Page 48 - International Journal of Process Educaiton (Special Issue)

How to Create a Quality Learning Environment This work was formalized between 2003 and 2007 and
published in the Faculty Guidebook in the modules,
During the fall of 1994, a peer coaching visit to Rick Moog's Overview of a Quality Learning Environment (Apple
general chemistry class at Franklin & Marshall College & Smith 2007b) and Methodology for Creating a
led to an ongoing discussion of what characteristics make Quality Learning Environment (Apple & Smith 2007a).
up a quality learning environment (Moog, 1999). The The 10 Principles for Establishing a Quality Learning
question was turned into an optional activity, “Designing Environment (Figure 1) include nearly all of the points
a Challenging Learning Environment” that appears in offered previously.
the 1995 Teaching institute handbook (Apple), giving
faculty the opportunity to participate in the discussion The Methodology for Creating a Quality Learning
and to realize the benefits of potentially improving their Environment (Figure 2) not only offers steps for realizing
practice. The 1998 Teaching institute handbook (Apple a Quality Learning Environment; it also offers justification
& Krumsieg) provided a summary of the learning and rationale for each step, all of which are supported
environment characteristics that had been identified to by additional modules from the Faculty Guidebook (see
date and further introduced the 10-step Methodology Figure 3).
to Create a Quality Learning Environment. Within two
years, the one-page outline had been expanded to include Beyond the Faculty Guidebook, the article Conditions for
a discussion and tips for implementing all 10 steps of the Challenging Learner Performance notes that, with regard
methodology (Apple & Krumsieg, 2000). to Step 10, growth occurs not when we are ‘coasting,’ but,
rather, when we are challenged…it is especially important

Figure 1 Principles for Establishing a Quality Learning Figure 2 Steps in the Methodology for Creating a
Environment (QLE) Quality Learning Environment

1. Establish a high degree of trust and respect. 1. Establish initial respect.
2. Make sure both learner and mentor are committed 2. Start with no prejudging.
3. Obtain shared commitment.
to the learner’s success. 4. Foster and support risk-taking.
3. Get student buy-in very early in the process. 5. Permit the learner to fail.
4. Challenge students. 6. Set high expectations.
5. Set clear and high expectations. 7. Establish clear performance criteria.
6. Encourage risk-taking. 8. Implement a quality assessment system.
7. Seek student feedback regularly by using assess- 9. Document performance.
10. Continuously challenge performance.
ment on a consistent and timely basis.
8. Measure and document progress and growth.
9. Create a collaborative learning space.
10. Create a balance between structure and flexibility.

Figure 3 Correlation of Steps in the Methodology with Supporting Faculty Guidebook Modules

Step(s) Supporting Faculty Guidebook Modules (all from 2007)
1. Establish initial respect. Establishing Initial Respect Without Prejudging (Smith)
2. Start with no prejudging.
3. Obtain shared commitment. Getting Student Buy-In (Burke)
Obtaining Shared Commitment (Smith & Beyerlein)
4. Foster and support risk-taking Letting Students Fail So They Can Succeed (Hadley)
5. Permit the learner to fail
6. Set high expectations. Setting High Expectations (Smith)
7. Establish clear performance criteria. Writing Performance Criteria for a Course (Hinton)
Writing Performance Criteria for Individuals and Teams (Utschig)
8. Implement a quality assessment system. Creating Meaningful Assessment and Documentation Systems
9. Document performance (Wicks)
10. Continuously challenge performance. The Accelerator Model (Morgan & Apple)

46 International Journal of Process Education (February 2016, Volume 8 Issue 1)