personalized attention, and opportunities to request reference letters in the future:

My professors know my name. Not all of them that I’m having for the first time ever, but they try… That means a lot to me. (G6P4)

Several students also said that having smaller class sizes helped them to do well in their courses. The extra attention encouraged them to perform better academically, increased their engagement with their material, and made them feel more comfortable in asking for help.

Having a sense of belonging was a key feature of the environment and discussions around a sense of community (or lack thereof) was a prominent theme among the students. Students generally agreed that the overall climate of the school is warm and friendly. However, many students referred to the institution as a “commuter school”, because there are no residencies on campus and students must commute to the school. This often resulted in students attending their classes and then leaving immediately after, contributing to a lack of community life on campus.

What [other schools] have is that people live on campus. I think that plays a huge role. We can’t ignore that we are a commuter school… They have these events and people go because they’re already there and you look at that and it seems to be fun and engaging. (G4P1)

Furthermore, students commented on a lack of campus areas that supported socialization and encouraged students to remain on campus. While there were events and activities that were regularly hosted at the school, students had mixed opinions about them. Some students attended the events and found them personally beneficial. Other students stated that, although many events and activities were available, turnout was often low:

There isn’t any hanging out after campus and you can even see in-events and in-event turnout for different events… It is like pulling teeth to get people to come out to an event… There are free food and fun music and really cool stuff. But, no one’s going to go. It’s sad. (G5P1)

Faculty perspectives on the learning environment

Similar to the student findings, faculty data were coded within the three overarching themes of personal development, relationships, and institutional setting.

Personal development reflected any motivation either within or outside the LE that provided faculty with the encouragement, drive, and direction for their personal growth and engagement with teaching. Within this dimension, there were two main subthemes: motivation to teach and emotional well-being.

As with any career, there are many positive and negative motivating factors that contribute to one’s involvement in their work. Faculty generally reported feeling passionate about their work, and recounted positive experiences they have had while teaching, both personally and professionally. While recollecting positive drives throughout their career, one instructor shared:

It’s [teaching in a speciality program] allowed me to teach in a very different way than the traditional classroom… I’ve been able to translate those experiences into conferences, into papers, into connections, conversations with others that have opened up really interesting dialogues…. (8M)

Faculty also reported that receiving positive feedback from students or getting to see their students grow over time was highly motivating:

I take my teaching evaluations very seriously and I keep hearing that feedback time and time again they feel safe. They feel connected, they feel listened too, they feel like I'm there for them. I think, you know, those are the things that let me know what I'm doing is achieving the goals that I have as an educator. (1F) Being able to watch [students] grow over time is very important to me… I always try to have a few people I work with and see over the course of their degree. So, when they graduate, you know I have a reason to be all misty-eyed. (2M)

Emotional well-being related to how different interactions, primarily with students, affected instructors’ mental states. Sometimes the emotional well-being of faculty was negatively affected by the behaviour of students. One instructor spoke about being concerned when students drop out of a class:

A student just this last semester was doing so well, but then dropped off the face of the earth… I felt such a disappointing loss… So, when that happens, I'm always left with those questions about what I could have done differently. Maybe, at the end of the day, there is nothing I could've done, nothing. It's a tragedy or something's happened in their life or I don't know. But those unanswered questions do concern-- they cause me some stress or concern. (1F)

Another instructor said that, while initially they had let the students’ behaviour negatively affect their well-being, over time, they had eventually become more apathetic.

There are some who come, leave after the break. Or they do not come, right, or come off and on. Previously I was motivated to ask them ‘what is your problem?’ Now I do not care. That is the difference which has happened. I do not care. (4M)

This dimension included comments related to interactions with other faculty and with students and consisted of three subthemes: faculty supporting faculty; faculty supporting students; and creating meaningful experiences for students.

Most faculty felt that it was important to be supported by, and supportive to, their colleagues. For instance, one instructor reported that their colleagues’ helpfulness inspired them to be supportive of others:

If I was teaching a new course, without me having to go and beg for resources or just plead and hope that someone might be willing to share, my experience was that the person who last taught the course messaged me and said let me know if anything I have will be useful to you… When people are willing to do that for you, then you’re willing to do that for someone else….(7M)

Many faculty members also spoke about the importance of having supportive relationships with students, and that this would lead to better learning outcomes:

If you don't connect with your students, you're not going to get them learning much. They're not; they're just going to tune out. So, I think, I think connection is critical to having a student not only trust in the learning environment, but also want to learn from the learning environment. (3M)

Facilitating an open, inviting space in the classroom and during their office hours, where students were comfortable asking questions, was one way that faculty tried to help students succeed. Faculty also spoke about the value of having close mentorship relationships with students:

I work with them a lot and intensively…and their growth into publishing, presenting, and seeing them get recognized and get jobs on their way out and so forth are extraordinary. So, being able to watch them grow over time is very important to me. (2M)

Faculty also noted that occasionally there were instances when students wanted exceptions to be made for them which can create tensions in the environment. One instructor spoke about the unfairness of those requests arguing that students need to be accountable to themselves:

The failure rate, …it was 43%. I do not know if there is any other course in which there is a 43% failure rate. So, I do not want to fail these students, why? Instructors want these students to pass, these are my efforts […], and there are also the efforts of these students and their money, right? But, if a student doesn’t want to pass himself or herself, I cannot pass this student, that’s it. (4M)

Faculty were generally motivated to provide memorable and engaging experiences for students. These included providing practical knowledge and opportunities to apply knowledge in real-world settings, field schools, laboratory activities, group discussions, guest speakers, field trips, videos and group activities. They were often willing to put in extra effort if it meant that students would have a better educational experience.

Creating meaningful experiences for students was also meaningful for faculty. One faculty member said that faculty felt amazing when the methods that they used in their courses were appreciated by students. Another faculty member noted:

This student who was in my social psychology class, who was really bright and kind of quirky, would come to my office, twice a week, and just want to talk about psychology … That was like a really satisfying experience for me to see someone get so sparked by the content. (9F)

This third theme refers to the physical structure, expectation, and overall culture of the environment and it consisted of two subthemes: the importance of small class sizes, and the lack of a sense of community.

The majority of the faculty indicated that the small class sizes are an integral feature of the LE. The key advantage of the small classes was that they allowed greater connection with students.

Your professor knows your name. That’s a huge difference from other schools. It’s a small classroom benefit. (6F)

Similar to the students, nearly all the faculty indicated that a sense of community at the institution was an important part of the environment, and something that was desired, but it currently was lacking. They spoke about various barriers which prevent a sense of community, such as the lack of residences, a dearth of events and activities at the university, the busy schedules of faculty and students, the commuter nature of the school, and characteristics of the student population:

When I complain about the commuter campus feeling that occurs with students, we suffer from that too at a faculty level… People are just not in their offices because we work from home… And that really also affects the culture… We come in. We do our thing. We meet with students. And then we leave… I encounter so many students in the hallway who are looking for instructors and they can’t find them. (9F)

These findings have provided insight into the perspectives of both students and faculty on the LE of a Canadian undergraduate university. We found that framing our analysis and results within Moos’ framework of human environments (Insel & Moos, 1974 ; Moos, 1973 , 1991 ) was an appropriate lens for the data and that the data fit well within these three themes. This provides support for the use of this theory to characterize the educational LE. Within each of these dimensions, we discuss subthemes that both facilitated and hindered student learning and commonalities among student and faculty perspectives.

Within the personal development dimension, both students and faculty discussed the importance of engagement and/or motivation as a facilitator of a positive LE. When students were engaged with their learning, most often by being an active participant or seeing the relevance of what they were learning, they saw it as a key strength. Other studies have also identified engagement as a feature of positive LEs for populations such as high-school students (Seidel, 2006 ), nursing students (D’Souza et al., 2013 ) and college students taking online courses (e.g. Holley & Dobson, 2008 ; O’Shea et al., 2015 ). Faculty who reported being motivated to teach, often felt that this motivation was fueled by the reactions of their students; when students were engaged, they felt more motivated. This creates a positive cyclic pattern in which one group feeds into the motivation and engagement levels of the other. However, this can also hinder the LE when a lack of engagement in one group can bring down the motivation of the other group (such as students paying more attention to their phones than to a lecture or faculty lecturing for the entire class period).

Emotional climate was another subtheme within the personal development dimension that was shared by both students and faculty although, for students, this was focused more on the stress and anxiety that they felt trying to manage their school workloads with their work and family commitments. The overall emotional climate of the school was generally considered to be positive, which was largely driven by the supportive and welcoming environment provided by the faculty. However, it was the negative emotions of stress and anxiety that often surfaced as a challenging aspect in the environment for students. Past research suggests that some types of stress, such as from a challenge, can improve learning and motivation, but negative stress, such as that reported by our participants, is associated with worsened performance and greater fatigue (LePine et al., 2004 ).

For faculty, their emotional state was often influenced by their students. When things were going well for their students, faculty often shared in the joy; however, when students would disappear without notice from a class, it was a source of disappointment and self-doubt. For other faculty, the accumulation of negative experiences resulted in them being more distant and less affected emotionally than they had been earlier in their career. This diminishing concern could have implications for how engaged faculty are in their teaching, which could in turn influence student engagement and harm the LE.

The relationships dimension was the most influential aspect of the environment for both students and faculty. While both groups felt that the relationships that they formed were generally positive, they also reported a desire for more peer connections (i.e. students with other students and faculty with other faculty). Students commented that it was a typical experience for them to come to campus to attend their classes and then leave afterwards, often to work or study at home. Many of the students at this school attend on a part-time basis while they work part- or full-time and/or attend to family commitments. While this is a benefit to these students to have the flexibility to work and further their education, it comes at loss of the social aspect of post-secondary education.

The one way in which student–peer relationships were fostered was through group work. However, students held both positive and negative views on this: the positive aspect was the opportunity to get to know other students and being able to share the burden of the workload, and the negative aspect was being unfair workloads among team members. When group dynamics are poor, such as unfair work distribution, having different goals and motivations, or not communicating effectively with their groups, it has been shown to lead to negative experiences (Rusticus & Justus, 2019 ).

Faculty also commented that it was typical for them and other faculty to come up to campus only to teach their classes and then leave afterwards. They noted that their office block was often empty and noted instances when students have come looking for faculty only to find a locked office. Overall, faculty did report feeling congenial with, and supported by, their peers. They also desired a greater connection with their peers, but noted that it would require effort to build, which many were not willing to make.

Finally, student–faculty relationships were the most-rewarding experience for both groups. Students saw these experiences as highly encouraging and felt that they created a safe and welcoming environment where they could approach faculty to ask questions and get extra support. However, in some cases, students had negative experiences with faculty and these had an impact on their self-esteem, motivation and willingness to participate in class. Students’ negative experiences and feedback have been shown to result in declined levels of intrinsic motivation, even if their performance ability is not low (Weidinger et al., 2016 ).

Within the third dimension, institutional setting, a key strength was the small class sizes. With a maximum class size of 35 students, this created a more personal and welcoming environment for students. Students felt that their instructors got to know their names and this promoted more opportunities for interactions. Faculty concurred with this, indicating that the small classes provided greater opportunities for interactions with their students. This enabled more class discussions and grouped-based activities which contributed to a more engaging and interactive educational experience for students and faculty. For students, not being able to hide in the crowd of a large lecture hall, as is common in other university settings, encouraged them to work harder on their studies and to seek help from their instructor if needed.

Finally, both students and faculty commented that the lack of a sense of community was a negative aspect of the LE. This institution is known as a commuter school and both groups reported that they would often attend campus only for school/work and would leave as soon as their commitments were done. This limits opportunities to interact with others and could also potentially impact one’s identity as a member of this community. While both groups expressed a desire for more of a community life, neither group was willing to put in much effort to make this happen. Others have also found that sense of community, including opportunities to engage and interact with others, is important in LEs (e.g. Sadera et al., 2009 ). Schools with more activities and opportunities for student involvement have reports of higher satisfaction for both academic and social experiences (Charles et al., 2016 ).

Limitations

Because this study is based on a relatively small sample at a single university, there is a question of whether the findings can be applied to other departments, universities or contexts. However, it is a strength of this study that both student and faculty perceptions were included, because few past studies have jointly looked at these two groups together using qualitative methods. The use of focus groups among the student groups might have limited the openness of some participants. We also acknowledge that the analysis of qualitative data is inevitably influenced by our roles, life experiences and backgrounds. (The first author is a faculty member and the second and third authors were fourth year students at the time of the study.) This might have impacted our approach to the interpretation of the data compared with how others might approach the data and analysis (Denzin & Lincoln, 2008 ). However, the analysis involved consultation among the research team to identify and refine the themes, and the findings are presented with quotes to support the interpretation. Finally, because experiences were self-reported in this study, they have the associated limitations of self-report data. Despite these limitations, we believe that our findings add to what is known about LEs by capturing multiple perspectives within the same environment.

Future directions

Because our sample was comprised of students across multiple years of their program, some of our findings suggest that upper-level students might have different perceptions of the LE from lower-level students (e.g. work/life balance, access to resources, and overall familiarity with the environment and resources available). However, because the small sample sizes within these subgroups prevent any strong conclusions being made, future researchers might want to explore year-of-study differences in the LE. Additionally, the data collected for this study occurred prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the mandatory switch to online teaching and learning. Future researchers might want to consider how this has impacted student and faculty perceptions of the LE regarding their personal motivation, the nature and quality of the relationships that have formed with peers and faculty, and the culture and norms of their institution.

This study increases our understanding of LEs by incorporating data collected from both students and faculty working in the same context. Across both groups, we identified important aspects of the LE as being high levels of engagement and motivation, a positive emotional climate, support among peers, strong faculty–student relationships, meaningful experiences, and small class sizes. Students identified negative aspects of the LE, such as certain characteristics of group work and struggles with work–life balance. Both faculty and students identified a lack of a sense of community as something that could detract from the LE. These findings identify important elements that educators and researchers might want to consider as they strive to promote more-positive LEs and learning experiences for students.

Appendix: Interview guide

[Faculty] Tell me a little bit about yourself. For instance, what department you are in, how long you have been teaching at KPU, what courses you teach, why you were interested in this study

• When I say the word learning environment, what does that mean to you?
• Probe for specific examples
• Relate to goal development, relationships, KPU culture
• Probe for factors that made it a positive environment
• Probe for factors that made it a negative environment
• How would you describe an ideal environment?
• Probe for reasons why
• Probe for how KPU could be made more ideal
• What recommendations would you give to the Dean of Arts regarding the learning environment? This could be changes you would recommend or things you recommend should stay the same.
• Do you have any final comments? Or feel there is anything about the learning environment that we have not addressed?

Publisher's Note

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Shaping a Positive Learning Environment

Several years ago, American surgeon, author, and public health researcher Atul Gawande experimented with using a two-minute checklist in operating rooms in eight different hospitals. One unexpected result was that a round of team-member introductions before surgery lowered the average number of surgical complications by 35%. Learning names and building a positive environment at the outset of this short-term medical community experience made huge impacts on their ability to function effectively together. How might we apply this and other community-building principles to establish positive learning environments that facilitate student learning?

Learning is an emotional process—we feel excitement when learning a new skill, embarrassment about mistakes, and fear of being misunderstood. Fostering positive emotions in your classroom will motivate students to learn, while negative emotions such as stress and alienation will inhibit their learning.

Research tells us students learn better when they are part of a supportive community of learners. When you create a positive learning environment where students feel accepted, seen, and valued, they are more likely to persist in your course, in their majors, and at the university.

In How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching , Susan Ambrose et al. address the many and complex factors that influence learning environments, including intellectual, social, emotional, and physical (2010).

They offer a few key takeaways for educators:

• Learning doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Your classroom community is made up of individuals with diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences; the act of learning is intertwined with a variety of socioemotional influences.
• Classroom climate is determined by both intentional and unintentional actions, and by both explicit and implicit messages. And their impact on students is not always obvious. Seemingly well-meaning or unimportant choices and remarks can have unintended effects on student learning.
• The good news: You have more control over the learning environment in your courses than you might guess. If you know how learning environments influence student learning, you can employ a variety of strategies to consciously shape a welcoming and inclusive classroom.

Sense of Belonging in College

In a welcoming and inclusive classroom, students are more likely to feel a sense of belonging . A sense of belonging is a basic human need. That is,  everyone  needs to belong. In the college context, sense of belonging refers to whether or not students feel respected, accepted, valued, included, cared for, and that they matter—in your classroom, at the university, or in their chosen career path (Strayhorn, 2012).

Although everyone needs to belong, students’ feelings of comfort in your class largely depends on their identities and experiences (Strayhorn, 2012; Walton & Cohen, 2007). Being the only student, or one of a few, of a particular identity group can lead students to feel detached, apathetic, or reluctant to participate. They may feel marginalized by the course content or by other students’ comments.

Indeed, research shows that minoritized students tend to report a lower sense of belonging than their peers (Johnson et al., 2007; Strayhorn, 2008a). Academic performance or preparation can also raise or lower students’ perceived sense of belonging (Hoops, Green, Baker, & Hensley, 2016; Strayhorn, 2008b; Zumbrunn, McKim, Buhs, & Hawley, 2014). Particularly for minoritized students, academic struggle can be internalized as a sign that they do not belong (Walton & Cohen, 2007).

Research by DeSurra and Church in 1994 provides a spectrum for understanding learning environments that ranges from explicitly marginalizing, where the course climate is openly hostile and cold, to explicitly centralizing, where multiple perspectives are validated and integrated into the course. While this particular research was based on sexual orientation, the earliest research on learning environments—the “chilly climate studies”—focused on gender and had similar findings (Hall, 1982; Hall & Sandler, 1984; and Sandler & Hall, 1986). These early studies demonstrated that marginalization of students does not require an openly hostile environment. Rather, the accumulation of microaggressions alone can adversely impact learning. Later studies showed similar effects based on the race and ethnicity of students (Hurtado et al., 1999; Watson et al., 2002).

Diversity and Inclusion 

Students, like all of us, are complex human beings—they have a gender, race, class, nationality, sexual orientation, and other axes of identity. These overlapping identities mean that an individual may face multiple barriers at once to feeling welcome in your class. Rather than thinking your course should support “a” student of color or “a” student with a disability, craft a learning environment that is welcoming to as many students—and their complexities—as possible. 

Students struggling with sense of belonging are less engaged. They may sit in the back of class, be inattentive during lecture, or avoid participation in discussion or group activities. They may even skip class or show up late more often than others. However, sense of belonging is not static but dynamic, and it can fluctuate with transitions from class to class, year to year, or situation to situation. For example, a student who feels they belong in your course today may suddenly doubt they belong if they score poorly on an exam tomorrow. Therefore, it is important to continually observe students’ behavior and support their belonging throughout the term.

Sense of belonging affects students’ academic engagement and motivation, as well as their emotional wellbeing. The bottom line is this: Students who feel they belong are more likely to succeed.

For more insight into college students’ sense of belonging, watch this engaging TEDx talk by Ohio State professor Dr. Terrell Strayhorn.

In Practice

You want all students to feel they belong in your course. What concrete strategies can you use to shape a positive learning environment?

Set a positive tone from the start

Simple efforts to establish a welcoming atmosphere in the early days and weeks of class can help students feel more comfortable, included, and confident.

• Use positive language in your syllabus . Your syllabus is the first impression students have of your course. Framing policies and expectations in friendly and constructive language, rather than with strong directives or punitive warnings, can increase students’ comfort.
• Get to know students and help them get to know each other . On the first day, ask students their preferred names and pronouns and facilitate icebreaker activities to build community. Use Namecoach in CarmenCanvas to have students record the pronunciation of their names and set their pronouns. Surveys and polling, such as through Top Hat , are great ways to informally assess students’ motivations, learning goals, and prior knowledge early in the course.
• Be warm, friendly, and present . Greet students when they enter the class, make yourself available before and after class, and set up office hours. Share your enthusiasm about the course and relevant personal experience—this can humanize you and increase students’ connection to the material.
• Share positive messages about student success . Show students you believe in their capacity to succeed. Avoid negative statements such as, “Only 1 in 4 of you will pass this class.” Instead, normalize academic struggle and assure students they can master difficult content with effort.

Online Instructor Presence

Strong instructor presence in online courses has been shown to increase participation, facilitate knowledge acquisition, and foster a healthy learning community. When teaching online, you can make meaningful connections to students through video introductions, online office hours, and regular and planned communication. Read more about online instructor presence .

Foster open discourse and communication

Meaningful class discourse requires more than a friendly demeanor. Be prepared to address complex issues, difficult questions, and conflict in collaborative ways.

• Develop a classroom agreement . Involve students explicitly in shaping the learning environment. Help them craft a (potentially living) document that outlines community norms and ground rules for respect, civil discourse, and communication.
• Resist “right” answers . Encourage discussion that promotes critical thinking rather than simple consensus. Invite students to offer their perspectives before sharing your own, and guide them to consider multiple viewpoints and avenues to solving problems.
• Respond to classroom conflict . Consider how you will frame controversial content or “hot topics” in your course. Rather than avoiding these conversations, plan in advance how to facilitate a productive and civil discussion. Refer students back to the ground rules they laid out in the classroom agreement. See Calling in Classroom Conflict for more information. 
• Get feedback from students . Provide opportunities for students to give frequent anonymous feedback on your course—and show you value their input by acting on it. Surveys or exit slips, in addition to conventional midterm feedback, can bring to light issues that affect students’ sense of belonging or inhibit their learning.

Create an inclusive environment

Embrace multiple perspectives, ways of learning, and modes of expression so all students feel included and supported.

• Choose inclusive course content . Do the authors of your course materials represent the spectrum of identities of people in your field? Of students in your class? Who is depicted in the readings and videos you assign? Include course material representing diverse identities, perspectives, and experiences to help all students connect to your content.
• Use a variety of teaching methods . Incorporate multiple strategies that appeal to various abilities and preferences: lecture, whole-group and small-group discussion, think-pair-share, in-class writing exercises, case studies, role-playing, games, technology tools, and more. And don’t limit yourself to conventional “texts”—film and video, podcasts, and guest lectures are all engaging ways to present content.
• Provide assignment options . Support student success by offering multiple modes to complete assignments. Options range from traditional, such as papers, presentations, and posters, to creative, such as websites, blogs, infographics, games, videos, and podcasts. Allow both individual and group work options, when feasible.
• Make space for differing participation . Fear of being called on can hinder students’ comfort and motivation. Encourage, but don’t force, participation during in-class discussions, and acknowledge introverted students when they contribute. Consider alternate ways students can share ideas, such as via written reflections, online discussion posts, and lower-pressure think-pair-shares. Giving students time to reflect on “big questions” before discussion can also increase their confidence to speak up.

Organize your course to support students

The structure and content of your course, in addition to how you deliver it, are key to creating a supportive course climate.

• Communicate learning outcomes . Being explicit about what you want students to do—and why it matters—can increase their motivation. Discuss the purpose of your course and its relevance to their lives, tell them what you will cover at the beginning of each class, and share a rationale for all assignments.
• Be transparent and efficient with grading . Create student-friendly rubrics that lay out clear expectations for all assignments. Grade and return student work in a timely manner, with actionable feedback that helps them understand their progress and areas for improvement.
• Ensure course materials are accessible . When content is accessible , students with vision, auditory, motor, and cognitive disabilities can successfully navigate, use, and benefit from it. Using heading structures in documents, providing alternate text for images, and captioning videos are a few practices that make your course material accessible, as well as more clear and user-friendly for everyone.
• Share resources . In addition to extended material on your course subject, link students to helpful resources for mental health, stress, and learning assistance.

Carmen Common Sense

Consult Carmen Common Sense , a student-authored list of ten solutions to a student-friendly course, to learn how to build a supportive learning environment in Carmen.

Icebreaker Activities

Tips for learning student names, addressing offensive comments in class.

Students are more likely to succeed in positive learning environments where they feel a sense of belonging.

There is no singular or perfect learning environment. Every class you teach is a unique community made up of individuals with diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences. A number of strategies can help you foster a classroom climate that is welcoming, inclusive, and responsive to their needs.

• Set a positive tone from the start through your syllabus, community-building activities, a warm demeanor, and constructive messages about student success.
• Foster open discourse and communication through classroom agreements, addressing complex issues and conflict productively, and collecting regular feedback from students.
• Create an inclusive environment by choosing diverse and representative course material, using a variety of teaching methods, and providing options for assignments and participation.
• Organize your course to support students by making your goals, rationale, and expectations for the course and assignments clear, ensuring materials are accessible, and providing resources to support students’ wellbeing.
• Office of Diversity and Inclusion (website)
• Teaching for Racial Justice (website)
• Classroom Climate: Creating a Supportive Learning Environment (website)
• Encouraging a Sense of Belonging (video)
• Namecoach for Instructors (guide)

Learning Opportunities

Ambrose, S. A., & Mayer, R. E. (2010).  How learning works: seven research-based principles for smart teaching . Jossey-Bass.

DeSurra, C. J., & Church, K. A. (1994). Unlocking the Classroom Closet Privileging the Marginalized Voices of Gay/Lesbian College Students . Annual Meeting of the Speech Communication Association, New Orleans, LA. Distributed by ERIC. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED379697

Hall, R. (1982). A classroom climate: A chilly one for women?. Association of American Colleges. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED215628

Hall, R., & Sandler, B. (1984). Out of the classroom: A chilly campus climate for women?. Association of American Colleges. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED254125

Hoops, L. D., Green, M., Baker, A., & Hensley, L. C. (2016, February). Success in terms of belonging: An exploration of college student success stories. The Ohio State University Hayes Research Forum, Columbus, OH.

Hurtado, S., Milem, J., Clayton-Pedersen, A., & Allen, W. (1999). Enacting diverse learning environments: Improving the climate for racial/ethnic diversity in higher education. ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education in cooperation with Association for the Study of Higher Education. The George Washington University. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED430514

Johnson, D. R., Soldner, M., Leonard, J. B., Alvarez, P., Inkelas, K. K., Rowan-Kenyon, H. T., & Longerbeam, S. D. (2007). Examining Sense of Belonging Among First-Year Undergraduates From Different Racial/Ethnic Groups.  Journal of College Student Development ,  48 (5), 525–542. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2007.0054

Sandler, B., & Hall, R. (1986). The campus climate revisited: Chilly for women faculty, administrators, and graduate students. Association of American Colleges. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED282462

Strayhorn, T. L. (2008). Sentido de Pertenencia: A hierarchical analysis predicting sense of belonging among Latino college students.  Journal of Hispanic Higher Education ,  7 (4), 301–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538192708320474

Strayhorn, T. L. (2009). Fittin' In: Do Diverse Interactions with Peers Affect Sense of Belonging for Black Men at Predominantly White Institutions?  NASPA Journal ,  45 (4).  https://doi.org/10.2202/0027-6014.2009

Walton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (2007). A question of belonging: Race, social fit, and achievement.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology ,  92 (1), 82–96. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.1.82

Watson, L. W., Person, D. R., Rudy, D. E., Gold, J. A., Cuyjet, M. J., Bonner, F. A. I., … Terrell, M. C. (2002).  How Minority Students Experience College: Implications for Planning and Policy . Stylus Publishing.

Whitt, E. J., Edison, M. I., Pascarella, E. T., Nora, A., & Terenzini, P. T. (1999). Women's perceptions of a "chilly climate" and cognitive outcomes in college: Additional evidence.  Journal of College Student Development, 40 (2), 163–177. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ590847

Zumbrunn, S., Mckim, C., Buhs, E., & Hawley, L. R. (2014). Support, belonging, motivation, and engagement in the college classroom: a mixed method study.  Instructional Science ,  42 (5), 661–684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-014-9310-0

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How to create the ideal learning environment, share this article.

You know that feeling you get when you are in the zone – productivity is radiating from you, and you can see that light bulb switch on in your mind. The eureka moment that encompasses you when you know you are on track for success.   

Now, stay with that feeling… but take a step back. Notice all the elements that surround you as you are learning. The environment around you that is helping streamline your focus.   

Is it calm and solitary? Peacefully quiet with no distractions? Or are you in a buzzing atmosphere, like a cafe or board room, bouncing ideas off other chatterboxes?  

Everyone has a setting where they can absorb information the best and focus on the task at hand. And this may vary depending on what you are learning. As a teacher (and a student), it’s important to recognize and create a conducive learning environment that caters to the needs of all types of learners.   

Have you ever thought about what your ideal learning environment is?   

There are many different types of learning environments, and these days there are multiple platforms – both virtual and in-person designs – which facilitate good learning practices and habits.   

Are you trying to keep your students more engaged with what they are learning, and develop efficient learning strategies for your classroom?   

Use this guide to discover the various types of learning environments, best practices, and a free template to create the ideal learning environment for your students:

• What is a conducive learning environment?

Physical learning environment

Online learning environment, learner-centered learning environment, knowledge-centered learning environment, formal learning environment.

• Informal learning environment 
• Mixed learning environment 

Create a positive atmosphere

Healthy risk-taking and asking questions.

• Differentiation and inclusivity 
• Encouraging leadership and adaptability 

Reflection and self-assessment

• Final thoughts

  Related: The 5 Most Effective Teaching Styles (Pros & Cons of Each)  

What is a conducive learning environment?   

It’s no secret that our surroundings affect us in more ways than one – subconsciously the environment we place ourselves in has a huge impact on how we absorb information.   

The environment we are in can either spark or dwindle our concentration. It can inspire us to focus or diminish our productivity on the task at hand.   

A conducive learning environment consists of a setting that supports learners’ goals, thoughts, and ideas. It’s a positive space that aids the smooth and efficient strategies of teaching and learning. A conducive learning environment considers the physical, psychological, social, and cultural needs of learners, and what they require to achieve success.   

Creating a conducive learning space that easily facilitates learning not only benefits the students, but it also makes the teacher’s life a heck of a lot easier… teachers will also find it much more enjoyable to teach students who are focused, happy, and comfortable in their ideal learning environment.  

Now that we have established what the foundation of a conducive learning environment consists of, how do you create one with your students?   

The answer varies – it all depends on your students and the material they are learning. With that said, depending on the learning environment, there are some practices to keep in mind to ensure your student’s success.  

What are the different types of learning environments?  

No matter the setting, all types of learning environments promote meaningful learning and the well-being of students. The characteristics of the learning environment are what can differ, with each space having its own essential elements.  

There are seven types of learning environments that have their own unique attributes:

A physical learning environment is where there are face-to-face interactions with people, and learning is centered through active participation from everyone.   

This setting usually involves a regular space with an arranged meeting time. A physical learning environment typically emphasizes the role of a teacher to conduct lessons and to lead oral discussions.  

This type of in-person environment promotes connection between other students and learning through being engaged in the physical environment around you.

Virtual learning continues to evolve with the rapid expansion of technology and can differ depending on the material that is being taught.   

Also known as eLearning, this environment typically allows students to learn at their own pace. In these environments, students have a ton of options when it comes to their preferred learning style: e-learning can use various devices such as computers, tablets, or mobile devices.  

While some forms of online learning operate similarly to physical learning (with a designated time and lecture-style of teaching), most virtual learning settings allow students to have greater autonomy.   

Related: ​​ What is M Learning? Mobile Learning Pros/Cons & Tips

A learner-centered learning environment allows students to bring their own unique beliefs, attitudes, skills, cultural backgrounds, and knowledge to the table.   

This type of learning places an emphasis on the needs of students and builds the structure of the class around what students already know. A learner-centered learning environment advocates for students to share their own experiences, with the teacher then filling the gap between new learning and what students already know.  

This kind of learning style gives students control of the learning process and the content they consume.

A knowledge-centered learning environment applies learning in a practical manner to the outside world. This type of learning uses real-world examples that support deep analysis and generative learning.   

This environment gives students the opportunity to reflect on their ideas, and a respectful place for further discussions.   

Knowledge-centered learning environments have a clear outline for what is anticipated from students to achieve their learning goals, and students are provided feedback on how to accomplish this.

A formal learning environment is when material is taught in a systematic intentional way. Lessons are predetermined and there is a strict structure to the course and what students are expected to learn.   

Formal learning typically consists of face-to-face interactions along with an organized activity and curriculum in a classroom setting. Formal learning environments can also be guided by an instructor in an online setting.

Informal learning environment

On the other hand, an informal learning environment is completely the opposite of a formal environment – lessons are usually unstructured, spontaneous, and very often unintentional.  

This style favors a non-traditional format (i.e., outside the classroom), and does not have a standardized program, schedule, or curriculum. An informal learning environment goes along well with a learner-centered environment, as discussions flow with students’ knowledge and ideas around topics.   

Discussion forums (which can take place in-person or online) are an example of informal learning, as the discussion can branch out in many different directions or sub-threads.

Mixed learning environment

A mixed learning environment blends different components of the learning types all together into a unique environment that entirely depends on the desired learning goal of the course.   

For example, a mixed learning environment can be a combination of physical and online learning, with other styles of learning intertwined to suit the learning needs of students.  

Best practices for creating an ideal learning environment

  An ideal learning environment is one where students feel safe and supported in all aspects of their learning. A positive atmosphere enables learners to be able to effectively engage with the material that is presented to them.   

This is vital to guarantee the success of your students! Ensuring that learners’ have a safe environment that suits their needs will allow them to feel comfortable with expanding their curiosity and knowledge and encourage them to meet their learning goals.   

Learning environments provide students with the opportunity to absorb information and build connections that support their learning. They provide a space for students to discover the full potential of their abilities, and a welcoming atmosphere where students can feel comfortable and gain self-confidence in learning.  

Outlined below are the most important tips to follow to create an ideal learning environment: 

To have a positive learning space, it’s imperative to create a warm, friendly, and relaxed environment that is welcoming and inclusive to everyone. When a learning environment has a positive and uplifting atmosphere, it will make students more inclined to stay engaged and motivated to learn.   

Modeling social and emotional competencies will guide students in how to treat others in the class and help students be respectful.   

Some tips for creating a positive atmosphere for a physical learning environment: 

• Arranging the seating in an open manner allows for connections with other students. Where students are seated can greatly impact their learning, behaviour, and performance.
• Introduce warm lightning in the class to create a friendly environment. 
• Adjust noise levels to something that is appropriate for what you are teaching and ensure that outside sounds won’t be a distraction for your students. 
• Optimize your space by adding your own special touches that are personal to you or showcase some of the material that is being taught, to create a welcoming environment. 

Some tips for creating a positive atmosphere for an online learning environment:

• Make sure everyone has their cameras and microphones turned on if it’s a live lecture or discussion. 
• Introduce an icebreaker so that everyone has a chance to introduce themselves and speak on camera. 
• Provide outside resources for your students and be readily available to answer their questions at appropriate times during the day. 
• Record class meetings/lectures so students who weren’t in attendance are still able to engage with the material being taught. 
• Start an online buddy system so that students have a classmate to turn to if they have questions.

Creating a positive atmosphere for your students develops an initial level of trust right off the bat, and it will encourage students to turn to you when they need. Don’t be afraid to but your own personal touch on creating a welcoming environment for learners.

Encourage your students to tap into their creative mindsets and take risks with their learning… when you gently push students out of their comfort zone, it helps them grow in ways they may not even realize at first.   

Also, make sure your students are asking questions – meaningful learning happens when students are curious! Spark their curiosity and get them to ask questions they don’t know the answer to… this encourages productive and effective classroom discussions. Giving students the freedom to voice their curiosity will lead to more enthusiastic and passionate conversations.  

Make it known to your students that asking questions is more valuable than having the answers to those questions. Asking questions allows students to increase their critical thinking skills and shift their perspective to a new mindset. It allows the class to explore topics more in-depth and stay engaged while doing so.   

Creating a habit out of getting students to challenge their learning goals and ask questions they may not know the answer will help them stay focused and motivated to continue learning.

Differentiation and inclusivity

Everyone has different preferences and ways of doing things. Offering your students the flexibility to learn with their preferred style will ultimately lead to them better understanding the material and meeting their learning goals.   

Allowing students the option to choose their preferred assessment type or varying the types of assessment given can make all the difference – it supports diverse learning styles and levels. It’s important to not single out students in a group setting (this could be discouraging), so offering different options for assessment throughout the course allows for students to reduce their stress or anxiety levels.   

Having an inclusive course shows that the teacher supports the wellbeing of their students and proves that the individual success of students’ learning is important to them.   

Course differentiation also refers to ensuring various learning models are used. By diversifying the types of learning environments – in-person, eLearning, learner-centered, informal, etc. – students can stay engaged through the varying learning approaches.  

To create an ideal learning environment, it may also be beneficial to provide a variety of ways to engage in learning independently or collaboratively. This flexibility allows students to find out which model best supports their learning needs and goals. 

Encouraging leadership and adaptability

Any environment that supports the success of others will encourage leadership and adaptability. This provides students with a challenge, and to step outside of their comfort zone. It helps them build new skill sets (even if they are not particularly interested in being a leader in the subject) and encourages them to take on some new responsibilities.  

Leadership also aids students in working together and fostering a collaborative learning environment. It helps establish connections between learners, in turn creates a comfortable and familiar learning environment.   

The uses of social engagement through providing leadership opportunities allows students to thrive in their own unique ways, and it assists them in reaching their learning goals – and even going beyond what they sought to achieve.   

Being able to change and adapt to your environment is not only a valuable life skill to have, but it also promotes a sense of achievement and accomplishment. 

An essential component of an ideal learning environment includes student reflection and assessments. This is a great way for teachers to understand the level of learning students are at, and what gaps need to be filled in or reached. This allows for everyone to stay on the same page and ensure that no one falls behind.   

Sometimes assessments can be intimidating, which is why self-assessments are a fantastic way for students to communicate how they are feeling with the material they are being taught. Providing these student check-ins regularly can allow for the teacher to stay informed of the engagement levels in their classroom. 

It may be advantageous to provide a range of different kinds of assessments, such as activity-based, oral, written, or group projects for example. This keeps students engaged and supports a variety of learning styles.  

Reflection and the self-assessment of learning are not only a thorough measure of how students are achieving, but also a good way for the teacher to gauge how they are performing.   

Final thoughts  

Creating an ideal learning environment for your students is something that through practice – and trial and error – you will find what works best for your style of teaching and your students.   

Everyone has a setting where they can absorb information the best, and the foundation of an ideal learning environment is a positive learning environment that supports learners’ goals, thoughts, and ideas. Keep in mind that a conducive learning environment considers the physical, psychological, social, and cultural needs of learners, and what they require to achieve success.   

There are many different types of learning environments, and you may find one that suits your teaching needs, or you may mix a few of them together to find the perfect learning environment for your students.   

Try implementing different practices in your space to create a welcoming atmosphere where students can feel comfortable and gain self-confidence with their learning.  

You will be able to get a precise measure on the effectiveness of your learning environment from your students: Are they happy and thriving? Do they feel comfortable coming to you with questions? What are your student interactions like? Is your course atmosphere positive, inclusive, and welcoming?  

Ask yourself these questions to determine if you need to make any changes or adjustments to your space to create an ideal learning environment. 

Highly creative and curious about life, Megan is a blog writer and content creator who loves to inspire and uplift people with the written word. During her free time she is an avid yogi, travel junkie, beach enthusiast, and reader.

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A conducive learning environment in international higher education: A systematic review of research on students’ perspectives

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Essay on Enabling Learning Environment

Students are often asked to write an essay on Enabling Learning Environment in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Enabling Learning Environment

Understanding a learning environment.

A learning environment refers to the diverse physical locations, contexts, and cultures in which we learn. It’s not just about the classroom, but also includes homes, parks, or even virtual spaces.

Importance of a Learning Environment

A good learning environment is crucial because it can help students feel safe, comfortable, and engaged, making it easier for them to learn. It also encourages positive social interaction among students.

Creating an Enabling Learning Environment

Teachers can create an enabling learning environment by arranging the classroom in a way that promotes interaction and collaboration. They can also use technology to enhance learning.

Benefits of an Enabling Learning Environment

An enabling learning environment can improve student performance and motivation. It can also help students develop important skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving.

250 Words Essay on Enabling Learning Environment

Introduction, physical and virtual aspects.

A physically enabling environment is well-resourced, safe, and comfortable. It should be flexible to accommodate various learning styles and activities. In the digital age, virtual environments such as online learning platforms also play a crucial role. They should be user-friendly, interactive, and accessible to all students.

Social and Emotional Climate

The social-emotional climate is equally important. A positive climate is characterized by respect, trust, and mutual understanding between teachers and students. It promotes collaboration, reduces fear of failure, and encourages risk-taking in learning.

Teaching and Learning Approaches

Effective teaching strategies are central to an enabling environment. These should be learner-centered, promoting active engagement and critical thinking. Differentiation and personalization of instruction are key to cater to individual learning needs.

In conclusion, an enabling learning environment is a multifaceted concept that involves physical and virtual aspects, a positive social-emotional climate, and effective teaching strategies. It is crucial for promoting high academic achievement and fostering a lifelong love for learning.

500 Words Essay on Enabling Learning Environment

An enabling learning environment is a critical element in the educational process. It is a space that fosters a positive atmosphere conducive to learning, where students feel safe, comfortable, and engaged. It goes beyond the physical classroom and includes emotional, social, and academic support.

The Concept of an Enabling Learning Environment

Components of an enabling learning environment.

The enabling learning environment consists of various components. The physical environment includes the classroom’s layout, lighting, temperature, and noise levels. The emotional environment involves the relationships among students and between students and teachers. The pedagogical environment includes teaching methods, curriculum, and assessment.

Creating an enabling learning environment requires thoughtful planning and execution. It involves setting clear expectations, fostering a sense of belonging, encouraging student engagement, and providing effective feedback.

The Impact of an Enabling Learning Environment

An enabling learning environment has a profound impact on students’ learning outcomes. It enhances students’ motivation and engagement, leading to improved academic performance. It also promotes social and emotional development, fostering skills such as communication, collaboration, and self-regulation.

Challenges in Creating an Enabling Learning Environment

Despite its importance, creating an enabling learning environment is not without challenges. These include managing diverse learning needs, dealing with disruptive behavior, and maintaining a balance between academic demands and students’ well-being.

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5 Ways to Create a Conducive Learning Environment for Students

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03 Nov 2020

The Risers Team (Contributor)

It goes without saying that our surroundings affect us consciously and subconsciously. The environment we are in can motivate us to focus on our tasks or cause distractions that will make us lose concentration. For students, the environment where they learn and study affects their productivity.

As students spend a significant 6 to 7 hours of their time daily in their classrooms, it is essential for educators to ensure that their students have a conducive environment that promotes learning. Creating a space that promotes learning amongst students does not just benefit the students, as teachers will also find it easier and more enjoyable to teach students who are focused on their lessons.

Instead of the boring classroom setting with the teacher by the blackboard and students in rows of tables, here are five things that you as a teacher can do to create a comfortable environment for your students:

#1 Create a classroom that encourages interaction

Teachers can come out with thought-provoking topics that require the students to think and share their opinions with no prejudice. Having discussions and even debates promotes creativity and critical thinking, which are important life skills that students should inculcate while they are still in school.

Planned interaction also gives quieter students the opportunity to express themselves where they would normally not speak up.

Rather than a classroom where only the teacher speaks and the students merely listen, create one that promotes interaction, be it amongst students themselves or between teachers and students. Conversations are great for making lessons more entertaining for students, as this makes learning more than just about listening, copying down notes, and doing homework.

Teachers can come out with thought-provoking topics that require the students to think and share their opinions with no prejudice. Having discussions and even debates promotes creativity and critical thinking, which are important life skills that students should inculcate while they are still in school. Planned interaction also gives quieter students the opportunity to express themselves where they would normally not speak up.

#2 Make the best out of your classroom space

Students spend a significant amount of their time in school, with the majority of this time being in the classroom. Therefore, the layout and arrangement of the classroom should be one that encourages students to be productive. Instead of sticking to the typical classroom arrangement that we are so accustomed to, opt to have different sections of the room with each serving a specific purpose. 

For example, a quiet corner for students to study, a discussion area for students to have discussions, a fun corner where students can play games, etc. This enables both the students and teachers to better utilise the classroom to facilitate the learning and teaching process.

As a start, experiment and try out different layouts that give both teachers and students the opportunity to interact better. A great seating arrangement to start out with is to have the students sit in a semi-circle in front of the teacher. This enables the teachers to be within close proximity with the students thus being able to communicate with them more effectively and at a more personal level.

#3 Play with colours

Studies have shown that colours stimulate the brain, therefore work with colours to create a vibrant and lively environment that supports creativity and learning. A colourful classroom not only helps to stimulate the brain, it also helps students to stay focused and refreshed when studying.

However, it is important to note that the classroom should not have colours like bright red and orange as they might over-stimulate the learners instead.

A great way to instantly add pops of colour to the classroom is by using coloured paper. Teachers can organise arts and crafts sessions with the students to decorate the classroom, which is another fun activity to keep classes interesting for the students.

#4 Have an Awards Section

Students learn best when they are motivated and a great way to keep them driven is by rewarding achievements. Oftentimes, it is only the high achievers that win most school-based awards and this can cause weaker students to feel left out and unmotivated. Therefore, having a special awards program for your own classroom is a great way to encourage the weaker students and make them feel appreciated as well. 

Apart from awarding the top performers, teachers can also create unique awards like “Most Helpful”, “Class Sports Star”, “Most Improved”, “Friendship Award”, “Kindest Kid” etc. These will give every student a chance to be valued and feel included regardless of their academic prowess.

Feel free to invite the parents for the awards ceremony as well so that they can see how their children are doing in school. Remember, celebrating success is one of the best ways to give students extra drive to perform well in class.

#5 Have a Games Corner

Games are a great addition to any class, as they enable students to play amongst themselves and foster a closer relationship with one another while they learn. Also, games can help to reduce stress especially when examinations are looming.

Board games are amazing tools to teach students strategy, cooperation skills, and leadership. 

Board games like Scrabble and Boggle help to improve language mastery, Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride are amazing tools to teach students strategy and problem-solving skills, while Menara and Forbidden are great for inculcating leadership and cooperation.

You can also incorporate them as teaching aids to develop a more interesting way to teach your lessons, apart from the typical textbook and blackboard way of teaching. This will help the students absorb information better and remember their lessons longer.

Hope these few tips help make your classroom experience a wonderful one for both teacher and student!

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Creating a conductive learning environment for effective integration of ICT: Classroom management issues

Related Papers

Cher Ping LIM

This paper reports and discusses the findings of the collective case study of two primary schools in Singapore. It focuses on classroom management issues that create a conducive environment to facilitate the effective integration of ICT in the schools. In such an environment, pupils are more likely to be task-oriented and reflective, and hence more likely to engage in higher order thinking. Using activity theory as a framework, the study identifies and discusses about three elements of a well-managed ICT-based lesson: (1) availability and adequacy of ICT tools; (2) establishment of a clear set of disciplinary and educational rules and procedures; and (3) well-defined roles among teachers, technology assistant and pupils.

This paper examines and analyses where and how information and communication technologies (ICT) are integrated in Singapore schools to engage students in higher-order thinking activities. Taking the activity system as a unit of analysis, the study documents the actual processes and sociocultural elements that engage students in higher-order thinking. By employing methods such as observations, focus group discussions with students, and face-to-face interviews with teachers, ICT-coordinators and principals, an account of how the activity systems within and between classrooms, and the schools are generated. Based on the analysis of the data from 10 schools, issues in the learning environment are discussed: Necessary (classroom management and orienting activities) and sufficient conditions (scaffolding activities and supporting school policies) for effective ICT integration in the classroom. The account also highlights the constraints of time and lack of knowledge and experience in the contexts that the teachers are working under, and how these constraints are addressed by supporting school policies in the larger sociocultural setting of the school. This account provides a sample of pedagogical and sociocultural issues that are discussed over the course and at the end of the project. Like a good guidebook, the study sensitizes the audience to what is likely to happen given a particular objective, constraint, or design.

This paper reports the key findings of a questionnaire survey aimed at exploring the critical aspects of information technology (IT) integration among Singapore schools. The survey is the first part (Phase 1) of a larger study (funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore) that analyses where and how IT mediates pupils’ higher order thinking skills in schools. 328 schools (87.2% of the target population of 376 schools) responded to the questionnaire. Based on the findings of the questionnaire, three recommendations are made: (1) IT-integration models for Singapore schools; (2) Exploring new strategies for pupil IT competency development in selected government and government-aided schools; and (3) IT competency standards for teachers and pupils.

Sadegül Akbaba Altun

British Journal of Educational Technology

James Tamayo

Mind, Culture, and Activity

May Britt Postholm

Self-Organised Learning Environments (SOLEs) are models of learning in which students self-organise in groups and learn using a computer connected to the internet with minimal teacher support. The original ‘hole in the wall’ experiments in India are now applied to classrooms around the world. The idea of SOLEs is a social innovation that is inspiring educators (in schooling and also business contexts) everywhere, as demonstrated by Mitra’s award of the 2013 TED prize. However, when SOLEs are located in classrooms, a number of questions arise. Are SOLEs easily adapted for the classroom context? Is the impact on learning as transformative as suggested by the original ideas? This paper considers in detail the application over two years by one teacher, using SOLEs in a Year 4 classroom in an urban North East England primary school, in partnership with university researchers Dolan, Mitra and Leat. Issues of innovation and transformation are discussed, informed by the ideas of Bernstein, Engestrom, and Giroux. The SOLE concept, although flexible, has the potential to offer a divergent, radical transformative pedagogy. This sits somewhat uncomfortably alongside more convergent approaches which position the learner as subservient to the curriculum, with the task of merely mastering subject matter prescribed by the teacher. However, what is notable from this analysis is that transformative pedagogy seems to be positioned alongside, rather than in conflict with, the dominant educational framework.

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology

Michael Hammond

A sociocultural approach towards the study of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education rejects the view that ICT can be studied in isolation; it must be studied within the broader context in which it is situated. The paper argues for a more holistic approach of studying ICT in schools by adopting a sociocultural perspective. It proposes a theoretical framework based on activity theory, with the activity system as a unit of analysis that is surrounded by different levels of ecological circles.

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Four Elements for Creating a Positive Learning Environment

For students to learn, they must feel safe, engaged, connected, and supported in their classrooms and schools. These “conditions for learning” are the elements of a school’s climate that students experience personally. They contribute to students’ academic achievement and success and are associated with improved grades and test scores; strong attendance; positive relationships between students, adults, and their peers; and minimal engagement in risky behaviors, according to  The School Discipline Consensus Report  (SDCR)  developed by  The Council of State Governments Justice Center .  New research  also shows that a positive school climate, of which the conditions for learning are a critical part, can narrow achievement gaps.

But external factors—such as the fatal shootings from this summer and fall—and internal factors—such as exclusionary discipline practices, which disproportionately affect students of color, students with disabilities, and English language learners (ELLs)—can undermine efforts by teachers and school staff to create the learning conditions necessary for students to thrive.  Exposure to violence , in particular, affects more than the family and friends of those involved and ripples through communities, ultimately impacting individual students.

With this context in mind, it is critical to explore what educators, parents, and communities can do to support students, especially students of color and students from low-income families who traditionally are underserved, to help them achieve academic and personal success. The need to establish positive conditions for learning is clear, but what exactly does it take for schools to get there?

Before students can succeed academically, they must feel safe, both physically and mentally. Although schools  use a variety of measures to ensure students’ physical safety , certain efforts sometimes have negative effects on students, particularly those who are traditionally underserved. While  data  shows that the rates that teens experience violent crimes in their schools has declined, issues such as racial bias prevail and impact the effectiveness of school safety measures.

Safety extends beyond the physical well-being of students. To have a safe learning environment, students must feel welcomed, supported, and respected. However, school discipline policies and codes of conduct do not always support a positive school climate. For example, exclusionary discipline practices, like removing students from the classroom, suspensions, and expulsions, negatively impact students’ academic performance and their likelihood of graduating from high school. Even more concerning,  data  shows that schools discipline traditionally underserved students at much higher rates than their peers even though  research  does not show that these students misbehave more frequently. Building a positive school climate and ensuring students are ready to learn requires school district codes of conduct that promote positive adult and student relationships and work to keep more students in the classroom.

2. Engagement

Recent Gallup data shows a troubling trend—as students move through the K–12 education system, they become increasingly less engaged. By the time students reach eleventh and twelfth grades,  only one-third of students report feeling engaged . In a  survey  of parents of students from low-income communities, the Alliance for Excellent Education (Alliance) finds the majority expressed concern that students’ individual learning needs are not being met and that students are not learning the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the real world.

Personalized learning  is one instructional approach that could reverse these trends. This student-centered approach to learning tailors instruction to students’ unique strengths and needs and engages them in challenging, standards-based academic content. Personalizing learning helps students develop skills including thinking critically, using knowledge and information to solve complex problems, working collaboratively, communicating effectively, learning how to learn, and developing academic mindsets. These skills, known as the  deeper learning competencies , are not only the skills students need to succeed in school, but the ones that will enable them to succeed in careers and life.

Personalized learning is greatly  increasing student engagement  in one school district in North Carolina. In the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district, currently in its third year of a personalized learning initiative, 81 percent of personalized learning students report feeling engaged in class, compared to only 47 percent of other students in the district.

3. Connectedness

Students must feel connected to teachers, staff, and other students. Schools can nurture these connections by focusing on students’ social and emotional learning (SEL). SEL helps students understand and manage their emotions and interactions with others and build the skills necessary to communicate and resolve conflicts. “SEL programs have been shown to improve students’ social competence, self-awareness, connection to school, positive interactions with others, and academic performance,” according to the  SDCR .  There are specific  practices  that educators can adopt to embrace SEL in the classroom, which also create a positive school climate and environment that supports students’  deeper learning .

Teachers are an essential part of fostering the type of learning environment in the classroom that supports student success. And yet many students, particularly students of color and students from low-income families,  do not have access to prepared and effective teachers . Educators and administrators need professional development opportunities and training to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of students to create a positive school climate.

Students must feel supported by all those connected to their learning experience. This includes teachers, classmates, administrators, family, and community members. These parties should share an understanding of what positive school climate at the school and classroom looks like so they can work together toward this common goal. School leaders can engage community members, teachers, students, and parents in school climate improvement work through conversations, meetings, surveys, and creating school-community partnerships. School leaders should gather and incorporate the feedback of all of these groups in any school climate improvement work. A quick guide for district and school leaders, teachers, and other members of the school community on how to initiate, implement, and sustain school climate improvements is available  here .

How can parents help create a positive learning environment in their children’s schools?

• Encourage your school leaders to  take this survey  to measure the current climate at your child’s school and help to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Learn more about school safety efforts and how they can impact students by reading this  blog post . Then follow the action steps outlined in the post to help your child’s school provide a safe environment for students.
• Check out  these actions  you can take to learn more about your school or district’s discipline policies and find out how you can advocate for equitable practices.
• Learn more about  personalized learning  and advocate for it and other innovative instructional approaches that engage students.
• Ask your school leaders about the training and professional development opportunities in place for teachers that focus on the social and emotional needs of students.
• Communicate to your school leaders about the need to incorporate parent, student, and community voice and feedback in any on-going or future school climate improvement work.
• Check out the All4Ed’s Climate Change  series to learn more about the conditions that support a positive school climate.

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What are the key elements of a positive learning environment? Perspectives from students and faculty

• Original Paper
• Published: 07 May 2022
• Volume 26 , pages 161–175, ( 2023 )

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• Shayna A. Rusticus   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4403-3061 1 ,
• Tina Pashootan 1 &
• Andrea Mah 1  

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The learning environment comprises the psychological, social, cultural and physical setting in which learning occurs and has an influence on student motivation and success. The purpose of the present study was to explore qualitatively, from the perspectives of both students and faculty, the key elements of the learning environment that supported and hindered student learning. We recruited a total of 22 students and 9 faculty to participate in either a focus group or an individual interview session about their perceptions of the learning environment at their university. We analyzed the data using a directed content analysis and organized the themes around the three key dimensions of personal development, relationships, and institutional culture. Within each of these dimensions, we identified subthemes that facilitated or impeded student learning and faculty work. We also identified and discussed similarities in subthemes identified by students and faculty.

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Introduction

The learning environment (LE) comprises the psychological, social, cultural, and physical setting in which learning occurs and in which experiences and expectations are co-created among its participants (Rusticus et al., 2020 ; Shochet et al., 2013 ). These individuals, who are primarily students, faculty and staff, engage in this environment and the learning process as they navigate through their personal motivations and emotions and various interpersonal interactions. This all takes place within a physical setting that consists of various cultural and administrative norms (e.g. school policies).

While many studies of the LE have focused on student perspectives (e.g. Cayubit, 2021 ; Schussler et al., 2021 ; Tharani et al., 2017 ), few studies have jointly incorporated the perspectives of students and faculty. Both groups are key players within the educational learning environment. Some exceptions include researchers who have used both instructor and student informants to examine features of the LE in elementary schools (Fraser & O’Brien, 1985 ; Monsen et al., 2014 ) and in virtual learning and technology engaged environments in college (Annansingh, 2019 ; Downie et al., 2021 ) Other researchers have examined perceptions of both groups, but in ways that are not focused on understanding the LE (e.g. Bolliger & Martin, 2018 ; Gorham & Millette, 1997 ; Midgly et al., 1989 ).

In past work, LEs have been evaluated on the basis of a variety of factors, such as students’ perceptions of the LE have been operationalized as their course experiences and evaluations of teaching (Guo et al., 2021 ); level of academic engagement, skill development, and satisfaction with learning experience (Lu et al., 2014 ); teacher–student and student–peer interactions and curriculum (Bolliger & Martin, 2018 ; Vermeulen & Schmidt, 2008 ); perceptions of classroom personalization, involvement, opportunities for and quality of interactions with classmates, organization of the course, and how much instructors make use of more unique methods of teaching and working (Cayubit, 2021 ). In general, high-quality learning environments are associated with positive outcomes for students at all levels. For example, ratings of high-quality LEs have been correlated with outcomes such as increased satisfaction and motivation (Lin et al., 2018 ; Rusticus et al., 2014 ; Vermeulen & Schmidt, 2008 ), higher academic performance (Lizzio et al., 2002 ; Rusticus et al., 2014 ), emotional well-being (Tharani et al., 2017 ), better career outcomes such as satisfaction, job competencies, and retention (Vermeulen & Schmidt, 2008 ) and less stress and burnout (Dyrbye et al., 2009 ). From teacher perspectives, high-quality LEs have been defined in terms of the same concepts and features as those used to evaluate student perspective and outcomes. For example, in one quantitative study, LEs were rated as better by students and teachers when they were seen as more inclusive (Monsen et al., 2014 ).

However, LEs are diverse and can vary depending on context and, although many elements of the LE that have been identified, there has been neither a consistent nor clear use of theory in assessing those key elements (Schönrock-Adema et al., 2012 ). One theory that has been recommended by Schönrock-Adema et al. ( 2012 ) to understand the LE is Moos’ framework of human environments (Insel & Moos, 1974 ; Moos, 1973 , 1991 ). Through his study of a variety of human environments (e.g. classrooms, psychiatric wards, correctional institutions, military organizations, families), Moos proposed that all environments have three key dimensions: (1) personal development/goal direction, (2) relationships, and (3) system maintenance/change. The personal development dimension encompasses the potential in the environment for personal growth, as well as reflecting the emotional climate of the environment and contributing to the development of self-esteem. The relationship dimension encompasses the types and quality of social interactions that occur within the environment, and it reflects the extent to which individuals are involved in the environment and the degree to which they interact with, and support, each other. The system maintenance/change dimension encompasses the degree of structure, clarity and openness to change that characterizes the environment, as well as reflecting physical aspects of the environment.

We used this framework to guide our research question: What do post-secondary students and faculty identify as the positive and negative aspects of the learning environment? Through the use of a qualitative methodology to explore the LE, over the more-typical survey-based approaches, we were able to explore this topic in greater depth, to understand not only the what, but also the how and the why of what impacts the LE. Furthermore, in exploring the LE from both the student and faculty perspectives, we highlight similarities and differences across these two groups and garner an understanding of how both student and faculty experience the LE.

Participants

All participants were recruited from a single Canadian university with three main campuses where students can attend classes to obtain credentials, ranging from a one-year certificate to a four-year undergraduate degree. Approximately 20,000 students attend each year. The student sample was recruited through the university’s subject pool within the psychology department. The faculty sample was recruited through emails sent out through the arts faculty list-serve and through direct recruitment from the first author.

The student sample was comprised of 22 participants, with the majority being psychology majors ( n  = 10), followed by science majors ( n  = 4) and criminology majors ( n  = 3). Students spanned all years of study with seven in their first year, three in second year, five in third year, six in fourth year, and one unclassified. The faculty sample consisted of nine participants (6 male, 3 female). Seven of these participants were from the psychology department, one was from the criminology department and one was from educational studies. The teaching experience of faculty ranged from 6 to 20 years.

Interview schedule and procedure

We collected student data through five focus groups and two individual interviews. The focus groups ranged in size from two to six participants. All sessions occurred in a private meeting room on campus and participants were provided with food and beverages, as well as bonus credit. Each focus group/interview ranged from 30 to 60 min. We collected all faculty data through individual interviews ranging from 30 to 75 min. Faculty did not receive any incentives for their participation. All sessions were conducted by the first author, with the second author assisting with each of the student focus groups.

With the consent of each participant, we audio-recorded each session and transcribed them verbatim. For both samples, we used a semi-structured interview format involving a set of eight open-ended questions about participants’ overall perceptions of the LE at their institution (see Appendix for interview guide). These questions were adapted from a previous study conducted by the first author (Rusticus et al., 2020 ) and focused on how participants defined the LE, what they considered to be important elements of the LE, and their positive and negative experiences within their environment. Example questions were: “Can you describe a [negative/positive] learning [students]/teaching [faculty] experience that you have had?”.

We analyzed the data using a directed content analysis approach (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005 ) that used existing theory to develop the initial coding scheme. We used Moos’s (Insel & Moos, 1974 ; Moos, 1973 , 1991 ) framework and its three dimensions of personal development, relationships, and system maintenance/change to guide our analysis. During the analysis phase, we renamed the system maintenance/change dimension to ‘institutional setting’ as we felt it was more descriptive of, and better represented, the content of this theme.

We analyzed student and faculty data separately, starting with the student data, but used the same process for both. First, we randomly selected two transcripts. We each independently coded the first transcript using the broad themes of personal development, relationships and institutional setting, and developed subcodes within each of these themes, as needed. We then reviewed and discussed our codes, reaching consensus on any differences in coding. We then repeated this process for the second transcript and, through group discussions, created a codebook. The first author then coded the remaining transcripts.

When coding the faculty data, we aimed to maintain subcodes similar to the student data while allowing for flexibility when needed. For instance, within the personal development theme, a subcode for the student data was ‘engagement with learning’, whereas a parallel subcode for the faculty data was ‘engagement with teaching’.

We present the results of the student and faculty data separately. For both, we have organized our analysis around the three overarching themes of personal development, relationships and institutional setting.

Student perspectives of the learning environment

Personal development.

Personal development was defined as any motivation either within or outside the LE that provide students with encouragement, drive, and direction for their personal growth and achievement. Within this theme, there were two subthemes: engaging with learning and work-life balance.

Engagement with learning reflected a student’s desire and ability to participate in their learning, as opposed to a passive-learning approach. Students felt more engaged when they were active learners, as well as when they perceived the material to be relevant to their career goals or real-world applications. Students also said that having opportunities to apply their learning helped them to better understand their own career paths:

I had two different instructors and both of them were just so open and engaging and they shared so many personal stories and they just seemed so interested in what they were doing and what I was like. Wow, I want to be that. I want to be interested in what I’m learning. (G6P1)

A common complaint that negatively impacted student motivation was that instructors would lecture for the entire class without supporting materials or opportunities for students to participate.

I’ve had a couple professors who just don’t have any visuals at all. All he does is talk. So, for the whole three hours, we would just be scrambling to write down the notes. It’s brutal...(G7P2)

Trying to establish a healthy work-life balance and managing the demands of their courses, often in parallel with managing work and family demands, were key challenges for students and were often sources of stress and anxiety. For instance, one student spoke about her struggles in meeting expectations:

It was a tough semester. For the expectations that I had placed on myself, I wasn’t meeting them and it took a toll on me. But now I know that I can exceed my expectations, but you really have to try and work hard for it. (G6P1)

Achieving a good work-life balance and adjusting to university life takes time. Many students commented that, as they reached their third year of study, they felt more comfortable in the school environment. Unfortunately, students also noted that the mental and emotional toll of university life can lead to doubt about the future and a desire to leave. One student suggested more support for students to help with this adjustment:

I think school should give students more service to help them to overcome the pressure and make integration into the first year and second year quicker and faster. Maybe it’s very helpful for the new students. (G7P4)

Relationships

Relationships was the second dimension of the LE. Subthemes within this dimension included: faculty support, peer interaction, and group work. Most students commented on the impact that faculty had on their learning. Faculty support included creating a safe or unsafe space in the classroom (i.e. ability to ask questions without judgement, fostering a respectful atmosphere), providing additional learning material, accommodating requests, or simply listening to students. Students generally indicated that faculty at this university were very willing to offer extra support and genuinely cared for them and their education. Faculty were described as friendly and approachable, and their relationships with students were perceived as “egalitarian”.

I think feeling that you’re safe in that environment, that anything you pose or any questions that you may have, you’re free to ask. And without being judged. And you’ll get an answer that actually helps you. (G1P4)

While most students felt welcome and comfortable in their classes, a few students spoke about negative experiences that they had because of lack of faculty support. Students cited examples of professors “shutting down” questions, saying that a question was “stupid”, refusing requests for additional help, or interrupting them while speaking. Another student felt that the inaction of faculty sometimes contributed to a negative atmosphere:

I’ve had bad professors that just don't listen to any comment or, if you suggest something to improve it which may seem empirically better, they still shut you down! That’s insane. (G2P2)

The peer interactions subtheme referred to any instances when students could interact with other students; this occurred both in and out of the classroom. Most often, students interacted with their peers during a class or because of an assignment:

I think the way the class is structured really helps you build relationships with your peers. For example, I met S, we had several classes with each other. Those classes were more proactive and so it allowed us to build a relationship… I think that’s very important because we’re going to be in the same facility for a long time and to have somebody to back you up, or to have someone to study with…”. (G1P4)

However, other students felt that they lacked opportunities to interact with peers in class. Although a few participants stated that they felt the purpose of going to school was to get a degree, rather than to socialize with others, students wanted more opportunities to interact with peers.

The final subtheme, group work, was a very common activity at this school. The types of group work in which students engaged included classroom discussions, assignments/projects, and presentations. Many students had enjoyable experiences working in groups, noting that working together helped them to solve problems and create something that was better than one individual’s work. Even though sometimes doing the work itself was a negative experience, people still saw value in group work:

Some of the best memories I’ve ever had was group work and the struggles we've had. (G2P2) I don’t like group work but it taught me a lot, I’ve been able to stay friends and be able to connect with people that I’ve had a class with in 2nd year psych all the way up till now. I think that’s very valuable. (G6P1)

Almost all students who spoke about group work also talked about negative aspects or experiences they had. When the work of a group made up a large proportion of the final grade, students sometimes would have preferred to be evaluated individually. Students disliked when they worked in groups when members were irresponsible or work was not shared equally, and they were forced to undertake work that other students were not completing.

A lot of people don’t really care, or they don’t take as much responsibility as you. I think people have different goals and different ways of working, so sometimes I find that challenging. (G7P2)

Institutional setting

The third overarching theme was the institutional setting. Broadly, this theme refers to the physical structure, expectations, and the overall culture of the environment and was composed of two key subthemes: importance of small class sizes; and the lack of a sense of community.

Small class sizes, with a maximum of 35 students, were a key reason why many students chose to come to this institution. The small classes created an environment in which students and faculty were able to get to know one another more personally; students felt that they were known as individuals, not just as numbers. They also noted that this promoted greater feelings of connectedness to the class environment, more personalized attention, and opportunities to request reference letters in the future:

My professors know my name. Not all of them that I’m having for the first time ever, but they try… That means a lot to me. (G6P4)

Several students also said that having smaller class sizes helped them to do well in their courses. The extra attention encouraged them to perform better academically, increased their engagement with their material, and made them feel more comfortable in asking for help.

Having a sense of belonging was a key feature of the environment and discussions around a sense of community (or lack thereof) was a prominent theme among the students. Students generally agreed that the overall climate of the school is warm and friendly. However, many students referred to the institution as a “commuter school”, because there are no residencies on campus and students must commute to the school. This often resulted in students attending their classes and then leaving immediately after, contributing to a lack of community life on campus.

What [other schools] have is that people live on campus. I think that plays a huge role. We can’t ignore that we are a commuter school… They have these events and people go because they’re already there and you look at that and it seems to be fun and engaging. (G4P1)

Furthermore, students commented on a lack of campus areas that supported socialization and encouraged students to remain on campus. While there were events and activities that were regularly hosted at the school, students had mixed opinions about them. Some students attended the events and found them personally beneficial. Other students stated that, although many events and activities were available, turnout was often low:

There isn’t any hanging out after campus and you can even see in-events and in-event turnout for different events… It is like pulling teeth to get people to come out to an event… There are free food and fun music and really cool stuff. But, no one’s going to go. It’s sad. (G5P1)

Faculty perspectives on the learning environment

Similar to the student findings, faculty data were coded within the three overarching themes of personal development, relationships, and institutional setting.

Personal development reflected any motivation either within or outside the LE that provided faculty with the encouragement, drive, and direction for their personal growth and engagement with teaching. Within this dimension, there were two main subthemes: motivation to teach and emotional well-being.

As with any career, there are many positive and negative motivating factors that contribute to one’s involvement in their work. Faculty generally reported feeling passionate about their work, and recounted positive experiences they have had while teaching, both personally and professionally. While recollecting positive drives throughout their career, one instructor shared:

It’s [teaching in a speciality program] allowed me to teach in a very different way than the traditional classroom… I’ve been able to translate those experiences into conferences, into papers, into connections, conversations with others that have opened up really interesting dialogues…. (8M)

Faculty also reported that receiving positive feedback from students or getting to see their students grow over time was highly motivating:

I take my teaching evaluations very seriously and I keep hearing that feedback time and time again they feel safe. They feel connected, they feel listened too, they feel like I'm there for them. I think, you know, those are the things that let me know what I'm doing is achieving the goals that I have as an educator. (1F) Being able to watch [students] grow over time is very important to me… I always try to have a few people I work with and see over the course of their degree. So, when they graduate, you know I have a reason to be all misty-eyed. (2M)

Emotional well-being related to how different interactions, primarily with students, affected instructors’ mental states. Sometimes the emotional well-being of faculty was negatively affected by the behaviour of students. One instructor spoke about being concerned when students drop out of a class:

A student just this last semester was doing so well, but then dropped off the face of the earth… I felt such a disappointing loss… So, when that happens, I'm always left with those questions about what I could have done differently. Maybe, at the end of the day, there is nothing I could've done, nothing. It's a tragedy or something's happened in their life or I don't know. But those unanswered questions do concern-- they cause me some stress or concern. (1F)

Another instructor said that, while initially they had let the students’ behaviour negatively affect their well-being, over time, they had eventually become more apathetic.

There are some who come, leave after the break. Or they do not come, right, or come off and on. Previously I was motivated to ask them ‘what is your problem?’ Now I do not care. That is the difference which has happened. I do not care. (4M)

This dimension included comments related to interactions with other faculty and with students and consisted of three subthemes: faculty supporting faculty; faculty supporting students; and creating meaningful experiences for students.

Most faculty felt that it was important to be supported by, and supportive to, their colleagues. For instance, one instructor reported that their colleagues’ helpfulness inspired them to be supportive of others:

If I was teaching a new course, without me having to go and beg for resources or just plead and hope that someone might be willing to share, my experience was that the person who last taught the course messaged me and said let me know if anything I have will be useful to you… When people are willing to do that for you, then you’re willing to do that for someone else….(7M)

Many faculty members also spoke about the importance of having supportive relationships with students, and that this would lead to better learning outcomes:

If you don't connect with your students, you're not going to get them learning much. They're not; they're just going to tune out. So, I think, I think connection is critical to having a student not only trust in the learning environment, but also want to learn from the learning environment. (3M)

Facilitating an open, inviting space in the classroom and during their office hours, where students were comfortable asking questions, was one way that faculty tried to help students succeed. Faculty also spoke about the value of having close mentorship relationships with students:

I work with them a lot and intensively…and their growth into publishing, presenting, and seeing them get recognized and get jobs on their way out and so forth are extraordinary. So, being able to watch them grow over time is very important to me. (2M)

Faculty also noted that occasionally there were instances when students wanted exceptions to be made for them which can create tensions in the environment. One instructor spoke about the unfairness of those requests arguing that students need to be accountable to themselves:

The failure rate, …it was 43%. I do not know if there is any other course in which there is a 43% failure rate. So, I do not want to fail these students, why? Instructors want these students to pass, these are my efforts […], and there are also the efforts of these students and their money, right? But, if a student doesn’t want to pass himself or herself, I cannot pass this student, that’s it. (4M)

Faculty were generally motivated to provide memorable and engaging experiences for students. These included providing practical knowledge and opportunities to apply knowledge in real-world settings, field schools, laboratory activities, group discussions, guest speakers, field trips, videos and group activities. They were often willing to put in extra effort if it meant that students would have a better educational experience.

Creating meaningful experiences for students was also meaningful for faculty. One faculty member said that faculty felt amazing when the methods that they used in their courses were appreciated by students. Another faculty member noted:

This student who was in my social psychology class, who was really bright and kind of quirky, would come to my office, twice a week, and just want to talk about psychology … That was like a really satisfying experience for me to see someone get so sparked by the content. (9F)

This third theme refers to the physical structure, expectation, and overall culture of the environment and it consisted of two subthemes: the importance of small class sizes, and the lack of a sense of community.

The majority of the faculty indicated that the small class sizes are an integral feature of the LE. The key advantage of the small classes was that they allowed greater connection with students.

Your professor knows your name. That’s a huge difference from other schools. It’s a small classroom benefit. (6F)

Similar to the students, nearly all the faculty indicated that a sense of community at the institution was an important part of the environment, and something that was desired, but it currently was lacking. They spoke about various barriers which prevent a sense of community, such as the lack of residences, a dearth of events and activities at the university, the busy schedules of faculty and students, the commuter nature of the school, and characteristics of the student population:

When I complain about the commuter campus feeling that occurs with students, we suffer from that too at a faculty level… People are just not in their offices because we work from home… And that really also affects the culture… We come in. We do our thing. We meet with students. And then we leave… I encounter so many students in the hallway who are looking for instructors and they can’t find them. (9F)

These findings have provided insight into the perspectives of both students and faculty on the LE of a Canadian undergraduate university. We found that framing our analysis and results within Moos’ framework of human environments (Insel & Moos, 1974 ; Moos, 1973 , 1991 ) was an appropriate lens for the data and that the data fit well within these three themes. This provides support for the use of this theory to characterize the educational LE. Within each of these dimensions, we discuss subthemes that both facilitated and hindered student learning and commonalities among student and faculty perspectives.

Within the personal development dimension, both students and faculty discussed the importance of engagement and/or motivation as a facilitator of a positive LE. When students were engaged with their learning, most often by being an active participant or seeing the relevance of what they were learning, they saw it as a key strength. Other studies have also identified engagement as a feature of positive LEs for populations such as high-school students (Seidel, 2006 ), nursing students (D’Souza et al., 2013 ) and college students taking online courses (e.g. Holley & Dobson, 2008 ; O’Shea et al., 2015 ). Faculty who reported being motivated to teach, often felt that this motivation was fueled by the reactions of their students; when students were engaged, they felt more motivated. This creates a positive cyclic pattern in which one group feeds into the motivation and engagement levels of the other. However, this can also hinder the LE when a lack of engagement in one group can bring down the motivation of the other group (such as students paying more attention to their phones than to a lecture or faculty lecturing for the entire class period).

Emotional climate was another subtheme within the personal development dimension that was shared by both students and faculty although, for students, this was focused more on the stress and anxiety that they felt trying to manage their school workloads with their work and family commitments. The overall emotional climate of the school was generally considered to be positive, which was largely driven by the supportive and welcoming environment provided by the faculty. However, it was the negative emotions of stress and anxiety that often surfaced as a challenging aspect in the environment for students. Past research suggests that some types of stress, such as from a challenge, can improve learning and motivation, but negative stress, such as that reported by our participants, is associated with worsened performance and greater fatigue (LePine et al., 2004 ).

For faculty, their emotional state was often influenced by their students. When things were going well for their students, faculty often shared in the joy; however, when students would disappear without notice from a class, it was a source of disappointment and self-doubt. For other faculty, the accumulation of negative experiences resulted in them being more distant and less affected emotionally than they had been earlier in their career. This diminishing concern could have implications for how engaged faculty are in their teaching, which could in turn influence student engagement and harm the LE.

The relationships dimension was the most influential aspect of the environment for both students and faculty. While both groups felt that the relationships that they formed were generally positive, they also reported a desire for more peer connections (i.e. students with other students and faculty with other faculty). Students commented that it was a typical experience for them to come to campus to attend their classes and then leave afterwards, often to work or study at home. Many of the students at this school attend on a part-time basis while they work part- or full-time and/or attend to family commitments. While this is a benefit to these students to have the flexibility to work and further their education, it comes at loss of the social aspect of post-secondary education.

The one way in which student–peer relationships were fostered was through group work. However, students held both positive and negative views on this: the positive aspect was the opportunity to get to know other students and being able to share the burden of the workload, and the negative aspect was being unfair workloads among team members. When group dynamics are poor, such as unfair work distribution, having different goals and motivations, or not communicating effectively with their groups, it has been shown to lead to negative experiences (Rusticus & Justus, 2019 ).

Faculty also commented that it was typical for them and other faculty to come up to campus only to teach their classes and then leave afterwards. They noted that their office block was often empty and noted instances when students have come looking for faculty only to find a locked office. Overall, faculty did report feeling congenial with, and supported by, their peers. They also desired a greater connection with their peers, but noted that it would require effort to build, which many were not willing to make.

Finally, student–faculty relationships were the most-rewarding experience for both groups. Students saw these experiences as highly encouraging and felt that they created a safe and welcoming environment where they could approach faculty to ask questions and get extra support. However, in some cases, students had negative experiences with faculty and these had an impact on their self-esteem, motivation and willingness to participate in class. Students’ negative experiences and feedback have been shown to result in declined levels of intrinsic motivation, even if their performance ability is not low (Weidinger et al., 2016 ).

Within the third dimension, institutional setting, a key strength was the small class sizes. With a maximum class size of 35 students, this created a more personal and welcoming environment for students. Students felt that their instructors got to know their names and this promoted more opportunities for interactions. Faculty concurred with this, indicating that the small classes provided greater opportunities for interactions with their students. This enabled more class discussions and grouped-based activities which contributed to a more engaging and interactive educational experience for students and faculty. For students, not being able to hide in the crowd of a large lecture hall, as is common in other university settings, encouraged them to work harder on their studies and to seek help from their instructor if needed.

Finally, both students and faculty commented that the lack of a sense of community was a negative aspect of the LE. This institution is known as a commuter school and both groups reported that they would often attend campus only for school/work and would leave as soon as their commitments were done. This limits opportunities to interact with others and could also potentially impact one’s identity as a member of this community. While both groups expressed a desire for more of a community life, neither group was willing to put in much effort to make this happen. Others have also found that sense of community, including opportunities to engage and interact with others, is important in LEs (e.g. Sadera et al., 2009 ). Schools with more activities and opportunities for student involvement have reports of higher satisfaction for both academic and social experiences (Charles et al., 2016 ).

Limitations

Because this study is based on a relatively small sample at a single university, there is a question of whether the findings can be applied to other departments, universities or contexts. However, it is a strength of this study that both student and faculty perceptions were included, because few past studies have jointly looked at these two groups together using qualitative methods. The use of focus groups among the student groups might have limited the openness of some participants. We also acknowledge that the analysis of qualitative data is inevitably influenced by our roles, life experiences and backgrounds. (The first author is a faculty member and the second and third authors were fourth year students at the time of the study.) This might have impacted our approach to the interpretation of the data compared with how others might approach the data and analysis (Denzin & Lincoln, 2008 ). However, the analysis involved consultation among the research team to identify and refine the themes, and the findings are presented with quotes to support the interpretation. Finally, because experiences were self-reported in this study, they have the associated limitations of self-report data. Despite these limitations, we believe that our findings add to what is known about LEs by capturing multiple perspectives within the same environment.

Future directions

Because our sample was comprised of students across multiple years of their program, some of our findings suggest that upper-level students might have different perceptions of the LE from lower-level students (e.g. work/life balance, access to resources, and overall familiarity with the environment and resources available). However, because the small sample sizes within these subgroups prevent any strong conclusions being made, future researchers might want to explore year-of-study differences in the LE. Additionally, the data collected for this study occurred prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the mandatory switch to online teaching and learning. Future researchers might want to consider how this has impacted student and faculty perceptions of the LE regarding their personal motivation, the nature and quality of the relationships that have formed with peers and faculty, and the culture and norms of their institution.

This study increases our understanding of LEs by incorporating data collected from both students and faculty working in the same context. Across both groups, we identified important aspects of the LE as being high levels of engagement and motivation, a positive emotional climate, support among peers, strong faculty–student relationships, meaningful experiences, and small class sizes. Students identified negative aspects of the LE, such as certain characteristics of group work and struggles with work–life balance. Both faculty and students identified a lack of a sense of community as something that could detract from the LE. These findings identify important elements that educators and researchers might want to consider as they strive to promote more-positive LEs and learning experiences for students.

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Appendix: Interview guide

[Students] Going around the table, I would like each person to tell me a little bit about themselves. For instance, what program and year you are in, what your education goals are, why you were interested in this study.

[Faculty] Tell me a little bit about yourself. For instance, what department you are in, how long you have been teaching at KPU, what courses you teach, why you were interested in this study

When I say the word learning environment, what does that mean to you?

How would you describe the learning environment here at KPU?

Probe for specific examples

Relate to goal development, relationships, KPU culture

Can you describe a positive learning/teaching [students/faculty] experience that you have had?

Probe for factors that made it a positive environment

Can you describe a negative learning/teaching [students/faculty] experience that you have had?

Probe for factors that made it a negative environment

How would you describe an ideal environment?

How close is KPU to an ideal learning environment?

Probe for reasons why

Probe for how KPU could be made more ideal

What recommendations would you give to the Dean of Arts regarding the learning environment? This could be changes you would recommend or things you recommend should stay the same.

Do you have any final comments? Or feel there is anything about the learning environment that we have not addressed?

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Rusticus, S.A., Pashootan, T. & Mah, A. What are the key elements of a positive learning environment? Perspectives from students and faculty. Learning Environ Res 26 , 161–175 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-022-09410-4

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Received : 07 April 2020

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Published : 07 May 2022

Issue Date : April 2023

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-022-09410-4

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Center for Teaching Innovation

Classroom environment strategies.

"The dynamics of the classroom, the tone, the interpersonal forces at play, and the nature and structure of communication patterns all combine to either support or inhibit the students’ motivation to pursue a goal" ( Ambrose , 2010).

Your classroom environment is a blend of the social, emotional, and instructional elements of your class. Research shows that many aspects of your classroom environment can affect student motivation and that students who are more motivated, put more effort into learning activities ( Ambrose , 2010).

The way you manage and organize your classroom is important. Below, we describe a few things you can do to build a warm and inclusive classroom where students feel like they belong and can do their best work.

Goals, Setting Guidelines

• Make your course goals clear to your students so that they can focus on the essential information. Tell your students how you expect them to reach those goals.
• Establish guidelines to ensure your classroom is inclusive, respectful, and conducive to learning ( Ambrose , 2010). Use clear guidelines to create a safe learning environment that ensures respect for student ideas and viewpoints.

Creating a Sense of Belonging

• Help students get to know each other by using icebreakers
• Connect with your students: Share something about yourself; also learn their names and something about them
• Encourage participation
• Let students know how to get help (e.g., office hours, help centers, etc.)
• Be aware of your verbal and non-verbal cues and what they’re communicating to your students (e.g., folding your arms creates a barrier between you and your students; making eye-contact helps to establish trust)
• Come to class early and talk informally with your students as they arrive

Instructor & Course Organization

Regardless of your course style, there are strategies you can use to create a supportive, positive environment to reduce student anxiety and stress.

• Align your learning objectives, assessments, and instructional strategies, and provide a clear course structure
• Prepare your students for what they need to do within and outside of class to succeed
• Provide early opportunities for feedback, and continue with targeted, timely feedback during the course
• Use active learning strategies and have students work together regularly
• Give students opportunities to practice and reflect upon what they are learning
• If you will have multiple graders, state how you will ensure fair, consistent grading
• Use rubrics to grade assignments and prelims (where applicable) and communicate these rubrics to students as early as possible

Leading Discussions

• Ask students to think about learning environments in which they felt most comfortable speaking up and listening closely to others
• What conditions do they need to feel confident participating? What is acceptable or unacceptable behavior?
• Convey your respect for all opinions and encourage participation
• Allow space for everyone to participate
• Model active listening behaviors (McKeachie, 2014)
• Address difficult or uncomfortable topics directly
• If your class uses discussions to talk about potentially sensitive or charged topics, use the LARA method

A learning climate develops whether or not you are intentional about creating it. Be transparent about expectations, especially grading. Regarding classroom behaviors, what are your expectations for classroom participation, discussion, questions? What are ways every member of the course can help foster an inclusive community? How should students contact you or raise concerns?

See our building inclusive classrooms page for ideas and strategies around creating and sustaining inclusive classrooms .

Cornell students come from around the world. Speaking clearly, explaining references and acronyms, and making an extra effort to include everyone can go a long way.

Get to Know Your Students (Undergraduates and Graduates)

• Every group of students is unique, and class interactions can vary from semester to semester. It is always important to get to know your students and build a positive rapport. Connecting with students helps develop a classroom dynamic that can support learning in multiple ways, including promoting student engagement, expression, and openness to intellectual challenges.
• Simple actions such as learning students’ names, sharing information about yourself, and asking students about their background or experiences can foster a positive classroom climate. On the very first day, asking students to complete a survey about themselves, and facilitating an icebreaker can set the tone .
• Throughout the semester, set standards for respectful discourse and take action to include more students in class discussions or activities. Several times during the course, check in with students about their experience in the course. This resource about establishing ground rules  provides some examples of setting expectations.

Selected Resources

• Classroom Climate
• Connecting with Your Students
• For facilitating difficult topics: Teaching & Learning in the Diverse Classroom online course
• Ohio State University's Sense of Belonging in the College Classroom

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. w., Lovett, M. C., DiPietro, M., & Norman, M. K. 2010. How Learning Works: 7 Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

13 Ways to Create a Positive Learning Environment in Your Classroom

Written by Joshua Prieur, Ed.D.

• Teaching Strategies

• What is a positive learning environment
• Why is a positive learning environment important?
• 13 Ways to create a positive learning environment in your classroom
• Create a positive learning environment to help students love learning

Consider for a moment where you work or learn best. 

Where are you? What does the room you’re in look like? What are the things you do to set yourself up for success? 

All of the things you surround yourself with — a great cup of coffee or an up-tempo Spotify playlist — play a part in how you work or learn. They’re all tied to the environment you choose to best prime yourself for success.

As an educator, the same thing applies in a school or a classroom. Your goal is to create a positive classroom and school environment that will set your learners up for success.  

But there are a few challenges. How can you help students to feel safe, valued, and respected? What can you do to help set the framework for positive relationships to flourish?

Read on to find out 13 strategies that’ll help you build a positive learning environment that students and fellow staff members alike are excited to be a part of.

What is a positive learning environment?

Having a positive learning environment takes much more than having a classroom with positive posters on the wall ( although that’s one of the many strategies that can be used! ). It means truly understanding and supporting the needs of students and colleagues in multiple ways.

For example, having clearly established classroom rules will help set the tone for a healthy learning environment where students know what is expected of them. Having that structure in place will help students feel safe, allow you to really understand their needs, and promote positive well-being. This applies to students at all levels — elementary, middle, and high school, too!

One thing to keep in mind is that creating a positive learning environment isn’t something you create once and leave as-is . It requires renewed attention every school year. 

What is the difference between a positive and negative learning environment?

To really dig into the differences of a positive and negative learning environment, let’s start with some positive learning environment examples:

• Students feel safe to come to school without feeling like they have to act like someone else for acceptance
• When students feel safe in their environment, they’re more willing to take risks in their learning without fear of failing– sometimes we learn best when we fail!
• A true community exists. Students and staff members alike are more engaged and excited to interact with one another under positive circumstances.

In a negative learning environment, you’re going to see more undesirable behaviors such as:

• High levels of student frustration , likely leading to increased disciplinary rates. This could be mitigated by clear classroom management strategies .
• A disconnect between members of the community (ie. staff, students, and parents/guardians), leading to tension and less involvement from parents/guardians in the school environment. High levels of parent involvement have a direct impact on positive learning environments.
• High levels of stress for teachers leading to burnout and anxiety, which research has shown can even cause a physiological anti-stress hormone response in students. Practicing self-care techniques can be a great way to de-stress.

Read on to find out even more about why having a positive learning environment is crucial!

Having a positive learning environment in place takes a great deal of thought and consideration, but there are major benefits that’ll pay off for the hard work that goes into it. For example:

• Research has shown that academic performance is likely to increase
• Students will be more likely to support other students with disabilities
• There will be an increase in positive interactions between students, staff, and parents/guardians
• Stakeholders will appreciate that you take mental health just as seriously as you take student achievement
• Students are more likely to take ownership of their learning experience (also known as self-regulated learning)
• You’ll set the tone for a great school year from the very first week as you build an environment conducive to student development

What can you do to help jumpstart your work in this area? 

Keep reading to learn some strategies that you can easily implement to create an environment that’ll build a tightly-knit school community with a positive learning environment at the center of it all.

As an educator, you’ve likely already taken several steps to build a positive environment in your classroom and your school. Read on for 13 steps that can help take that work one step further!

1. Build positive relationships with students and parents

Building positive relationships with students and parents is critical, and it starts on the first moment of the first day of school each year. 

This means getting to know each of your students’ unique personalities including their likes, dislikes, strengths, and areas of opportunity. Putting the time in early will help you support students both individually and as a whole group.

One strategy to build rapport with students is to greet them as they arrive in the classroom each day. While it takes a bit of extra work on the front end to make sure the lesson is ready-to-go (including an activity for them to start up on the board!) greeting students as they arrive shows that you care and helps you to read their body language from the moment they arrive each day.

To help build a strong relationship with parents, take the time to communicate with them about the good and the bad that you see in the classroom. There are tons of awesome apps for teachers that you can use, like Remind to easily share information. 

Sending a quick note about the success that a child had in class that day can go a long way to let the child know that you see the great things they’re doing and also help parents/guardians feel like they’re in the loop for their child’s life at school.

2. Foster student connections

There are lots of great ways for you to help foster positive student connections as a way of helping improve students’ sense of belonging, increase engagement , and establish a caring classroom culture.

 Here are two quick strategies that you can implement with relative ease:

• Listen to the chatter going on between students before class . They’ll often talk with one another about things they’re passionate about. That information can help you learn things to ask them about that will help you forge a really strong bond. If by listening you learn that a student does ballet, you can ask the student more about it the next time you see them.
• Implement highly-personalized lessons to help students feel special. For example, if you’re creating a sample response to a writing prompt, you could opt to include a student’s name and the hobby you know they like. This strategy works really well as a way to highlight and motivate and engage learners who are often reluctant to participate!

3. Outline classroom rules for positive behavior

Having high expectations for your students is so important as you shape the norms for student behavior and lay the foundation for student success. To do this, you’ll need to have clear classroom rules and techniques at-the-ready from the first moment of the first day.

One pro tip is to frame your classroom rules in a positive manner. For example, instead of saying “don’t disrespect other students” you instead say, “All students in class will be respected at all times.” This positive framing, while small, can make a huge difference as you are showing that the expectation is tied to positive behavior.

4. Use positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a great way to build intrinsic motivation and help promote positive student work habits. 

There are two great strategies that you can use here:

• Recognize when students put forth a ton of effort, even if they don’t show 100% mastery. Sometimes failing is when we learn best, so praising students’ effort to persevere can go a long way to help them build the muscle not to give up in the face of a challenge and implement problem-solving strategies.
• Take the time to celebrate even the smallest of wins for learners who are sometimes reluctant to participate in class. Providing praise for a job that’s well done goes a long way towards building trust and helping students feel seen. This, in turn, will increase the likelihood that they’ll do it again.

5. Ensure content is culturally relevant

Every class is unique thanks to the cultural diversity that each student brings to the group.

Since each student has a different lived experience and cultural background, teachers can honor those differences by implementing culturally responsive teaching strategies . These include: integrating relevant word problems, using media that positively depict a range of cultures, and bringing in guest speakers from different backgrounds.

A recent research study found that when teachers implement contextual learning strategies test scores can improve by more than 44%.

6. Keep a positive mindset

Anyone who has been a teacher knows just how exhausting the job can be. 

Taking time for yourself can be a real challenge with the demands that exist both inside and outside of school. That said, it’s highly recommended that you work to find some time, even just a few minutes to implement some self-care techniques as a means of helping you maintain a positive mindset.

Finding time each day, even just a few minutes when you first arrive at school, can make a huge difference and prepare you to face any challenges that come your way head-on and with a positive mindset.

7. Create a comfortable physical environment

Having a positive classroom environment for your students to learn in (and for you to teach in!) goes a long way towards helping build an awesome classroom climate. The physical environment includes everything from the way things are organized to what is on the walls.

Add a splash of color to your classroom with posters that include positive messages that can both motivate students and encourage positive behavior. For example, a poster that reads, “Expect to be accepted for who you are” reinforces the notion that all students belong in the classroom community you’ve created. It’s also a great reference point to draw students’ attention to if the behaviors you’re seeing aren’t aligned to that principle.

Are you a teacher who travels from classroom to classroom with a cart? Many teachers who travel opt to cover the front or sides of their cart with a poster that includes positive messaging. That gives you the opportunity to add a personal touch to any classroom you share and reinforce the beliefs you want to prioritize.

8. Stay informed on educational research

As a scholarly practitioner, it’s great to keep up-to-speed with research that could help to inform your practice and provide insights you can use to create a positive learning environment.

  For example, researchers recently outlined findings that show that the level of parent participation had a direct impact on positive learning environments. One strategy to implement would be to strategize with colleagues or school administration about additional ways to get the parent and guardian community engaged with activities at school. 

You may even consider participating in events like PTA meetings or events if you aren’t already as a way to contribute to a positive and collaborative school climate (which also has an impact on student motivation and achievement! ).

Doing this can also help you to stay in the know with emerging areas of best practice for you to take advantage of as you build your yearly professional growth plan . A recent study shows the link between professional development, teachers’ practices in class, and student achievement. 

An easy way to stay updated on education research outcomes that could help shape your learning environment is to sign up for Edutopia’s newsletter called " The Research Is In" .

9. Prioritize social emotional learning 

The well-being of students and teachers alike has been pushed to the forefront recently– and for good reason. While perhaps easier said than done, having positive mental health is critical. 

Social emotional learning (or SEL for short) can help students understand emotions and navigate an uncertain world.

There are some wonderful resources available for teachers to implement SEL strategies in their classroom. For example, building mindfulness activities into the classroom is just one of 25 different SEL strategies that can be implemented without a ton of lift — but with huge benefits for students in class.  

Helping students learn and navigate new emotions will help them to bring their best self to the classroom and contribute positively to the learning environment.

10. Plan lessons with motivation in mind

Building lesson and unit plans with student motivation in mind helps spark excitement and joy into the learning environment. That’s why Prodigy believes so firmly in our philosophy of education, “Motivation First!” . 

Weave topics that students are passionate about, or finding ways to make topics that aren’t the most exciting much more fun and interactive.

Integrating game-based learning activities like Prodigy Math can be a great way to help have fun and engage with you and their peers in class while they learn how to multiply fractions. Leverage students’ natural inclination for games and integrate learning right into it!

11. Provide personalized feedback on assignments

Going that extra mile to show students that you truly care about their performance and effort can help to motivate students and foster a positive connection. Personalizing feedback for students is a great way to take a moment and highlight some of the great work students do and the areas for improvement.

Let’s say for example students have completed a short writing assignment for you. You’ve spent some time correcting the spelling and grammar of the work, and left some great notes in the margin. To take it one step further, write a personalized note in the top corner of the assignment by using their name, “Dear Jack, …” and highlighting some of the great things they did and some areas for improvement. Leaving a personalized note instead of a plain grade increases the likelihood that they’ll look at what you said and internalize the feedback you’ve given.

12. Share the love

There are lots of incredible things happening in your classroom each and every day. But unless you’re in the room, it’s tough to know what’s happening (ever asked a kid, “what did you do in school today?” when they come home? They seem to always have a tough time remembering …).

To help keep parents/guardians updated, you can take to social media or your classroom website to help share the amazing things that you’re doing with your students. Be sure to keep in mind your school/district’s policies and permission from parents/guardians to use their child’s photo online. As long as you’re aligned with those policies and know which students have permission, you’re a-ok to share snapshots of the cool things you’re doing to help parents/guardians see what’s going on in class.

Bonus tip! Want to foster a positive environment among your colleagues? Leave a handwritten note for personnel on staff at your school (ie. other teachers, administrative assistants, administrators, custodians, etc.) and place it in their mailbox. Who doesn’t love getting mail with a little kudos? 

The two minutes you’ll take to write the note will help others feel so appreciated. Perhaps they’ll even start doing it for others!

13. Find time for fun!

Sometimes, the pressure to focus solely on purely academic material can mount (here’s looking at you, testing season …) and it can lead to burnout.  

Find some time to use some games in your classrooms that include learning and naturally weave in some fun in a way that your students will definitely appreciate. There are few things more fulfilling than hearing students laughing while they’re having fun and working together while learning at the same time.

Having a positive learning environment in your classroom and at your school will set your students up to thrive. In fact, you’ll be setting the stage to help every student to love learning– which is our mission here at Prodigy Education. 

Taking a few steps to expand the great things you’re already doing to create a positive learning environment (including leveraging game-based learning tools like Prodigy Math ) could go a really long way to help build a learning community that’ll transcend the walls of your school.

Prodigy Math helps make learning an adventure for students with game-based skill practice for grades 1 to 5. Plus, your free teacher account comes with tools that help you differentiate for every student and find more ways to support their learning. 

Make learning fun, adaptive and insightful

There's no cost to you or your students and Prodigy is fully aligned with state standards for grades 1-8 math and grades 1-6 English.

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Teachers! Get more ways to promote positive learning with Prodigy Math, a game-based learning adventure for grades 1 to 8.