COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Design a Stimulating Learning Environment course. This program will equip you with the knowledge, environmental design principles, and facilitation strategies required to create learning spaces that maximise participation, support engagement, and enhance knowledge retention. You will explore why a high-quality physical learning environment is essential, how environmental conditions influence learner motivation and cognitive performance, and how facilitators can intentionally shape the space to reinforce learning outcomes. This course also highlights how room layout, sensory elements, and seating configurations directly affect interaction, comfort, and the overall training experience.

This course begins by examining the importance of a good physical learning environment and how the environment impacts learners’ comfort, confidence, attention, and willingness to participate. You will explore what to ask yourself before participants arrive for training, including considerations related to space, equipment, accessibility, and atmosphere. This section introduces the key environmental design considerations and explains how the environment can be used to reinforce learning through visual cues, spatial alignment, and thoughtful arrangement of resources.

The next learning area focuses on the essential factors of an effective learning environment. You will examine the impact of room size and shape, how different dimensions influence visibility and interaction, and the effects of colour on learning—along with the emotions associated with different colours. This section also explores how room walls and floor coverings affect concentration, how windows and doors influence distraction levels, and how room lighting and temperature affect comfort and performance. You will also explore ways to increase your training options by using flexible spaces and movable furniture.

A further section examines sensory and environmental influences on learning. You will explore the impact of room acoustics and sound quality, the influence of music on memory and atmosphere, and the impact of vegetation on learning—including common plants suitable for classroom environments. You will also examine the effects of smells and odours on attention and emotional state, and how multisensory elements can stimulate learning when used carefully and intentionally.

The program then introduces methods to stimulate learning and maximise involvement. You will explore how to arrange facilitator tables and equipment to maintain visibility and flow, and examine reduced learner involvement seating configurations—both with and without tables—including classroom style, V/fishbone/chevron style, perpendicular style, theatre style, semicircular seating, and fishbowl layouts. You will also explore moderate involvement configurations such as U-shaped, double U-shaped, and horseshoe seating, and high involvement configurations—including circular, rounds, hollow square, solid square, open square, rectangular/conference style, crescent layouts, and cluster seating arrangements.

The final learning area focuses on enhancing creativity and engagement. You will explore how to add creative peripherals to training—such as visual boards, learning stations, tactile materials, themed resources, or interactive tools—to enrich the learning experience and increase participant involvement.

By the end of this course you will be able to design physical learning environments that support cognitive performance, use environmental elements strategically to strengthen engagement, select seating layouts that match your training objectives, apply sensory design considerations to improve learner experience, and create classrooms that are dynamic, stimulating, and optimised for effective learning.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• The importance of a good physical learning environment
• The impact of the learning environment on learners
• What to ask yourself before participants arrive for training?
• The environmental design considerations
• How to reinforce the learning?
• The essential factors of an effective learning environment
• The impact of room size and shape on learning
• The impact of colour on learning
• The emotions associated with colour
• The impact of room walls and floor coverings on learning
• The impact of room windows and doors on learning
• The impact of room lighting on learning
• The impact of room temperature on learning
• How to increase your training options?
• The impact of room acoustics and sound on learning
• The impact of music on learning
• The impact of vegetation on learning and the common plants to use in the classroom
• The impact of smells and odours on learning
• How to stimulate learning?
• How to maximise involvement and learning?
• The facilitator table and equipment location
• The reduced learner involvement configurations (with or without tables)
• The classroom style seating
• The “V”, fishbone, or chevron style seating
• The perpendicular style seating
• The theatre style seating
• The semi-circular and the fishbowl style seating
• The moderate learner involvement configurations (with tables)
• The U-shaped and double U-shaped style seating
• The horseshoe style seating
• The high learner involvement configurations (with or without tables)
• The circular and rounds style seating
• The hollow square, solid square and open square style seating
• The rectangular or conference style seating
• The crescent and cluster style seating
• How to add creative peripherals to training?

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.