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Last Updated6 June 2023
How People Learn covers some of the core elements of how and why people learn. Creating an environment where people are able to learn is more important than the technical aspects of skiing (or any activity). Understand and discover more about how people process information and develop skills.

Creating a Learning Environment

Creating a positive learning environment is essential because it will have a significant impact on a student’s success and enjoyment of the lesson.

A positive learning environment will encourage students to engage and try new things in a safe and enjoyable way.

A positive learning environment will build trust and rapport between instructor and student and, with trust, feedback can be given and received in a positive way. A positive learning environment will also help to increase student motivation and engagement. When students are actively involved in the learning process, they are more likely to be invested in their progress and work harder to achieve their goals.

Becoming skilled at creating a positive learning environment takes time, experience and practice. Reflecting on your lessons should be done on a regular basis to help you understand and learn how to improve and evolve as a teacher. In every lesson, you will need to build a relationship with your students.

Once created, a positive learning environment needs to be maintained. The instructor needs to maintain the trust of the students by being professional, positive, supportive and knowledgeable.

A successful learning environment is one that engages students and promotes the discovery of new skills through play, experimentation and challenge, in a way that is meaningful to the student.

For a learning environment to be positive, several factors need to be in place:

  • The environment needs to be physically and emotionally comfortable for students (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)
  • The student needs to be clear about what they are doing and why it will help them (Clarity of Outcome)
  • The students need to know that they can discover, reflect and alter what they are doing to achieve the outcome (Control of Their Path)