Joseph, The learning environment is critical as you say to the educational progress of students. Many times students have a very unrealistic idea of what their chosen field of study and work is really like. Through career exploration program they hopefully will come to your class having a clear picture of the discipline and rigors of their field. The other factor that must be addressed is that with the work/learning environment a challenging one, you need to do everything you can to make the educational environment (handouts, assignments, lectures, demonstrations, etc.) as educationally sound as you can make them, so the students will gain the content the must have as well as the skill. By making the educational environment supportive the actual work environment will be easier to work in because the students will feel that they have the support they need to progress. Gary