Brain-Compatible
Learning Environments
Lisa
Barfield-McCarty
PSY370: Learning
and the Brain
October 22, 2011
Brain-Compatible
Learning Environments
Today’s
science provides a great deal of research and support for the interconnectivity
of individual learning, diversity of mind, environmental stimuli, cooperative
group interplay, and ability to reach students through a variety of emotionally
relevant and psychologically engaging forms of instruction. Much of this
science is related to how the brain receives, organizes, and recalls
information as well as identifying which external processes are responsible for
new brain cells and connections being formed. Some of this science focuses solely on
behavioral results and academic improvements brought on by certain changes in
learning environments and teaching strategies. What is largely being learned
and understood through this research is that the human learning potential is
far greater when consideration is placed on certain environmental factors,
sensory stimuli, and individuality of students. This potential for better
learning and advancement per student is emphasized through loosening the reins
on freedom of exploration and expression within the learning environment.
Students need time to think, to feel, to consider, to discuss, and to reach
alternate conclusions in order to walk away with true knowledge and the
competency to reach higher levels of understanding. For this reason, many of
the standard prescribed models for education have to be re-thought and altered
to better suit the updated understanding of how more competent thinkers and
well-adjusted members of society may be produced through any education system.
To
better comprehend how more effective learning environments may be achieved by
design, it is necessary to first understand some basic principles about how the
brain functions and grows according to outside stimuli. Outside stimuli refers
to direct experience through sensory input and social interaction. The brain is
a part of the nervous system which controls the body and mental responses (both
voluntary and involuntary) through an intricate network design that
incorporates neuron growth and activity, glial cell interactivity, dendrite
production and connectivity, nerve impulses, and various chemical and
electrical interactions. There are three major portions of the human brain (the
cerebrum or forebrain, the cerebellum or hindbrain, and the brainstem) each of
which possess regions or areas that are used to collect, decipher, and organize
data, and to communicate things like relevance, urgency, and various perceived
connective data to other areas of the brain and body. Functional imaging advances such as the MRI
(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scans have
revealed much about how specialized regions of the brain handle and respond to
incoming stimuli. Through these types of advances we have gained insight into precisely
which areas of the brain are devoted to what types of sensory stimuli, and
interpretation of that data, as well as how these various regions interact
during the interpretive and organizational process. (BSCS, 2005)
In
truth, a learning environment is any space where the potential for learning is
held, and that is essentially every area of one’s life since learning occurs on
some level at all times during our life even when we are sleeping. However, for
the purposes of this paper, it is the constructed spaces that are intended to
provide access to specific learning materials and interactions that are the
focus of consideration. These spaces are those which are made available to
students in a way to provide access to various subjects in order to enhance
their learning potential and improve learning outcomes. Most of these spaces
are designed to include a group of learners rather than just one, therefore
when design ideas for that space and what is to be learned there are proposed
the diversity of the intended group should be taken into account. While the
whole space should incorporate themes and elements that speak to a variety of
cultures, interests, and ways of thinking so as to promote an atmosphere of
inclusiveness and comfortable familiarity as well as to serve as a window of
exploration into other cultures and ideas, there should also be personal
reflective areas within that space which allows each student to express their
own unique personality and provides them with a place to study apart from
others in a manner that suits their personal learning style.
What
is important to understand here is that implementing such planned environmental
layout strategies not only provides students with a less stressful learning
space where feelings of safety, familiarity, inclusion, and comfort are
promoted but it also actually works to physically influence the developing
structure of the student’s brain. (Jensen, 2008) This is something that is generally not
even considered by many educators and parents but has the potential to make a
profound difference in a student’s immediate achievements and overall
performance. What we generally consider to be a psychological response to stimuli
is oftentimes related to memories of past experience through a familiar sensory
link (such as a sight, smell, or sound) and this provokes an emotional reaction
(either positively or negatively, but by doing so experiences are judged by the
brain in relation to past knowledge of similar stimulus). This is generally
considered to be either a hindrance to the learning process or otherwise seen
as not useful to the learning atmosphere. But since psychological and emotional
responses are actually brain responses brought on by memory connections,
chemical reactions, and electrical impulses within its framework, it is not
wise to ignore or suppress the opportunity for further learning potential that
these links provide.
In
order to favorably tap into natural brain responses through emotion, interest
(brought on by personality and experience), and relevance (understanding of
connection to one’s own life), it is helpful to concentrate on integrating
elements into the learning environment that invoke positive moods and
constructive emotional impacts. This is not to say that negative emotional
feedback or responses should be avoided or ignored but rather that they should
not be emphasized by way of environmental stimuli. If a negative emotion, mood,
or experience is encountered by a student there are ways to help them move
beyond that emotional state so as to allow them to be more receptive to the
lessons being explored and reviewed. For instance, having them engage in
physical activities or within natural environments, providing them with
visualization and relaxation techniques, or encouraging participation in
metaphorical ritual exercises, role-play simulations or artistic expression
strategies are all useful ways in which to alter a student’s mood and mindset
in a healthy and positive manner. (Jensen, 2008)
Design
of space and of instruction that considers the impact of sensory input can
positively influence the student’s learning environment on a number of levels.
Part of what makes a learning environment successful from a brain-based
perspective is the cooperative and supportive atmosphere created by teachers
who remain flexible and understanding of individual needs in regard to their
students. This means providing students with instruction and guidance in
subject areas that is with respect to their individual learning styles and
cultural as well as social personality considerations. It means allowing room
for mistakes and time for solutions to problems to be explored and relevant
connections to be recognized. It means facilitating individual and group centered
projects in alignment with subject matter, projected outcomes, and individual
learning potential. Therefore the planned instruction of students (the what,
why, and how) is an equally important factor in creating brain-compatible
learning environments. Considering ways in which stimuli such as music, color,
smell, touch, and taste can be used to tap into emotion and help to bind
learning to memory are useful in the natural guidance of a student’s brain
toward better and more effective learning experiences.
The
actual architectural and aesthetic design of learning spaces can be greatly
influential on a student’s ability to effectively learn and make steady
academic progress. Even more than providing diverse visual displays related to
subject matter, culture, and interest, there are some basic visual elements
that when incorporated into a space may increase learning potential but when
left out of a space may inhibit learning. Visual stimuli may be the most
important or effective sensory element to consider since nearly ninety percent
of all recorded information in the brain is brought on by visual perceptions. (Jensen, 2008) Visual elements of
design can be used to attract attention in a certain way within a space or to
pique a student’s interest. Things like shape and contrast, lighting and color,
and depth, size, and other various distinctions of property all play a part in the
overall influence of a student’s brain. A classroom may be simply a square room
with one window and one door, but the elements incorporated into that space
involving what kind of appeal and energy the space may offer to those
interacting within it can have a significant impact on cognitive functioning.
Color may be
especially important as it immediately impresses upon the observer certain
specific messages and meanings that tend to also affect mood and interest level
(among other things). These specific messages and meanings are related to
various factors such as survival instinct, memory, cultural influences, and
many other things including genetics. Certain neurotransmitters that are passed
on genetically from parents to their children can actually affect color
preference and aversion through their effects on the hormonal responses of the
endocrine system. Certain colors emit certain specific responses based on how
the brain perceives and files them which signal a particular chemical response
that is related to the area of the brain that is tapped into. For instance, the
color red may elicit feelings of excitement which triggers an adrenaline
response while the color yellow may elicit feelings of joy which triggers an
endorphin response. (Barrett, 2008) The
best colors to be utilized in classroom design (specifically as wall colors) for
better cognition and positive emotional responses include very light shades of
yellow, green, or blue (especially pastel shades). Avoidance of white for walls
is generally preferred since they are perceived as bland or institutional and
can irritate the eyes in bright lighting. Very dark or loud tones of color
should also be avoided since they may promote irritable moods and discontent
within the classroom setting. However, feelings of calm, cheerfulness, and
sociable attitudes can be promoted through the use of various light or pastel
shades. It has been suggested that all of the walls in a classroom should be of
the same color except for one which should be of a different and somewhat
darker tone since this can reduce glare and eye strain. (Nuhfer, 2004)
Lighting also
has an effect on how color is perceived and therefore experienced. (Barrett, 2008) Such an effect will
not necessarily be positive or negative, only slightly different which may have
an impact on learning as well. Lighting is important for educational
environment design in a lot of significant ways. For obvious reasons, proper
lighting is important in regard to study. If we can see better then we will not
strain to see and will therefore be more comfortable and this will improve
absorption of materials being learned. More than this though, things such as
fluorescent lighting and glare can have a significant negative effect on
learning. (Jensen, 2008)
Several studies
support a shift from traditional fluorescent lighting in classrooms to
full-spectrum lighting which provides wavelengths of blues and violets in addition
to reds and yellows since this has proven to affect student health and learning
in positive ways. Not only do fluorescent lights produce glare on white
surfaces (such as paper) but they are also linked with the suppression of the
immune system and with disturbing the normal function of the central nervous
system. It is suggested that the immune system may be suppressed due to the
skin’s prolonged absorption of yellow wavelengths that cause blood cortisol
levels to rise. (Nuhfer, 2004) And, the central nervous system is
negatively affected by a stress factor caused by an auditory-visual response to
fluorescent light flickering and humming (also in relation to a rise in
cortisol levels). (Jensen, 2008) Some studies have proven definite
developed deficiencies in learning related to lighting. These studies showed a
reversal of negative effects simply by changing the type of lighting used in
the classroom. All of the studies related to lighting in an educational setting
support the incorporation of lighting that is most like natural light if not
actual natural light (as may be provided by windows or skylights). (Jensen, 2008)
Another
important factor in providing preferred sensory experiences in a learning
atmosphere is that of the level of quality of environmental elements. If mood
and experience are constantly being adversely affected by dilapidated, broken,
or otherwise deficient materials and utilized items within a working space that
impacts ability to perform on a regular basis then student outcomes may
seriously be compromised. (Jensen, 2008) Not only do some insufficient and
non-working architectural and environmental features pose significant health
risks (as with poor plumbing, old and chipping paint, leaky roofs, mold, and
pests) but the hampering effect that such issues have on necessary or required
everyday tasks can impede the learning process and distract from what needs to
be accomplished in order for said learning to take place. These types of issues
are especially prevalent in poor communities and homes where curriculum
learning is to take place since these areas are less likely to have access to
proper funds and educational supplies. Therefore, such problems will most
certainly need to be addressed in creative ways that include community
involvement and support as well as donations of building materials, classroom
furniture, fixtures, and educational supplies.
In relation to
how classroom environments may be improved aesthetically to positively affect
students psychologically as well as emotionally and socially, the types of
furniture and the layout of said furniture are important considerations as
well. The study of ergonomics, which reveals information about the efficiency
of various work environments, has provided much insight into the way
individuals interact with one another within an environment that is influenced
by certain differing design features. In regard to seating, research has shown
how students are most likely to interact together in different seating
arrangements. For instance, circular seating patterns are generally preferred
as they promote discussion and group inspired idea generation. This may be
preferable in some classroom designs. Whereas lectures and other types of
presentations are benefitted by conventional row-seating, the everyday
classroom dynamics that involve group discussion and activities may benefit
more fully by circular seating or even by rectangular conference type seating
with the overseer of instruction seated at the end. This is because social
interaction is encouraged by these types of seating arrangements. Therefore,
when listening, watching, and absorbing information it is best for all students
to face in the direction of the presented material but when learning is to take
place through discussion, group interaction, and feedback it is best to support
that through a more centered arrangement of seating. Also, the amount of space
put between those seated will determine whether a student is more likely to
interact with those seated beside them or across from them. (McVey, 2001)
Several other
issues may affect the student’s potential for learning. For instance,
overcrowding is one issue that faces many underprivileged areas that can have a
negative impact on learning. (Jensen, 2008) Many teachers and students of
universities have indicated that classroom size (space for students to
participate in activities, space for instructors to present lessons, and space
for proper or required lesson/study materials) is among the most influential
aspects of positive classroom experiences and learning environments. (McVey, 2001) Another concern may
be acoustics of a learning space. Ambient noise, reverberation, and echo
effects caused by poor classroom architectural design can produce problems by
diverting student attention away from educational presentations and study and
leading to discipline and behavioral issues. (Jensen, 2008) Also, providing students with adequate
hydration throughout their time spent within the learning environment as well
as unrestricted access to restroom facilities is a necessary contributing
factor to creating comfortable learning environments that promote healthy brain
function. And, providing a comfortable learning space through proper
ventilation and temperature control is important for keeping the brain healthy
and alert with non-stagnant air and less stress caused by overheating or cold
distractions. (Jensen, 2008)
There are
several ways that these issues may be addressed to avoid negative impacts on
student’s cognitive functioning while also increasing their potential
performance. For instance, to help address the stagnant air issue fresh air
from opening windows may be helpful when the weather is permitting. And,
inserting plants into the learning space can improve oxygen levels in the room
and even help to remove air pollutants. In particular, certain types of plants
may be most beneficial in this respect (according to studies conducted by NASA’s
Environmental Research Laboratory) such as bamboo palms, rubber plants, and
yellow chrysanthemums, among others. (Jensen, 2008)
There is a great
deal of information related to this subject of creating more efficient and achievement
oriented learning spaces based on what we now know about the human brain and
how it works in concert with the body. In order to create a learning
environment that is holistic in its purpose, design, and everyday practical
implementations, a thorough look into several areas of study (including
psychology, emotional responses to stimuli, individual research finds
concerning things like color and sound and smell, as well as ergonomics and
architectural development in relation to human behavior) is needed to better
understand all the ways that learning may be improved by design.
References
Barrett, J. (2008). The Color of Learning.
Retrieved October 23, 2011, from California Department of General Services -
Excellence in Public Education Facilities:
http://www.excellence.dgs.ca.gov/MaxStPerformance/S4_4-2.htm
BSCS. (2005). The
Brain: Our Sense of Self. Retrieved October 22, 2011, from National
Institutes of Health:
http://science-education.nih.gov/supplements/nih4/self/guide/info-brain.htm
Jensen, E.
(2008). Brain-Based Learning: The New Paradigm of Teaching (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA.: Corwin Press.
McVey, G.
(2001). Ergonomics and the Learning Environment. Retrieved October 23,
2011, from Association for Educational Communications and Technology:
http://www.aect.org/edtech/ed1/pdf/36.pdf
Nuhfer, E.
(2004). Some Aspects of an Ideal Classroom: Color, Carpet, Light and
Furniture . Retrieved October 23, 2011, from California State University
of the Channel Islands:
http://profcamp.tripod.com/ClassroomDesign/IdealClass.html
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