Jason Wiley Theory Review

 

Theory Review:  Environment and Context in Learning

Jason Wiley

Ball State University

EDAC 635:  Strategies for Teaching Adults

Dr. Bo Chang

September 18, 2021

Name	Commented On
Jason Wiley	Jennifer McDonale (Group 1)

 

Introduction

Environmental based learning theory is based on how events and stimuli that occur outside of the learner may influence the learning process.  These events and stimuli include the physical, cultural, power, knowledge, and ‘real-life’ environments (MacKeracher, 2004).  Despite separate categories, there is overlap associated between two or more.

Main Theoretical Points

Physical Environment

The physical environment is an all-encompassing category that addresses aspects that have an impact on the physical comfort of the learner(s) and facilitator(s) (MacKeracher, 2004).  These potential impacts include the equipment uses and placement of the objects like tables, chairs, desks, lighting, and technology.  Lawson (2016) provides examples of how the placement of the tables and chairs for a meeting or class can help dictate the comfort level of the group for communication and participation.  In Lawson’s breakdown, the typical classroom style offers a more formal environment compared to the informal environment of clustered groups.  By considering these placements and how a participants may respond to formal versus informal settings, the facilitator can adjust the comfort level relative to personal interactions.

Sounds including the ambience or from other people along with the quality of the air in the room, including temperature, also fall within this category.  Agata & Katarzyna’s (2018) study examined students’ subjective responses to the air quality that included temperature, humidity, and noise level.  Though their research was limited in scope, it does provide evidence that not all students respond similarly to the same environment.  

Cultural Environment

Cultural environment is based on how the learned beliefs of the person can influence how they perceive and respond to the overall learning environment.  These beliefs are developed through multiple group experiences and include family, work, and community along with the person’s religion, race or ethnicity, sex or sexual identity, and even the languages spoken (MacKeracher, 2004).  These cultural influences can also develop bias towards other cultures.

Mabokela & Mawila’s (2004) studied how the race, gender, and other cultural factors have affected education for women in South Africa since Apartheid has ended.  While some of the results of the study show progress, it is often minor despite Apartheid ending twenty years previously.  Overall, the research indicates that the effect of a cultural environment often carries on well beyond when views or norms begin to change and is not an immediate change.

Power Environment

The power environment relates to the interpersonal balance between learners and educator.  This balance can be from an individualist or social structural view (MacKeracher, 2004).  With individualists, the focus of power is with ‘voice’ and is promoted through sharing of knowledge openly which confidence is built in a safe environment.  Social structuralist views consider that the individual is molded from influences of privilege, systems of power, and other social aspects that create their identity.

In Henze, Lucas, & Scott’s case study (1998), white privilege, racism, and power inequalities were analyzed.  The study points to race and power differentials as topics that are often taboo in nature and limit an individual’s willingness to openly discuss and analyze.  ‘Invisibility to whiteness’ has also played a role in the unwillingness to address racial power disparities.  In Abrams & Gibson’s article (2007), the ‘invisibility of whiteness’ is expanded on further.  The article points out that many white people are unable, or unwilling, to see how their whiteness allows for a power disparity in many situations. 

Knowledge Environment

The knowledge environment is rooted in epistemology, or a system of knowledge (MacKeracher, 2004).  With the epistemology, the content of knowledge is on the same plane of importance as the processes to create and validate the knowledge.  As a result, cultural environment can have a direct impact on the epistemology of the learners and facilitators.  If a learner’s epistemology is based in religion, then the knowledge of a scientific topic may be processed in a different manner than that of a learner whose epistemology is forged on science. 

MacKeracher’s example of North American society being based on Eurocentric science, philosophy, and history provides insight of how the power environment also has an effect with the knowledge environment.  As a result of the Eurocentric power dynamic that dominated in the development of the North American society, African and Asian epistemologies were marginalized originally.  Even today, there are challenges or reluctance to modifying a person’s existing epistemology that causes conflict.  Such examples include critical race theory in education, educational support and services, and racism/bias in all aspects of day-to-day life.  Only by setting aside the conflicting nature of differing epistemologies and truly listening to the ideas of others, especially those that are marginalized or oppressed, can someone’s own epistemology begin to evolve and reform.

Real-Life Environment

Real-Life environment is based on the concepts of situated cognition and situational learning.  MacKeracher (2004) sums up situated cognition as knowledge that is driven by context and impacted by the activities, context, and cultures that developed and used them.  Situational learning continues this notion as it is social relational, tool dependent, and active.  With the key to both concepts being situational and contextual, they are based on imparting knowledge that may be useful in specific real-life events but may not necessarily be related to other contexts.  By incorporating situations that are real-world based, the learner is developing to fill a role or position with a group or culture.  They are also able to apply the context of the activities in a way that connects back to these real-world situations.

Application

When applying the physical to the environment learning, the implementation can range from the simple to the complex.  Simple actions can include adjusting the lighting to limit eye strain.  On the other hand, ergonomics for a more comfortable work area may prove more difficult to implement if the facilitator does not have a choice on the equipment that is provided for the setting.  People are also comfortable in different ways like temperature, so it can be a struggle to make the physical environment comfortable for all participants.  The goal, rather, should be to provide as comfortable environment for as much of the group as possible within reasonable means.  Controlling ambient noises can prove difficult to limiting distractions when they may be dependent on things out of someone’s control like central air turning on or fans in electronics making noise.

With cultural environment, it’s important to make each group or individual feel as welcomed as the next.  This can be applied in the educational setting by acknowledging everyone’s diversity but not making it the major focal point.  This can be accomplished by acknowledging and using a person’s preferred pronouns, adapting meeting times based on a person’s religious beliefs, or even providing a variety of food at an event that satisfies cultural differences including vegetarian or kosher options.

The power environment requires that everyone acknowledges the rest of the group.  In practice, this would include creating an open setting where everyone feels comfortable with providing insight or knowledge.  Creating this open, safe environment could be accomplished by addressing imbalances that may emerge like conflict or demeaning commentary during discussions. 

With the knowledge environment, understanding that everyone processes information differently is key to application.  As a result of the different epistemologies, different viewpoints are developed.  This is incorporated in the knowledge environment by having others examine all sides of a topic.  By having each person look at the different ideals and compare it to their own, the individual can adjust their own view based on new information.  An example for this could be the topic of free college.  While some may disagree or agree with the construct and its current political ties, it’s important for all sides of all views to be considered to further each person’s view.  This is also beneficial as it addresses different cultural & power dynamics and their influences.

The real-life environment relies on context of the activities and cultural to make connections to real world-based situations.  Common programs for applying this concept are internships or mentoring.  The learner can participate in the company/program culture while actively learning the tools of the trade and connecting their learning to true-to-life practices.  While the situation may not directly translate to a different position, the fundamentals and experience are often the same.  An example of this would include an internship at a pipefitting company for a welder.  While the intern learns the context of welding with the appropriate tools and how to interact with colleagues, the specific skills may not necessarily transfer to underwater welding, but the underlying context still is applicable.

Reflection

Highlights

The main highlight I gained through this unit was the variety of the learning environment.  The first thought that comes to mind when discussing the environment in learning is the physical.  While it’s important to pay heed to the lighting, furniture, temperature, and other physical impacts on the learner and facilitator, it is also not the only one.  With the cultural, it’s important to understand how beliefs can alter the surroundings.  Something as simple as a luncheon for a training event need to account for the different cultures and not alienating a group.  This also plays into the power environment, as dismissing a culture can play into the power dynamics and lead to a group feeling oppressed or inferior.  The knowledge environment is framed by how a person processes the information through their personal beliefs which intertwines with the cultural environment concept.

Process

I began my research by reading through the Fall 2021 class’s theory reviews on environment and context in learning.  I did this to get an understanding of what areas were focused on to develop a general framework.  I also used the examples as a refresher due to not writing a cited paper in two decades.  After reviewing previous examples, I read through the course text chapter again.

Once I had reviewed the base literature and examples, I generated a template for my own theory review.  With the template laid out, I developed the overview for each theoretical that cited back to our required text.  As I completed each point, I added an entry into the tables section.  I then used the Ball State library’s One Search to find supporting documents to create the next paragraph for each of the points.

I decided to develop my theory review in a single sitting to prevent breaking up the workflow.  In the single sitting, I broke the work into small sections.  Once it was completed, I would come back to it the next day to review with fresh eyes to make additional edits.

Tables

Main Theoretical Ideas	How to Apply in Practice
Physical Environment	Continual evaluation of physical comfort including ease-of-use technology, furniture ergonomics and placement, and temperature settings Make modifications based on learner/instructor needs for comfort
Cultural Environment	Adapt to or acknowledge cultural differences/norms amongst the population
Power Environment	Assess and address power differences between learners and/or facilitators Provide a safe environment for promoting the voice of the learner
Knowledge Environment	Collaborate and communicate with others of differing ideals to the status quo Understand that the same information may process different based on that individual’s epistemology
Real-Life Environment	Connect context of activities back to real world situations

 References

Abrams, L. S., & Gibson, P. (2007). Reframing multicultural education: Teaching white privilege in the social work curriculum. Journal of Social Work Education, 43(1), 147-160.

Agata, W., & Katarzyna, G. (2018). Analysis of thermal comfort in education building in surveys. E3S Web of Conferences, 44, 00189. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20184400189

Lawson, K. (2016). The trainer's handbook (4th ed.). Wiley.

Mabokela, R. O., & Mawila, K. F. N. (2004). The impact of race, gender, and culture in south african higher education. Comparative Education Review, 48(4), 396-416. https://doi.org/10.1086/423359

MacKeracher, D. (2004). Making sense of adult learning (2nd ed.). Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press.

Henze, R., Lucas, T., & Scott, B. (1998). Dancing with the monster: Teachers discuss racism, power, and white privilege in education. The Urban Review, 30(3), 187-210. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023280117904