The term learning environment encompasses learning resources and technology, means of teaching, modes of learning, and connections to societal and global contexts. The term also includes human behavioral and cultural dimensions, including the vital role of emotion in learning, and it requires us to examine and sometimes rethink the roles of teachers and students. The learning environment is a composite of human practices and material systems, much as an ecology is the combination of living things and the physical environment.
This Showcase Shop Talk discusses a student-centered approach in higher education can be promoted through the cultivation of adaptable learning environments that grant students the freedom to decide when, where, and how they learn, along with the choice of their preferred technology tools.
The 2026 EDUCAUSE Teaching and Learning Horizon Report highlights how artificial intelligence, enrollment pressures, policy shifts, and sustainability concerns are reshaping instructional practice and institutional strategy.
By integrating work experiences into learning, transitioning from treating data as "exhaust" to "oxygen," and taming digital sprawl, higher education institutions can become better connected and more collaborative to drive student success.
