C O N C L U S I O N
Our project collected raw data from two distinct educational environments, compared and contrasted different school structures, and analyzed the effects of certain learning environments on students. We surveyed students from grades 7-11 as well as administrators and educators regarding school structure and design, which provided a multifaceted analysis of learning environment components.
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Our goal is not to sway opinion one way or another regarding school design, rather to present unbiased data from each educational aspect we investigated. By presenting the specifications in such a way, this provides future educators and administrators with an unbiased platform to turn to when forming a learning environment.
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It is our hope that educators will reflect upon the following information, and that the following act as an innovative spark for further investigation and consideration.
To create an optimal learning environment, the rationale behind the choice of school structure is important. Consideration of including components from traditional and progression schools are needed, as there is a time and place for each aspect.
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Traditional 'Formalist' Schools
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Routine
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Discipline
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Textbook learning
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Top-down learning style
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Collective focus
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Techer-led instruction (Von Heyking, 2019)​
Progressive Schools
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Alternative methods of learning
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Experience based, hands-on learning
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Flexibility
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Workable environment (Von Heyking, 2019)​
When we asked students to critically analyze and compare different educational structures they have been immersed in, we found the most noteworthy statistic was the fact that the most favorable aspect of each component was paradoxically students least favourite part.
Common points of interest found through our project included concerns of engagement, assessment, and pedagogical practices. To combat these issues, educators and administrators should reflect and analyze current instructional practices in order to create a more optimal learning environment. These adjustments may take place in the form of the following, but are not limited to:
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Brain-breaks
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Providing students with a few moments of mental relief may re-focus and re-center students.
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Inquiry-Based Learning
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Encourages students to think deeply in a way that is collaborative, creative and critical (Gini-Newman & Case, 2018).​
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SDL (Self-Directed Learning)
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By emphasizing the students role in their learning, ​students are more likely to stay engaged and motivated while developing a deeper understanding of concepts. Additionally, overall the sense of growth experienced through self-directed learning helps prepare students for life outside the classroom (IXL, 2017).
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Formative Asssessment
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Effective formative assessment must include instructor feedback, re-evaluation and re-assessment from the student, and active engagement levels from each student over their own learning, including participation (Wiliam, 2018).
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Web-based learning
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By using online tools as technology in a learning environment, opportunities for “more interactive learning” where “critical thinking and creativity” (Bates, 2014, p.3) skills are developed are possible.
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Collaborative work
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​By utilizing collaborative learning strategies, students become critical thinkers, equipped with the ability to “locate needed information among a plethora of resources and sources, organize it, analyze it, evaluate its credibility and usefulness, and skillfully apply it to a variety of situations individually or as part of a group” (Bates, 2014, p.11).
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