It's About Learning

Power of Learning Environments

A recent trip to Whistler and a visit to the Whistler Air Dome, commonly referred to as the foampit, has reaffirmed the importance and power of learning environments and has caused me to take a more significant stand on the role that the environment and circumstances play in learning. I have been arguing since the mid 90’s that learning is dependent upon the creation of an effective learning environment and the immersion of the learner in that environment. A learning environment can be a classroom, an online course or anywhere for that matter where learning can take place. I have also argued that learning is the responsibility of the learner and that teachers are not able to make a student learn–the best that teachers can do is develop or establish the environment, immerse the student in that environment and then motivate and inspire the learner to take ownership of their learning. When learning takes place a teacher is really just the facilitator who helps the learner navigate the learning environment and process.

Whistler Air Dome – A Significant Learning Environment

So how does a visit to one of the world’s foremost extreme biking destinations reaffirm my faith in learning environments? Consider the following…

My younger son Caleb decided that he would like to learn how to do a backflip on his mountain bike and he knew a visit to the foampit would give him the safest and most pain-free way of mastering this stunt. For those who aren’t familiar with downhill mountain biking and racing, dirt jumping, slopestyle and other forms of extreme biking there is one unfortunate reality that a rider constantly faces. It is not a matter of if one will get hurt, but when and how badly will the rider be injured. So when a rider can work on dangerous stunts like back and front flips, tailwhips, x-overs and more and potentially eliminate or lessen the chance of getting hurt they will jump at the chance (pardon my pun).

Videos and Pictures of Significant Learning

This first video is Caleb’s 5th or 6th attempt at the backflip and the first time he successfully landed the stunt.

Unfortunately, videos do not fully reveal the scale and intensity of the stunts. The starting point for the stunt is a very narrow platform 25 feet above the ground. The ramp that the riders hit goes from flat to completely vertical in just over 6 feet. The acrobatics are taking place approximately 8-12 feet above the foampit and when you add the 6-foot height of the foampit it is not uncommon for a rider to be performing a stunt 14-18 feet above the ground.

The following video and pictures of my older son Levi performing a tailwhip (spinning your bike 360 degrees below you and then landing back on the bike) should provide another perspective of the height and intensity that is required to complete some of these stunts.

In the picture below you can see that Levi is starting to whip the back end of the bike forward while getting his legs out of the way.

Levi’s bike is whipped out and turned 180 degrees–hence the name “tailwhip”

Levi is preparing to get back on the pedals by raising his legs high in the air. All this happens in less than a couple of seconds.

While the blocks of foam significantly lessen the impact, a rider can still get hurt by landing on their bike or hitting the side of the pit or even by landing out of control. Despite the fact, the stunts performed in the foampit can potentially result in pain and injury my boys didn’t hesitate to expand their skills because the alternative of attempting and missing a stunt on the slopes or course would guarantee a significant amount of pain and the potential for a serious injury.

Informal Learning

The foampit environment is designed to enable riders to perform extreme stunts in relative safety. Everything in the environment contributes to helping riders perform stunts that they normally would be afraid to do elsewhere. The ramps and all platforms in the pit area are extreme enough that the average or even experienced cross county cyclist would not be willing to attempt–the environment is only for those riders who are willing to take the risks required to do the extreme stunts.

Peer Instruction & Social Support

Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the environment is that outside of two short (4-5 day) bike camps there are no formal instructors or instruction of any kind. Even in the bike camps, the instruction that happens is less formal and really should just be viewed as coaching.

But this doesn’t mean instruction or coaching isn’t happening at all–it does, but it happens informally or as part of the social and peer dynamic of the foampit environment. In the video below you will notice a conversation between my son Caleb on the right and another rider.

You will also notice that other rider is offering tips and is even showing Caleb how to move and Caleb is emulating or imitating those moves. In this environment, more experienced riders readily offer advice and direction. Most riders will comment, encourage and cheer on other riders. Success is shared by the whole group through cheers and other accolades when a rider finally makes a stunt. Peer instruction and support happens on its own with no formal process. The social dynamic is a very significant part of the learning environment and in just less than 3 hours my boys were able to grow their skills substantially.

Over the years we have learned that the downhill mountain biking, dirt jumping, and extreme biking community is highly competitive but it is also very supportive and encouraging. The music, clothes, speech, peer support and mannerism all point to a unique social community and this social community takes care of its own. The social dynamic is a very significant part of the environment that you will find in extreme biking in places like Whistler, the North Shore, and locations that are dedicated to promoting these sports. But the environment as a whole contributes to significant learning. One doesn’t become a championship surfer on the Canadian prairies nor can one become a professional mountain bike racer or slopestyle champion on the prairies.

What will it take to use the power of well-designed learning environments in our traditional educational systems? Can we get there through evolution or revolution?