World Cafe: What Is an Ideal Learning Environment?

UBC’s World Cafe

What is an ideal learning environment?

facilitators

Jan Johnson: Manager, Facilitation and Process Design

Cindy Underhill: Learning Resource Design Strategist

Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT)

what we’re aiming for...

A documented collection of your ideas about the ideal learning

environment: What is it? What do we need in order to support it?

how we’ll get there..

Discussion

Sticky notes for ideas

Grouping ideas according to themes/patterns

Collective observations

definitions for clarity...

Learning environments refer to the context in which we learn and teach. This includes place, people, resources.

Typically include four components:

an enabling context (physical or online space to bring people together)

resources (library, internet, people)

a set of tools (tools to help learners process information, manipulate data, and discuss)

scaffolds (problem solving supports)

Hannafin, Land, & Oliver, 1999. from: http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/models/environs.html

definitions for clarity

Learning experiences are those events and activities from which we learn and can identify, to a certain extent, what we have learned. They are personal and often shared.

Teaching experiences are those events and activities which involve teaching to a group or individual and where we can identify, to a certain extent, what was taught. They are personal and sometimes shared.

start where you are...

as a learner

start where you are...

as a teacher

Discussion 1

Talk about:

Describe a really good teaching/learning experience you’ve had recently.  What made it good?  Why?

Do:

brainstorm ideas on flip chart paper

Choose a few key ideas and write on sticky notes

Add to wall

change group – one “messenger” stays behind.

Discussion 2

Talk about:

What are the necessary ingredients to support great teaching/learning experiences?

Do:

brainstorm ideas on flip chart paper

Choose a few key ideas and write on sticky notes

Add to wall

observations

What patterns do you notice?

Are you surprised by anything you see?

Is there anything missing?

Something you would like to move or highlight?

thank you!

Outcomes assembled on UBCWiki:

http://wiki.ubc.ca/Documentation:World_Cafe