PEDAGOGY AS AN ELEMENT FOR EDUCATION SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

PEDAGOGY - the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical
concept.

Student-centered learning[edit]
Main article: Student-centred learning
Student-centered learning, also known as learner-centered education, broadly encompasses
methods of teaching that shift the focus of instruction from the teacher to the student. In original
usage, student-centered learning aims to develop learner autonomy and independence [37] by putting
responsibility for the learning path in the hands of students. [38][39][40] Student-centered instruction
focuses on skills and practices that enable lifelong learning and independent problem-solving.[41]

Pedagogy
Pedagogy - Wikipedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search

Woman Teaching Geometry

Pedagogy (/ˈpɛdəɡɒdʒi, -ɡoʊdʒi, -ɡɒɡi/), most commonly understood as the approach

to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and
is influenced by, the social, political and psychological development of learners.
Pedagogy, taken as an academic discipline, is the study of how knowledge and skills
are imparted in an educational context, and it considers the interactions that take place
during learning. Both the theory and practice of pedagogy vary greatly, as they reflect
different social, political, and cultural contexts. [1]
Pedagogy is often described as the act of teaching. [2] The pedagogy adopted by
teachers shapes their actions, judgments, and other teaching strategies by taking into
consideration theories of learning, understandings of students and their needs, and the
backgrounds and interests of individual students. [3][4] Its aims may range from
furthering liberal education (the general development of human potential) to the
narrower specifics of vocational education (the imparting and acquisition of specific
skills). Conventional western pedagogies view the teacher as knowledge holder and
student as the recipient of knowledge (described by Paulo Freire as "banking
methods"[5]), but theories of pedagogy increasingly identify the student as an agent and
the teacher as a facilitator.
Instructive strategies are governed by the pupil's background knowledge and
experience, situation, and environment, as well as learning goals set by the student and
teacher. One example would be the Socratic method.[6]

Everything starts with the learner

What is Learner-Centered Education? - Education Reimagined - Education Reimagined (education-
reimagined.org)

Learner-centered education is about an entirely new way of seeing, thinking

about, and acting on education. It focuses on 3 key aspects about the learner.
First, each learner is seen as being unique in meaningful ways. They
have unique backgrounds, circumstances, and starting points with unique
strengths, challenges, interests, and aspirations. All of these unique attributes
call for unique responses from their learning system. Second, each learner is
seen as having unbounded potential—potential that will unfold at its own
pace and in its own way. Every single learner is a wonder to behold. And,
finally, each learner is seen as having an innate desire to learn. The job
of the education system is to unleash that desire.

Learner-Centered Approaches: Why They Matter and How to

Implement Them

Learner-Centered Approaches: Why They Matter and How to Implement Them | LearnUpon
Caroline Lawless, Digital Marketing Manager at LearnUpon
Published on September 26, 2019

When gearing up to plan a learning and development program, it’s a good time to look
at how your training is delivered and see where you can adopt a more learner-centered
approach in your sessions.
Whether you deliver your training face-to-face or through an LMS, taking a learner-
centered approach has a dramatic impact on how much of the training information your
employees will retain.

What is a learner-centered approach?

A learner-centered approach views learners as active agents. They bring their own
knowledge, past experiences, education, and ideas - and this impacts how they take on
board new information and learn.

It differs significantly from a traditional instructor-centered approach. Traditional learning

approaches were informed by behaviorism, which sees learners as ‘blank slates’ and
instructors as experts who must impart all the relevant information. This approach sees
learners as respondents to external stimuli.

University lecturer Martha Kennedy defined it as:

“...a classroom dynamic in which the students participate actively while the
teacher might take a (seemingly) more passive role. It boils down to group work,
one-on-one tutoring in the classroom between student and teacher, student
presentations…To learn a skill, students must be directly involved. No teacher
can stand there and tell the students how to do something and expect the
students to leave the classroom able to do it.”

This is the principle that underpins both Cognitive Learning Theory and Constructivist

Learning Theory, and is also featured in Adult Learning Theory.

Why take a learner-centered approach?

Each learning theory has its own school of thought, but one point seems to crop up
again and again: the more engaged employees are in the learning process, the more
they will retain when they get back to work.
Learner-centered approach activities

Here are some practical ideas for incorporating learner-centered activities into your

corporate training: 

1. Foster collaboration with group projects

Think of yourself as a coach on the sideline of a sports game. You’re offering advice
and encouragement where necessary, rather than a lecturer delivering a monologue to
learners.

2. Let learners develop content

Start a forum within your LMS or upload podcasts or videos for your learners and let
them work individually or in groups to contribute to it. Let them know what topics should
be covered and encourage them to research them. Over time, this channel will become
a valuable resource for everyone at the organization.  

3. Stage presentations

Or, instead of using their research to create different types of media, ask your learners
to develop presentations, which can be delivered in-person or via a live
webinar (particularly handy for remote teams). Not only does it help your learner learn
the topic inside out, they also get a chance to develop another important workplace skill
- presenting. 

4. Hold a competition

A little healthy competition can really spur motivation in a group. You can even let the
group decide what the nature of the competition will be, and what the prize will be - or if
it’s just for pride. 
What is Learner-Centered Pedagogy
1.
Learner-centered education, broadly encompasses methods of teaching that shift the focus of instruction
from the teacher to the student. In original usage, student-centered learning aims to develop learner
autonomy and independence by putting responsibility for the learning path in the hands of students.
Student-centered instruction focuses on skills and practices that enable lifelong learning and independent
problem-solving. Student-centered learning theory and practice are based on the constructivist learning
theory that emphasizes the learner's critical role in constructing meaning from new information and prior
experience. Learn more in: Placing Technology in Learner-Centered Design through Blended Learning in
Post-Secondary Education
2.
It refers to a pedagogy that places students at the center of the teaching-learning process. Students are
more active and participative, and the process turns knowledge into a negotiation between teachers and
students. Furthermore, this pedagogy starts from students’ interests and objectives, and it carries out a
learning process based on real situations and materials, using the current technologies to favor this
process. Learn more in: A Digital Ecosystem for Teaching-Learning English in Higher Education: A
Qualitative Case Study
3.
An approach to the teaching and learning process which supports the concepts of a learner as an active
participant and supports the instructors additional competencies as mediator and facilitator of leanring
through learner support techniques and practices. Learn more in: CTE Distance E-Learning Application: A
Learner-Centered Approach
4.
This refers to the process of teaching and learning in which students are at the heart of curriculum design,
classroom interaction and evaluation techniques. For example, students are provided choice of readings,
assignments and assessment tools in a class. Learn more in: Delightfully, Difficult Work: Transformation
through Teaching and Learning
5.
Learner-centered pedagogy or student-centered learning theory and practice are based on the
constructivist learning theory that emphasizes the learner’s critical role in constructing meaning from new
information and prior experience. Learn more in: The Power of Metaphor in Bringing Clarity for Learners
in Learner-Centered Design
6.
Refers to the process of teaching and learning in which students are at the heart of curriculum design,
classroom interaction and evaluation techniques. For example, students are provided choice of readings,
assignments and assessment tools in a class. Learn more in: Self-Assessment in Building Online
Communities of Learning
7.
It refers to a pedagogy that places students at the centre of the teaching-learning process. Students are
more active and participative, and the process turns knowledge into a negotiation between teachers and
students. Furthermore, this pedagogy starts from students’ interests and objectives, and it carries out a
learning process based on real situations and materials, using the current technologies to favour this
process. Learn more in: Assessing the Impact of a Digital Ecosystem to Learn English Pronunciation
8.
This refers to the process of teaching and learning in which students are at the heart of curriculum design,
classroom interaction and evaluation techniques. For example, students are provided choice of readings,
assignments and assessment tools in a class. Learn more in: Blended Learning: The Best of Both Worlds
9.
Encompasses methods of teaching that shift the focus of instruction from the teacher to the student. In
original usage, student-centered learning aims to develop learner autonomy and independence by putting
responsibility for the learning path in the hands of students. Learn more in: Beaches, Temples, and Flying
Proas: Reflections on Five Years of Efforts to Foster Learner-Centered Pedagogies at the University of
Guam
10.
Learner-centered education, broadly encompasses methods of teaching that shift the focus of instruction
from the teacher to the student. In original usage, student-centered learning aims to develop learner
autonomy and independence by putting responsibility for the learning path in the hands of students.
Student-centered instruction focuses on skills and practices that enable lifelong learning and independent
problem-solving. Student-centered learning theory and practice are based on the constructivist learning
theory that emphasizes the learner's critical role in constructing meaning from new information and prior
experience. Learn more in: Indigenizing and Mentoring Technology Usage in Undergraduate Teacher
Education
11.
This refers to the process of teaching and learning in which students are at the heart of curriculum design,
classroom interaction and evaluation techniques. For example, students are provided choice of readings,
assignments and assessment tools in a class. Learn more in: Learner-Centered Course Design

5. Hold a debate

Split the group in three and give them a motion. One group argues for the motion, one
argues against it, and the final group judges. All groups have to stay fully engaged with
the topic until the end, and should come out of the debate thoroughly informed on the
issue. Again, this can be in-person or via a live training session held in your LMS. 

6. Gamify learning

Games are a great way to add an element of fun to the learning

environment. Gamification has been a huge trend in online learning in recent years. Any
good LMS will have gamification features such as leaderboards, badges, points, and
more that will encourage learner participation.

7. Pose a problem

Learner-centered approaches work best when your employees feel like they’re solving
real problems and learning skills they can put to work immediately. As such, you can
pose real problems the company is facing and ask your learners to identify creative and
innovative solutions. With a mix of different levels of experience and skill sets in each
session, you will come up with solutions that are genuinely valuable to the company.
8. Do role-play

This is perfect for Sales and Customer Service training. Divide the learners into pairs
and let them take turns in the role of the customer. Again this can be done face-to-face
or through an ILT in your LMS. Letting them step into the shoes of your customers is
likely to make them more empathetic when they’re speaking to them.

9. Brainstorm

Twelve heads are better than one. Not all training techniques need to be hi-tech and
fancy; just choose a topic you want your learners to know more about and ask them to
volunteer what they already know. As a group, the chances are they know a great deal -
and you can fill in any gaps as necessary.

10. Do a demo

Whether you’re training on something highly scientific or the ins and outs of new
software, showing is often better than telling. Stage a demonstration to show exactly
how it works. This can be achieved by uploading a step-by-step video to your LMS. 

As well as learning about the topic at hand, learner-centered approaches give your
employees ample opportunities to practice the soft skills they need to use every day at
work; communication, collaboration, and problem-solving - among others. 

It’s an active approach to taking in new materials where learners are given a large
degree of autonomy. And it’s ideal for a corporate training environment where
individuals are expected to be able to work both independently and in groups.

Do you take a learner-centered approach in your training sessions, or do you prefer a

more traditional approach? Are you planning on implementing any of the suggestions
we’ve made above? Let us know below in the comments.
ESD pedagogies as derivatives of four elements
When examining EE/ESD discourse, it is noticeable that the most prominent recommendations for
EE/ESD pedagogies are all inclusive and natural outcomes of the four basic principles that were
described above. To demonstrate this claim, three prominent EE/ESD pedagogies that appear regularly
in most EE literature were chosen. These include (a) student-centerd learning, (b) minds-on and hands-
on learning, and (c) active participation.
a. Student-centered Learning: The main idea underlying the Student-centered approach to learning is
that learning is most meaningful when topics are relevant to the students‟ lives, needs, and
interests, and when the students themselves are actively engaged in creating, understanding,
and connecting to knowledge (McCombs & Whistler 1997). Student centered approach is rooted in
the works of John Dewey (1916), Jean Piaget (1954), and Lev Vygotsky (1978). In spite of its broad
acceptance among education professionals, a variety of barriers prevent its full assimilation in practice.
Implementation of the four principle pedagogies holds great potential for overcoming these barriers.
Once academic, 17 inter/multidisciplinary, multidimensional, and emotional learning are introduced to
the learning process, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to teach an issue through a non student-
centered approach. Once an educator refuses to dissect an issue into compartmental disciplines, the
most convenient way to approach it, is through project–based learning. Inherently, the students become
“active learners”, involved in autonomous knowledge construction. This is not an expected outcome,
when each of the components is implemented independently. This claim can be demonstrated through
the following examples: “Modeling” is a highly interdisciplinary topic taught in university courses
through lecturing. Modeling of bio-physical processes requires concerted implementation of
mathematics, physics, and biology at the least, and often it requires involvement of social sciences, such
as in modeling species extinction processes. Regardless of the fact that modeling is interdisciplinary in
nature, it can, and is mostly taught, through “non studentcentered pedagogy”. This occurs when the
university course of modeling, implements only three out of four principle pedagogies (academic,
inter/multidisciplinary, and multidimensional learning) leaving out emotional learning. Another example
is on the other side of the spectrum – implementation of emotional learning while leaving out the other
four principles. This occurs for example, in cult activities such as “Landmark Forum” (Landmark Forum;
n.d.) seminar that often gathers together over a hundred learners for an emotional preaching session.
The learners are exposed to emotional learning but the learning is not student-centered since students
are not autonomously active in constructing their own emotional knowledge. Unlike the above two
examples, when the four pedagogical essentials are implemented together, student centered pedagogy
can rarely be exempt from being implemented as a natural derivative of the learning process. This is so,
because when both analytical skills and emotional skills are simultaneously activated in the learning
process, students become active learners through the need to harmonize these sometimes antagonistic
processes.

b. Minds-on and Hands-on Learning: Educational reforms of the last three decades have been
emphasizing the development of educational environments in which learning occurs through active
processes of inquiry (American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS], 1993; National
Research Council [NRC], 1996, 2000). The term “hands-on” refers to aspects of inquiry which involve
experimentation, preferably in real world problems. The term “minds-on” refers to 18 cognitive and
meta-cognitive skills, such as critical thinking, which are complementary to hands-on inquiry of
authentic issues (Chinn & Malhotra, 2001; National Science Education Standards, 1996). Both hands-on
and minds-on are natural outcomes of project learning and multidimensional learning. Projects, in
general, require some level of inquiry. When an issue is examined through a multidimensional
perspective, it simultaneously involves processes of handson/minds-on data collection and analysis.
When students are requested to negotiate between their emotions and cognition, the minds-on process
becomes less technical and more meta-cognitive and reflective. This meta-cognitive minds-on
involvement activates processes of value and ethical clarification which can act as a motivator for active
participation.

c. Active Participation: When students participate in a multidisciplinary and multidimensional learning

experience, they cognitively understand connections between systems and their effects on human lives
in present and in the future. Through emotional learning processes, they are simultaneously weaved
into the issue being learned through development of identification, sense of belonging, sense of
responsibility, and other affectionate processes. The combination of cognitive learning and emotional
learning can help students understand an issue and feel strongly about it, and by thus, empowering
them to act or influence action. Breiting and Mogensen (1999), with regards to “action competence”,
described these combined processes outcomes, as students becoming more keen on dealing with
solving environmental problems, since they believe that they've acquired the knowledge and skills to do
so. Active participation can be an effective pedagogy that supports the goals of ESD, when it is
implemented as a derivative of the four principle pedagogies. This same important pedagogical
component can become an obstructing component when implemented out of the “four principle
pedagogies” context. For example, Bull (1992) showed that students became disempowered when they
were involved in an “action research” and “community problem solving”, in which they failed to achieve
their main goals. This happened most likely due to a lack of multidimensional learning, by which they
would have been able to cognitively analyze their actions within multi-systems contexts. Returning to
the prism metaphor, ESD pedagogy can be viewed as analogous to a light beam that can be broken into
different component pedagogies (wave lengths) when 19 analyzed at different angles. Each one of the
components can be further broken down into finer refractions that are natural derivatives of a given
spectrum (as the examples given above). But the light beam is one, and so should be ESD pedagogical
construct - multicomponential, yet one whole with regards to its expected outcomes and impacts.