Date of Defense

12-6-2013

Date of Graduation

12-2013

Department

Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies

First Advisor

Dini Metro-Roland

Second Advisor

Kelly Killen

Abstract

There are three main components that create a classroom. There are the students who are learning, the content that is being taught, and the environment in which all of this is happening. Many people focus on studying how students learn and how to make the curriculum exciting, but many teachers overlook how they can adapt their classroom environment to achieve greater focus and learning from their students. This paper aims to look at the various modifications a teacher can use in their classroom to help students stay engaged and gain higher critical thinking.

When analyzing the environment of a classroom there are three areas on which to focus: physical environment, non-physical environment, and emotional environment. Each of these can be modified in different ways to create a stronger atmosphere that promotes learning. A teacher can arrange desks or hang student work to help motivate students and keep them focused. They can also create sections of the class that use warmer lighting to create an inviting atmosphere away from the common fluorescent bulbs. The class can even benefit as a whole if the teacher finds the intellectual and social leaders and utilizes their skills and abilities to help the class stay on track. All of these and more are potential ways that an educator can adapt their environment to foster higher learning. A bad classroom environment is just as detrimental to learning as a bad curriculum.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

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