Private and public learning spaces: critical to educational success

The environment in which learning takes place - physical or virtual – can have a significant impact on the learner. The learning process involves the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Learners acquire knowledge via different and varied means. Depending on individual needs, each learner will require some personal learning space to evaluate and ponder over the learning process. Thus apart from the general mainstream classroom, library and reading room areas, students will benefit from their own private learning spaces.

These private or personal learning spaces must not only enhance learning but must be capable of facilitating the learning process. They should be structured in such a way that they are easily adaptable to changes in technological development. They must also accommodate ergonomically friendly learning aids. Easy accessibility to these locations is key, while a good seating arrangement is equally important. Audio-visual learning aids should also be provided, where students could have access to the internet preferably through portable devices and wireless networks. Students will have the flexibility of moving from location to location within the school compounds creating and recreating their own private learning spaces.

The vision of our institution, SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College, situated in Ghana, West Africa, is to develop all our students into confident adults, capable of facing the challenges of a fast-changing world. The college is an ultra modern institution, set up to provide world class education for children from SOS Villages all over Africa as well as students from the host country Ghana. Our learners therefore form a diverse multinational and multicultural set consisting of teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18. The diversity of backgrounds from which our learners come, results in varied learning styles. This in turn influences the institution to create learning spaces that will cater for the different ways that students learn and encourage independent learning. They also enhance the imbibing of positive learning habits. Learning spaces should have an adaptable outlook that will accommodate as much as possible these different learning styles.

For our students, an ideal private learning space should be functional, spacious, comfortable and well ventilated. Students also dwelt on the need for easy access to teaching aids, through the use of audio visual aids and resources. Our teachers shared the same views with the students. Students indicated that devices like computers, electronic boards and functional storage space in a well defined learning space will enhance learning.

We follow the IB and IGCSE curriculum and this has a tremendous impact on the way students in the college, create their own private learning spaces. In our college, we have created private learning spaces along certain designated corridors, by constructing cubicles. Students during their free periods are able to interact in these areas. They also use their laptops to access information and interact with teachers via wireless receptivity. In our library for instance, an upper level floor seems to have metamorphosed into some sort of ‘upper room’ where students retreat to learn. Apart from chairs and table, this area used to be decked out with some comfortable couches. Senior students, during the evenings, do their prep in their own single cubicle chalets/hostels.

Seating in the general classroom consists of chairs and tables while different types of seating are provided in other specialised classrooms. In the laboratory, we have stools and in the audiovisual recourse rooms we have comfortable padded chairs, with writing boards attached to them. Students felt that, more comfortable, adaptable seating was necessary to enhance learning in the classroom. This would accommodate different learning activities, and eliminate the time wasted in rearranging furniture. We have a beautiful compound with flowers and large trees. Concrete benches have been provided for under these trees and these are especially helpful when changing the learning environment for both teacher and students.

The issue of whether a teacher must have a desk is the subject of ongoing debate. Most students thought that teachers should have desks; however, both teachers and students were of the view that the presence of the desk should not hinder the learning process.

The big question was what the classroom will look like physically in 2020. Most students thought there will be larger electronic boards in all classrooms. (We have one in the IT lab presently). More advanced computers and audiovisual aids, and that physical teacher/student interactions will be largely minimised as a result of the use of these devices. There will also be more teleconferencing, increased use of chat rooms to enhance discussion with other students and educators on global issues.

The future does look bright for us at SOS-HGIC and we will face the challenges that come with improving our infrastructure and our resources.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

This paper was collaboratively constructed by the entire teaching staff of SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College, in Tema, Ghana (West Africa).

 

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