How Can You Implement Student Centred Learning

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Learning is often presented in this dualism of either student-centred learning or teacher-centred learning. In the reality of practice the situation is less black and white. A more useful presentation of student-centred learning is to see these terms as either end of a continuum, using the three concepts regularly used to describe student-centred learning (See Table 1 ).

Table 1:

Student-centred and teacher-centred continuum

Teacher-centred Learning

Student-centred Learning

Low level of student choice

High level of student choice

Student passive

Student active

Power is primarily with teacher

Power primarily with the student

Arrow

In examining how you might look at this in practice, it is worth thinking how far up the continuum you are able to move within the contextual barriers in your teaching situation. The next sections will present some ideas for your practice to aid you in making that progression

Edwards (2001) emphasises the value of student-centred learning: ‘Placing learners at the heart of the learning process and meeting their needs, is taken to a progressive step in which learner-centred approaches mean that persons are able to learn what is relevant for them in ways that are appropriate. Waste in human and educational resources is reduced as it suggested learners no longer have to learn what they already know or can do, nor what they are uninterested in’

Although recognizing that it is not necessarily an easy task, it is hoped that this chapter has gone some way to providing evidence and ideas to move you higher up the continuum towards a more student-centred practice.

Learner-Centered Principles in Teacher-Centered Practices?

Individual classroom learning environments are complex interactions among a variety of elements including teacher and student perceptions, instructional practices, learning needs and larger system issues (McCombs, 1999) such as prescribed curricula, available resources and funding, government-guided accountability standards, and so on. For this study, I focus on one aspect of a particular learning environment, the pedagogical "look" of a sixth-grade social studies class—the degree to which this learning environment may be considered teacher- or learner-centered based on the activity in the classroom. Through this, I demonstrate the importance of data triangulation as a means to better understand this particular learning environment.

Descriptions of the teaching and learning process often use a continuum ranging from what is considered "traditional" or teacher-centered, to "alternative" or learner-centered (Cuban, 1983; Kember & Gow, 1994; Samuelowicz & Bain, 2001). Although these descriptions do not imply a dichotomy (Cuban, 1983), unfortunately it seems that they are often accepted as such. Indeed, as teachers begin to understand new teaching and learning paradigms, they may conceptualize the continuum as a dichotomy in a process that does, in time, increase their understanding. For example, Saunders and Goldenberg (1996) describe the process by which four teachers moved from more traditional paradigms of teaching to more contemporary paradigms. Initially, these teachers drew upon their implicit understandings of direct teaching (i.e., traditional) and alternative instructional strategies, characterizing traditional teaching as bad, the alternative as good, and drawing a crisp line between the two based upon instructional strategies in particular. As their understanding progressed, they became more explicit in defining types of instruction, finding value in both traditional and alternative instruction, and thus improving their teaching.

These overgeneralizations about traditional and contemporary teaching strategies are not uncommon. For example, Airasian and Walsh (1997) describe cautions about constructivism that stem from overgeneralizations of the theory. Where do these overgeneralizations come from? Perhaps these overgeneralizations are drawn because of a focus on surface pedagogical features, the overt instructional practices in a classroom. Understanding of instruction may be based upon how instruction "looks" (the activity), rather than on underlying theoretical roots about learning and how it is fostered. For example, teacher-centered instruction may be assumed to look different from learner-centered instruction. Strategies such as direct teaching, drill and practice, and collaborative work all bring to mind placement of the instruction on a unidimensional teacher-centered to learner-centered scale. Casual observation of a class using lecture or direct instruction may prompt one to believe the classroom follows a teacher-centered pedagogy, while using collaborative group work may be construed as using learner-centered instruction. The corollary to this belief is that teachers may believe they are using learner-centered instruction just because they have students work in groups. This is not necessarily the case.

Overgeneralizations are not the jurisdiction of teachers alone. Researchers are susceptible to them as well, and in fact, research methodologies provide a variety of tools to avoid overgeneralization and to provide for credibility of findings. Triangulation of data collection methods is one such tool (Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Stake, 1995). At a minimum, triangulation will allow verification and credibility of research findings (see for example McGroartry and Zhu (1997) for their discussion of the usefulness of triangulation in their quasi-experimental study that included collection of both quantitative and qualitative data). In addition, triangulation can illuminate discrepancies that will lead to interpretations that might not otherwise arise. This case study is such an example. In it, I explore the "look" of instruction by juxtaposing two types of data collected in a sixth-grade social studies class. When viewed through the lens of observation data, the classroom seems well grounded in a quite traditional, teacher-centered framework. However, perceptions of the classroom as reported by both the teacher and the students on a measure of learner-centeredness (McCombs, Lauer, & Peralez, 1997) provide a view of the classroom from which it may also be considered moderately learner-centered. The secondary question that this study explores is: What features of learner-centered instruction do students perceive and are embedded within teacher-centered practices? More importantly, this study demonstrates how data triangulation can reveal discrepancies, and thus better informed interpretations, of a learning environment.

Teacher-centered Practices

The label teacher-centered instruction or practices (TCP) is applied quite broadly to include a variety of views, and thus strategies, for teaching and learning. Teacher-centered instruction is often aligned with "transmission" models of teaching. Within this framework, instruction is the activity in which the information is moved or transmitted to and into the learner (Bonk & Cunningham, 1998; Duffy & Cunningham, 1996; Greeno, Collins, & Resnick, 1996; Kember & Gow, 1994). In addition, models of teaching that promote response acquisition, such as drill and practice (Mayer, 1998) also fall within this teacher-centered focus. In a teacher-centered model of instruction, the development of the instruction and control of the learning process is retained by the teacher. In this framework there is the assumption that the teacher needs to do things "to" and "for" the learner. In other words, the teacher manipulates the learning situation to obtain the desired outcomes guided by generalized characteristics of the learners (Wagner & McCombs, 1995). The teacher’s role is seen as giving knowledge that has been defined and organized from the teacher’s or expert’s perspective to the students. Typical characteristics of teacher-centered instruction include: more teacher talk and questions than student talk and questions, more whole group instruction, reliance on textbooks with other sources such as media used as support, recall of factual information, and a classroom in which desks are in rows facing a board with the teacher desk nearby (Cuban, 1983). Generally, students do the same tasks at the same time, following explicit directions given by the teacher (Daniels, Kalkman, & McCombs, 2001). The teacher decides what is required for the learner from a perspective outside the learner by defining characteristics of instruction, curriculum, assessment, and management (Wagner & McCombs, 1995).

Learner-centered Practices

Learner-centered practices (LCP) move the focus from the teacher and instruction to the student and learning. LCP are based on a proposed a set of principles (APA Task Force on Psychology in Education, 1993) derived from over a century of previous research on teaching and learning (Alexander & Murphy, 1998) . These principles take into account a variety of psychological factors that are primarily internal to the learner while also recognizing that the environment and other contextual factors will interact as well (McCombs, 1993). Thus, the focus is on attributes of complex learning environments that are most likely to affect learning (Wagner & McCombs, 1995). Currently, 14 principles articulate factors that influence all learners both in and out of the classroom and provide an integrated perspective of learning with a holistic view of the learner (APA Work Group of the Board of Educational Affairs, 1997). The principles address individual learning, motivation, and developmental needs and are organized in four dimensions: cognitive and metacognitive factors; motivational and affective factors; developmental and social; and individual differences. Learner-centered principles provide a theoretical foundation for learner-centered instruction drawing on a research base from a variety of theoretical perspectives (Lambert & McCombs, 1998). Practices based on these principles have no prescribed format, (McCombs, 1997), although instructionally, the principles are typically in contrast to teacher-centered practices (Wagner & McCombs, 1995).

Instruction based upon learner-centered principles provides opportunities for learners to draw on their own experiences and interpretations of the learning process (McCombs, 1997; Wagner & McCombs, 1995). Learner-centered instruction (LCI) regards learning as a life-long process rather than a process that takes place only through young-adulthood (Lambert & McCombs, 1998). The view aligns with advocates of situated cognition (e.g., Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989) in that school activities (done by students) are generally not authentic activities that prepare learners for problem solving outside of school. Foundations of LCI include that learning is a natural, constructive process where learning is most productive when it is relevant and meaningful to the learner, in positive learning environments. It is a holistic view of the learner in a complex living-system that extends well-beyond the classroom walls in both time and space. LCP acknowledge that learners have different perspectives, and that for learners to be engaged in and take responsibility for their learning, these perspectives need to be tended to. Further, appropriately supportive learning opportunities that are challenging for individuals need to be provided (Lambert & McCombs, 1998).

When implementing LCP, teachers need to understand the learner’s world and support capacities already existing in the learner to accomplish desired learning outcomes. Learning goals are achieved by active collaboration between the teacher and learners who together determine what learning means and how it can be enhanced within each individual learner by drawing on the learner’s own unique talents, capacities, and experiences (McCombs & Whisler, 1997). Although Cuban (1983) uses the term student-centered, he identifies observable measures that seem aligned with expectations for learner-centered instruction as well: more or equal student talk and questions than teacher talk, more individual and medium group instruction, varied instructional materials, evidence of student choice and organization of content and classroom rules, and a physical arrangement of the classroom that allows for working together. Students who perceive their teachers to use LCP exhibit greater achievement and motivation (McCombs & Whisler, 1997).

Student Perceptions

In addition to relationships with positive learning outcomes, students’ perceptions of their classroom provide added value in that they are often a better measure of learner-centeredness than teacher perceptions (McCombs & Quiat, 2002). For example, even at the early elementary level students were able to identify characteristics of learner-centered teachers based on the extent to which they viewed their teachers having learner-centered qualities. In addition, these young learners’ descriptions were consistent with those of educational, developmental, and motivational psychologists (Daniels et al., 2001). Student perceptions provide a viable form of information about classrooms. In the current study, student perceptions of their teacher and classroom practices, in conjunction with observation and interview data, demonstrate how learner-centered principles can be entwined in teacher-centered practices.

In the mid-1990s, clarion calls were sounded for improving the quality of undergraduate education that

solicited a paradigm shift—away from the traditional focus on the teacher and the teaching process—to a

"new learning paradigm" that focuses on the learner and the learning process (American College Personnel

Association, 1994; Angelo, 1997; Barr & Tagg, 1995). The shift suggests a new starting point for improving

the teaching-learning process—one that centers on what the learner is doing, rather than what the teacher is

doing (and covering) in class. In the new learner-centered paradigm, the defining features and goals of

effective college teaching are facilitating the learning process and assessing learning outcomes.

Implications of the new learning paradigm for college professors include the following shifts in educational

philosophy and instructional practice.

shifts in educational

philosophy and instructional practice.

1. Instruction shifts from teacher-centered and content-driven to learner-centered and learning

process- driven. Instructional methods may be conceptualized as ranging along a continuum from

teacher-centered to learner-centered. Extreme, teacher-centered teaching is best illustrated by the

straight (uninterrupted) lecture, in which the professor does all the talking and is the center of

attention and control of the learning process. In contrast, learner-centered instruction involves less

didactic discourse or "talk time" on the part of the instructor, and shifts more class time, control, and

responsibility for learning to the students.

2. The student’s role changes from being a passive receptacle and recipient of teacher-delivered

information to being an engaged learner and active agent in the learning process. Instead of

instructors delivering information-loaded lectures for the sole purpose of transmitting knowledge,

learner-centered instruction goes beyond the learning of content to include the learning of process—

i.e., educating students in the process of learning how to learn and developing lifelong learning skills

(e.g., critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills).

3. The instructor’s role expands from being a professor who professes and disseminates truths to

being a facilitator or mediator of the learning process. In this expanded role, the instructor engages in

three key educational tasks:

(a) educational design—creating learning tasks and classroom conditions that are conducive to

active student involvement;

(b) educational coach—facilitating, coordinating, and orchestrating learning "from the sidelines,"

while students assume the role of active players (participants) in the learning process;

(c) educational assessor—evaluating the effectiveness of learning by collecting data on learning

outcomes and using this data as feedback to improve the learning process.

Thus, in the learner-centered paradigm, students spend less time being "instructed" (lectured to or talked at)

and more time engaging in learning activities that ask them to actually do something—other than rote

recording of lecture notes (O’Neill & McMahon, 2005).

Using suitable examples, explain how you ensure the student-centred approach into your teaching practice.

Integration: A Model for Learner-Centered Teaching

Children acquire varied skills naturally while growing up in their environment. They also observe life and the world around them. When imported into classrooms, their questions and queries can enrich the curriculum and make it more creative. In the context of a fast changing world and a competitive global context, it is imperative that we respect each learner‟s wisdom and imagination, and provide opportunities to cultivate each one‟s creativity.

A reform that acknowledges this fact will also facilitate the practice of the widely acknowledged curricular principles of moving from „known to the unknown‟, from „concrete to abstract‟, and from „local to global‟.

In light of the above, it is necessary to agree on a model of teaching that incorporates the concerns and needs of the learner, as well as present knowledge as an integrated whole, rather than disjointed subjects to be learnt because the curriculum or the teacher so decides.

It is also important that all teachers be well tuned with the preferred approach for teaching in

a meaningful manner.

However, it is also understood that no reform can succeed without the informed support of all stakeholders. It is, therefore, proposed as a step forward, that an integrated model be gradually incorporated in the curriculum. It is proposed that schools move towards this model, though a drastic change is not envisaged in the short run.

For the sake of clarity, a practical example is provided for ways in which knowledge can be transmitted in an integrated manner.

The Pre-condition for Such a Curriculum Are:

ï‚· Teachers agree on common themes.

ï‚· Teachers plan their work so that they address common themes.

ï‚· There are clearly stated achievement targets so that the students have a clear idea of the tasks ahead, as well as how they will be assessed on such tasks.

ï‚· Teachers collaborate so as to support each other and arrive at a consensus, depending on their specific contexts and constraints.

Advantages:

ï‚· There is flexibility to engage students in individual and collaborative tasks.

ï‚· Both students and teachers have evidence of the work undertaken through a portfolio.

ï‚· Teachers can provide assessment tasks centred on the student portfolio and thus reduce the pressure for end of year examinations

ï‚· The student portfolio would also facilitate follow up by parents at home.

BUSINESS

STUDIES

Initiate students to the nature of business in Ancient societies

Introduce children to the idea of modernization through themes identified in the drawings.

Show how modernization is likely to affect business ethics and practice

Identify ways in which settlements create Business opportunities

Identify different businesses associated with food and Explain implication for local and international trade

In this new technological age, teachers are called upon to shift their paradigm and move

towards a more learner-centred approach where students can assume responsibility for their

own learning. Home Economics educators are responsible for creating conducive learning

environments. A learner-centred approach will certainly provide opportunities for students to

practise critical and creative thinking, problem solving and decision making skills. The

teacher can be a facilitator, a resource person as well as a fellow-learner, as learning is an

ongoing process. Moreover, a learner-centred approach will help the students to develop

conceptual understandings related to food and nutrition, human development and family as

well as design, clothing and textiles.

A variety of teaching strategies can help to cater for the different learning styles of all

learners. In order to achieve this, students must have the opportunity to co-operatively

brainstorm, discuss, evaluate information, and make informed decisions. Teachers will be

ultimately responsible for determining the best teaching methods [ for both theory & practical

classes], the best way of grouping students, and the best way to deliver the lessons. They

have the flexibility to adapt the different learning strategies to the learners‟ needs in order to

make learning meaningful and captivating.

6.3.4.1 Suggested Teaching .Strategies

Direct Instruction- Expository/Lectures

Indirect Instruction Inquiry, problem solving, decision making and discovery.

Interactive Instruction Class discussion, brainstorming sessions, mind-mapping, peer teaching, group work,demonstration

Independent Study-- Research, project work, assignments,coursework.

The use of different teaching strategies (see table above) and teaching approaches would

help to cater for the students‟ varying learning needs and to achieve the general learning

outcomes of Home Economics Education.

9.7.4 Teaching and Learning Strategies in the Social Sciences

The teaching and learning strategies should be in line with the pedagogical principles and

philosophy underlying this curriculum framework. Though teacher-centred strategies can still

be used whenever the context so requires, focus should, however, be placed on learner-

centred strategies aimed at making students construct their knowledge through direct and

active involvement in the teaching and learning interaction.

Emphasis should be placed on the process of teaching and learning rather than on the

acquisition of content knowledge. Through the emphasis on process, students should be

made to acquire the higher cognitive skills of interpretation, application, analysis, synthesis

and evaluation.

Both the deductive and the inductive approaches should be used and involve a wide range

of teaching strategies such as brainstorming, mind mapping, concept mapping, group

cooperative learning, guided discovery, role play, hands-on experiences, project work and

mini-research work.

To enhance the interest and motivation of students for social sciences, teachers should:

ï‚· Ensure that students recognize the relevance of social sciences by addressing the

subjects in a meaningful manner. Reference must be made to current issues and, as far

as possible, address the concerns of the students.

ï‚· Engage students in discussion about events and situations that would appeal to them

and develop their curiosity to learn about the past as well as the relation of the past to

the present.

ï‚· Provide students with opportunities to make choices about any specific content.

ï‚· Make an effective use of a range of materials and up to date information or techniques

for retrieving and using information.

ï‚· Make a sound use of maps, atlases, plans and globes, documents, contemporary news

and anecdotes.

ï‚· Make an effective use of fieldwork: an approach which encourages students to visit and Explore the environment, ask questions and engage in research and investigation;

 Prepare more flexible schemes to respond to, and capitalize on, children’s experiences

of natural events.

ï‚· Critical observation of the operations of business activities

ï‚· Engage in project works and presentation of reports

ï‚· Enlist the support of resource persons from the community.

ï‚· Make an effective use of a range of materials and up to date information or techniques

for retrieving and using information.

ï‚· Make a sound use of maps, atlases, plans and globes, documents, contemporary news

and anecdotes.

ï‚· Make an effective use of fieldwork: an approach which encourages students to visit and

explore the environment, ask questions and engage in research and investigation;

 Prepare more flexible schemes to respond to, and capitalize on, children’s experiences

of natural events.

ï‚· Critical observation of the operations of business activities

ï‚· Engage in project works and presentation of reports

ï‚· Enlist the support of resource persons from the community.