Conditions for learning and learning environments: are we talking about the same thing, or is there any difference between these two concepts?

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

With learning environments in general we refer to the elements related to the physical spaces as well as the non-physical dimensions of a learning experience that will happen in a certain place. Learning environment gives a focus on how to create an environment that can be safe, supportive, creative, engaging, inspiring, with functional working spaces, and rich with working materials and resources.

CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING 

What about conditions for learning? In the Oxford Dictionary conditions is defined as:

The circumstances or factors affecting the way in which people live or work, especially with regard to their well-being.

SAME OR DIFFERENT? 

Does this definition say or suggest something different than the explanation for learning environments? After researching for some time, I couldn’t find sources showing substantial differences between learning environments and conditions for learning.

When referring to a positive learning environment or ideal conditions for learning, it’s exactly about features related to safety, functional working spaces, and the variety of working materials.

Why then do I find conditions more purposeful as a term and concept, to refer to all that is needed to support people’s learning in a given space and time in a planned learning experience? Using the term conditions helps me to move my thinking beyond physical spaces and deeper into the intangible elements we have to think about when designing a learning experience. Above all it makes me think more about all those elements that are beyond our control.

The elements that are out of our control are the crucial point here. Rarely we are in a situation or place that is an ideal one. Any ideal situation happens, not for the place itself but for a combination of other factors, like the attitudes of people in that place towards that place – and this is probably the most important factor.

CONDITIONS 

So what are the conditions that we can work on and shape according to our needs? And, what are the conditions we cannot influence at all?

Learning in youth work happens in a variety of different contexts. It can be a steady path in a youth centre of an NGO or in a youth centre of a municipality; it can be in a suburb’s basement or on the move in the streets. Sometimes these contexts can cross and overlap. Learning in youth work can happen as a long-term or short-term experience, indoors or outdoors. These few different contexts already suggest that every single context needs different conditions. We can also find conditions that we cannot influence or change. Therefore we need to focus, plan and act on what we can do and change.

Think of a learning experience in a physical space, either it is a long-term path in a youth centre or a short term learning experience in a given space – like a week on a youth exchange, a youth camp or a training course. The group of young people sees the physical place for the first time: the first impact is with the reception, rooms, toilets, corridors, the bar, the dining room, outdoor spaces and, very important, the people working in that space, with their way of interacting, their attitudes and behaviours. In a very short time, people may have already got a strong impression of the physical environment and also of its vibe. Ugly? Beautiful? Average? It can be difficult to define it and perhaps not even that important. The place may be considered beautiful but then is not functional or it may be perceived as ugly but it is functional. Maybe the place has a religious or political connotation, this can be a strong trigger for someone. But we are there, we cannot change the place.

If we are lucky there may be a few things that can be changed or that can be moved around; we can design the physical space following our creativity, according to the contents and specific objectives of the learning experience, according to the needs of the group. The best case scenario is to involve the group of young people in a co-creation process. But still, most likely the things of the physical environment we cannot change, these are not in our hands.

NON-CONDITIONS 

Some elements related to the physical learning environment can be changed creatively in our hands but only up to a certain point. There will most likely be some things beyond our control. As already noted, the physical space, for some unexpected reason, can trigger some people. What then can we do when we come across these things beyond our control, when we come across these non-conditions?

WE LOOK IN A MIRROR AND SEE THAT WE ARE THE (MAIN) CONDITIONS 

But, WE who?

The WE is us, the youth workers, educators, trainers, and all those who may have some direct role in hosting a learning experience. We are key for creating the conditions for learning, among the many elements to think about when taking care of the overall design of a learning experience. WE can be crucial. It can simply come down to our way of being in the space or how we are as facilitators of learning. It is important to be aware that there are intangible elements that can determine the conditions for learning, and these come straight from our mind, heart and hands.

When we are in that physical space, with its impact in defining some of the conditions, and highlighting those things that are not in our control, there is one thing that is in our control. That is the simple magical thing we do: we communicate and we interact with the group!

The way we communicate to people, with the words we think, choose and use, the way we move in the space, our attitudes and our behaviours, all this opens the space and creates more layers in the space. It is this that can support people to feel enabled and safe, to feel that they are fully part of the group and the process. Through this they can navigate the learning experience in their own way, owning their learning path (or not).

Our way of being in the space can make a big difference when facing the non-conditions we find. Our way of being can enable us to look at them from different angles, where perhaps we can see some benefit in them or see how to take some advantage from them. It can also help us with a higher readiness to let go when needed.

This approach, our way of being – the way we communicate and move in the space, all this can be so crucial in shifting our perspective on the conditions for learning, for ourselves and for the group we work with. For sure it is not that simple or magic, and it can be a bit scary and intimidating instead. Well, obviously it’s not as easy and smooth as a walk with an ice cream, but being deeply aware of how key we can be is already a big step.

THE WAY OF BEING

The way of being is simply part of the professional development of a youth worker, an educator, a trainer. It also defines how competent we are, because being competent is not only about our knowledge and skills but is a lot also about our attitudes and behaviours. As it is defined in the ETS (European Training Strategy) Competence Model for Youth Workers to Work Internationally, the competence concept is exactly based on these four components: attitudes, knowledge, skills, behaviours, and they are equally important. It is worth exploring the Competence Model, especially looking at the aspects of attitudes and behaviours, they particularly reveal the importance of the way of being.