Supportive Learning Environments
Strategies and practices that centre student wellbeing, foster belonging and shape inclusive, relational spaces for learning and engagement.
Overview
The learning environment is the place where teachers, students and elements of learning dynamically interact. It is represented in the BEL+T diagram as an encompassing field where the customized integration of interacting components, processes, and strategies occurs. The conditions for learning engagement and belonging can be intentionally designed to have a positive impact on student experience and outcomes.
Within this setting, supportive learning environments emphasise positive student experiences and care for student wellbeing “given that academic achievement and a balanced wellbeing mutually impact one another” (Thompson & Song, 2021). Supportive learning environments are enabled by employing practices that intentionally support student wellbeing. This approach foregrounds Wellbeing and “elevates care for student wellbeing as an integral, rather than ancillary, dimension of our teaching practice.” (Thompson & Song, 2021). Practices that create supportive learning environments overlap with those that promote culturally inclusive teaching. Suggestions and resources for inclusive teaching can be found on the teaching approaches page.
The table below provides a summary of each of the sections within this guidance. These sections can be accessed using the navigational sidebar on the top-left corner of the page.
| Wellbeing essentials | This page outlines several wellbeing essentials, as well as strategies to incorporate these wellbeing essentials into the learning environment. |
|---|---|
| Supportive strategies | This page outlines specific strategies for encouraging inclusive and supportive learning environments, including ways to incorporate empathy, model fallibility and include student interests and perspectives into your teaching. |
| Relational spatial practices | This page explores the concept of relational spatial practices, emphasising the design of learning spaces that foster student wellbeing, enhance engagement through social and spatial experiences, and support diverse learning styles to cultivate a dynamic and inclusive educational environment. |
| Additional resources | This page contains additional resources and information. |
Relational spatial practices
Built environment professions have inherent disciplinary inclinations towards spatial practices, so the premise that physical learning environments impact on learning experiences will be no surprise. However, while discussions of the design, functionality and accommodations of teaching environments are common, less emphasis is placed on how practices that attend to the spatial dynamics of wellbeing may also contribute to supportive learning environments.
The purposeful design of the relations between the learner, learning object and learning realm can create the conditions for supportive learning environments. A range of linked social and spatial experiences can also prepare students for diverse work contexts and build confidence. By enabling multiple learning opportunities and modes of expression student identity, agency and contribution to the learning community can be enhanced.
This page offers some spatial tactics for supportive learning environments.
Delivery: Presentation
Enabling opportunities to foster connections in lectures and presentations is key to encouraging a network of interactions among students, peers, and teachers. It is crucial to integrate elements of cross-peer discussion and breakout moments into these educational settings. Such techniques are specifically designed to challenge and disrupt the traditional learner-teacher dynamic and orientation that are commonly seen in lectures or presentation spaces.
Of course, when designing for increased student agency, choosing the mode of deliverable and presentation format will need to be supported by learning design and assessment practices to ensure clarity and equity.
Interaction: Group/Teamwork
When designing learning experiences, it is important to carefully consider how the coordination of physical space can enhance interactivity. For instance, adopting a roundtable setup places the focus squarely on the learning object, with teachers, students, and peers all having equal positioning. In this mode, the teacher transitions to the role of a facilitator or consultant, actively engaging with teams in various formats, including micro-offices, conferences, or workshops. Such a reorientation is beneficial as it diminishes the traditional adversarial dynamic often perceived between reviewers, learners, and peers, fostering instead a responsive and collaborative environment amongst students, guests, and teachers.
Assessment: Presentations & Design Reviews
Enabling purposeful spatial arrangements is key to foregrounding student agency and competence in the learning environment. In this context, students are given the opportunity to design, organise, and plan their interactions with learning objects, as well as the way assessors and peers engage with them. Various forms of engagement can be incorporated, such as expanded desk critiques, exhibition formats, or guided tours. This method not only highlights student agency and competence but also fosters a sense of connectedness within the community of peers. Furthermore, this setup allows for the possibility of conducting multiple reviews simultaneously, enhancing the dynamic and interactive nature of the learning experience.