Seven Principles of Learning

Innovative Learning Environments (ILE)

In a recently concluded 3-part 10-year study called 'Innovative Learning Environments' led by the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, leading researchers from Europe and North America took different perspectives on learning, summarising large bodies of research and identifying their significance for the design of learning environments. The target audience has been educational leaders, teachers and policy-makers, as well as other researchers.
The transversal conclusions from these different contributions have been synthesised in the form of“learning principles”.
These propose that learning environments, in all their different arrangements and strategies, need to:

• Make learning central, encourage engagement, and be where learners come to understand themselves as learners.
• Ensure that learning is social and often collaborative.
• Be highly attuned to learners’ motivations and the importance of emotions.
• Be acutely sensitive to individual differences including in prior knowledge.
• Be demanding for each learner but without excessive overload.
• Use assessments consistent with their aims,with strong emphasis on formative feedback.
• Promote horizontal connectedness across activities and subjects, in- and out-of-school.

This adds up to a demanding agenda of far-reaching innovation, because ILE proposes that all these principles, and not just a select few, need to inform design. For the many schools and classrooms who currently do not meet these principles, this constitutes a significant challenge.

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7 Principles for Teaching

7 Principles for Professional Growth

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The Principles of Learning are integral to professional inquiry as conducted through the Yukon Learning Networks:

Yukon Learning Networks main page

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