Although we are living in the technology age, the big part of the learning is still taking place in the tradition
al environment which is in classrooms. In order to facilitate learning in a better way, we need to change the old habits since everything around us is changing. For that reason, we need to adjust today’s technology to change the traditional educational setting to more digitalized and student-centered spaces.
In order to change the learning environment, we need to stop following the traditional, teacher-centered, teaching techniques. Using the today’s technology in an effective way, and creating student-centered spaces in our teaching should be the main focus to create a better learning environment and facilitate learning. Using activating methods to motivate the students and to activate their learning process is also important. In this way, teacher can facilitate to change the students’ learning habits and make them to contributor to get the new information during the learning process instead of just a receiver of the information. By doing this, students become more autonomous learners and start taking more responsibility of their own learning.
Filliped classrooms are one of the perfect examples of this kind of learning processes. In order to foster student’s learning, the students themselves must be involved in the learning process instead of just listening the teacher in the classroom. In this way, students start engaging more during the classes and teacher becomes more facilitator than just transferring the Information. Thus, classes become more challenging for both students and teacher because of the discussions and the active participation of the students, and provide more flexible learning environments for students to interact and work together as a group.
By applying a new teaching techniques using internet-based and online applications are one of the ways that we can change the learning environment. So instead of having a traditional classroom settings, Students can be at the school, but participate the course wherever they want. This will provide them both socialization; since they will be in the school, and at the same time, freedom to be wherever they feel comfortable to follow the course. Also, teaching though online applications will promote students to do more research and to be more active learners in the course. As a result, since time and space is considered for reinforcement of learning and teaching outcome, changing environment from traditional classroom settings to more digitalized, student-centered spaces will contribute the ability of learning and understanding of students in a positive way.
Source:
University of Groningen (Feb 18, 2016). ‘Flipped Classroom’. Retrieve from https://youtu.be/qHI91h3-kpE
Interesting blog post! I think the best solution is when you can use both online resources and meet the students face to face. I like the Flipped classroom method, where the students easily can prepare for the lecture/seminar online on beforehand, which I think contribute to better discussions when you meet in class. The only risk is that some students might not have taken part of the online material before class even though they should have.
Thank you for this blog post! I tend to agree with the previous comment that a combination of traditional classroom teaching and the use of online resources gives the best result. Sometimes discussions during coffee breaks can be more elaborating and interesting when you can discuss and clarify opinions informally. Online classes are a great invention and offers the opportunity to bring students together that would not otherwise take place. The activity level of the students can be both low and high in the two options. Being more or less anonymous in an online class can make it easier to participate as little as possible, but on the other hand all your (in)activity leaves marks online. In a classroom you can hide among the other students but everyone will also notice a low activity level. Therefore I vote for a combination of the two methods.