Learning environments
The term ‘learning environment’ refers to the social, physical, psychological and pedagogical contexts in which learning occurs and “encompasses learning resources and technology, means of teaching, modes of learning, and connections to societal and global contexts” (Educause, 2023).
The TELC theme of Learning Environments examines new ways of learning using educational technologies when online and face-to-face and is inclusive of synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid learning modes. The theme takes particular interest in the HyFlex learning and teaching affordances of a learning environment, the assessment and feedback possibilities and the instructional mode of delivery.
The ecology of a learning environment includes human practices and behaviours, systems and cultural dimensions. The theme investigates how learning environments can be used to nurture the knowledge, ideologies, values and identities relevant to discipline curriculum areas, degrees and professions.
Examples of this theme include Learning technologies; Learning, teaching, pedagogy and assessment; Evaluation; and, research.
Learning technologies
Including both synchronous and asynchronous modes and terms such as face-to-face, distance, online, blended and virtual. Focus on the application and affordances of educational tools for:
- Hybrid learning, including flipped classroom
- HyFlex learning (combination of hybrid and flexible)
- Online collaboration
- Multimodality: Spoken, written, visual, spatial, gestural, kineikonic, haptics, code and algorithms etc
- Virtual worlds
- Video games
Learning, teaching, pedagogy and assessment
- Lesson activities
- Sequential and non-sequential learning progressions
- Classroom instructions
- Game pedagogies, e.g. Procedure Rhetorics, curriculum interpretive play pedagogies, gamification
- Assessment: Overt formative and summative assessment and/or covert assessment; serious game assessment.
- Feedback systems, badges, gamification assessment techniques
- Success and failure
- Inclusion and exclusion
Evaluation
- Comparative evaluation of technology-infused learning environments
- Evaluation and development of processes to support embedding learning environments into curricula (see also embedding technologies theme).
Research
- Learning environments and SoTL
- Case studies
- Designing learning environments
- Literature reviews
- Critical multimodal discourse analysis
Research Projects
Coming soon!
Readings
Brownlow, C., Martin, N., Thompson, D.-M., Dowe, A., Abawi, D., Harrison, J., & March, S. (2023). Navigating university: The design and evaluation of a holistic support programme for autistic students in higher education. Education Sciences, 13(5), 521. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13050521
Caprara, L., & Caprara, C. (2022). Effects of virtual learning environments: A scoping review of literature. Education and information technologies, (27)3683–3722. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10768-w
Chen, L. L. (2022). Designing Online Discussion for HyFlex Learning. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 8(1), 191-198.
Detyna, M., Sanchez-Pizani, R., Giampietro, V., Dommett, E. J., & Dyer, K. (2022). Hybrid flexible (HyFlex) teaching and learning: climbing the mountain of implementation challenges for synchronous online and face-to-face seminars during a pandemic. Learning environments research, (26)145-159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-022-09408-y
Educause. (2023). Learning Environments. https://library.educause.edu/topics/teaching-and-learning/learning-environments
Jacka, L., & Lindsay, J. (2022). Flexible Learning and the Virtual Campus. ASCILITE Publications, e22154. https://doi.org/10.14742/apubs.2022.154
Lindsay, J., & Jacka, L. (2022). Introduction to HyFlex learning and teaching. FutureLearn. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/an-introduction-to-hyflex-learning-and-teaching
Lowien, N. (2022). The Semiotics Construction of Evaluative Meaning in Videogames: Explicating the Portray of Values [Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Southern Queensland]. https://doi.org/10.26192/x4242
Lowien, N. (2016). The semiotic construction of values in the videogame watch dogs. English in Australia, 51(2), 41–51. https://doi.org/10.3316/aeipt.213569
