Humans do not learn in a vacuum. Even the most carefully created curriculum cannot account for all of the influences on someone’s learning experience. Today I will examine two “invisible” influences on learning: the physical environment and the social environment. I will share examples I have found of each where these elements make or break the learning experience. When creating a learning experience for others, it is important to consider these two important factors.
The Impact of the Physical Environment
One thing that can influence informal learning is the environment. Humans are constantly taking in their surroundings and storing them in memory. There are ways that this can affect learning without us even realizing it. The book, Changing the Odds for Children at Risk, written in 2008 by Susan B. Neuman, describes the contrast in environments for children who grow up in middle- or upper-income areas versus those who grow up in poverty. Neuman describes how middle-class parents build routines with their babies that include grocery shopping, visiting the library, eating at restaurants, and going to activities where the familiar locations help develop a language script for the children. Children’s books are readily available, signs are appealing, and many locations encourage and provide reading opportunities. It is drastically different in poor neighborhoods.
Neuman asks on page 16: “if you walk through poor neighborhoods and ask yourself questions such as these: Are there readable, formative signs in the business district? Can parents in this neighborhood buy children’s books at the local stores? What are the quality and quantity of books in childcare centers, school libraries, and public libraries? Can people be seen reading newspapers or books in laundromats, restaurants, and bus shelters? You’ll find the answers highly disconcerting.” This difference creates a lasting impact on students. Studies show that middle-income children start kindergarten having seen or heard about 45 million words, whereas children from a welfare home begin kindergarten exposed to only 15 million words. This discrepancy causes low-income children to start behind and feel less confident in their learning abilities. In this case, the physical environment has a great impact.
The Impact of the Social Environment
Going beyond the physical environment, what about the people who are in it? With humans being such social creatures, the social environment also provides a powerful invisible influence. Situated Cognition Theory is a learning theory stating knowledge must be understood in the relation to the social and cultural system. Similarly, Vygotsky’s Developmental Method explains that humans are motivated to learn skills and information based on what activities are done in their social groups (Driscoll, 2005). Even values and choices can be influenced by your social group; consider how much more likely it is for students to choose to attend college if their parents and peers are.
In her 2012 article, Role Modeling: The Forgotten Influence, Ashley Janis explains “role modeling has often been referred to as the “hidden curriculum” of professional education as we often lack understanding regarding the influence role modeling has on learners.” Janis describes a study that found that role models were one of the most influential aspects of physicians’ education programs. Additionally, they found that students selected role models based on personality, competence, and instruction ability, while rank, years of experience, and accolades were less important. This is interesting because learning programs don’t often consider providing role models as a specific instructional strategy. They also might not consider training teachers or managers in programs on how to provide the best kind of mentoring and modeling for learners. Since humans so naturally look to those around them for cues on how to act and what to pursue, there is an opportunity to use this concept to strengthen learner and program success.
In what ways have you seen the physical and social environments influence learning in either a positive or negative way?
References:
Driscoll, M. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd edition). Ally & Bacon.
Janis, A. (2012, November 28). Role modeling: The forgotten influence. Educational Theory and Practice. http://edtheory.blogspot.com/2012/11/role-modeling-forgotten-influence.html
Neuman, S., B. (2008, November 3). Changing the odds for children at risk: Seven essential principles of educational programs that break the cycle of poverty. Prager.