Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching

Unit 1. Learner-centered teaching: Foundations and

Characteristics

Everything starts with the learner

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.
A. Learner Centered Teaching
1. Definition

Learner-centered teaching: A definition

Over the last decade, the principles of learner-centered teaching have

gained widespread use throughout all levels and disciplines of education.
Unfortunately, as the principles have gained popularity, the definition of
learner-centered teaching has become a bit muddied and over simplified.
Although strategies like student engagement, active learning and other
practices that involve students in their own learning are a necessary
component of learner-centered teaching; these practices do not represent the
entire philosophy of what it means to be a learner-centered teacher.

2. Description/Characteristics

An Overview of the Teacher-centered to Learner Centered

For the past century or so, the focus of the traditional “teacher-centered”
model of education has been on inputs: the credentials of faculty, the topics
 to be covered, the sequencing of courses, the physical resources of
universities, and so forth.

Based on a great deal that has been learned about learning in the last thirty
years, the traditional model is rapidly being replaced with a learner-centered
model, which has its main focus on outputs: what knowledge and abilities
have students actually acquired, what do they actually know, and what are
they competent actually to do?

Implicit in the student-centered model is the idea that instructors are not
providers of knowledge, but rather facilitators of learning. It is not enough to
construct a syllabus and present information, however skillfully, to a captive
audience; the job of instructors now involves creating and sustaining an
effective learning environment based on a wide range of “best practices” in
teaching and learning, which today’s instructors are expected to learn and
adopt.

The increasing focus on student learning as the central indicator of

institutional excellence challenges many tacit assumptions about the
respective roles of college students and faculty. As shown in the table below,
the responsibilities of students and faculty and the relationships between the
two models are quite different. In student-centered education, faculty bear
less responsibility for being sources of knowledge, and take on more
responsibility as facilitators of a broad range of learning experiences. For their
part, students are called on to take on more responsibility for their own
learning. Some main differences between the old model and the new model
are shown in the table below.

Domain Teacher-centered Learner-centered

Knowledge Transmitted by instructor Constructed by students

Student Passive Active

participation
 Domain Teacher-centered Learner-centered

Role of professor Leader/authority Facilitator/learning partner

Role of Assessment Few tests/assignments—mainly Many tests/assignments—for

for grading ongoing feedback

Emphasis Learning correct answers Developing deeper understanding

Academic culture Individualistic and competitive Collaborative and supportive

According to Weimer (2012), there are five characteristics of learner-

centered teaching:

1. Learner-centered teaching engages students in the hard, messy work of

learning.

“I believe teachers are doing too many learning tasks for students. We
ask the questions, we call on students, we add detail to their answers.
We offer the examples. We organize the content. We do the preview
and the review. On any given day, in most classes teachers are working
much harder than students. I’m not suggesting we never do these
tasks, but I don’t think students develop sophisticated learning skills
without the chance to practice and in most classrooms the teacher gets
far more practice than the students.”

3. Learner-centered teaching includes explicit skill instruction.

“Learner-centered teachers teach students how to think, solve

problems, evaluate evidence, analyze arguments, generate
 hypotheses—all those learning skills essential to mastering material in
the discipline. They do not assume that students pick up these skills on
their own, automatically. A few students do, but they tend to be the
students most like us and most students aren’t that way. Research
consistently confirms that learning skills develop faster if they are
taught explicitly along with the content.”

Students not only need to develop an understanding of a discipline’s

knowledge base (content), but they also need to understand how that
knowledge is organized and acquired (learning skills). By learning how to
solve problems, think critically, apply information, and integrate knowledge,
students can learn to think like experts in a discipline. In other words, they
not only need to learn content, but they also need to know how they can
learn more, which is critical in today’s environment where information is
easily accessible and exponentially growing.
Teachers already possess these skills because they are experts within a
discipline, so they often overlook the importance of teaching them to
students. Research, however, confirms that students do not automatically
learn these skills

3. Learner-centered teaching encourages students to reflect on what they are

learning and how they are learning it.

“Learner-centered teachers talk about learning. In casual conversations,

they ask students what they are learning. In class they may talk about
their own learning. They challenge student assumptions about learning
and encourage them to accept responsibility for decisions they make
about learning; like how they study for exams, when they do assigned
reading, whether they revise their writing or check their answers. Learner-
centered teachers include assignment components in which students
reflect, analyze and critique what they are learning and how they are
learning it. The goal is to make students aware of themselves as learners
and to make learning skills something students want to develop.”

4. Learner-centered teaching motivates students by giving them some control

over learning processes.

“I believe that teachers make too many of the decisions about learning
for students. Teachers decide what students should learn, how they
learn it, the pace at which they learn, the conditions under which they
 learn and then teachers determine whether students have learned.
Students aren’t in a position to decide what content should be included3
in the course or which textbook is best, but when teachers make all the
decisions, the motivation to learn decreases and learners become
dependent. Learner-centered teachers search out ethically responsible
ways to share power with students. They might give students some
choice about which assignments they complete. They might make
classroom policies something students can discuss. They might let
students set assignment deadlines within a given time window. They
might ask students to help create assessment criteria.”

5. Learner-centered teaching encourages collaboration.

“It sees classrooms (online or face-to-face) as communities of learners.

Learner-centered teachers recognize, and research consistently
confirms, that students can learn from, and with, each other. Certainly
the teacher has the expertise and an obligation to share it, but teachers
can learn from students as well. Learner-centered teachers work to
develop structures that promote shared commitments to learning.
They see learning individually and collectively as the most important
goal of any educational experience.” 1

B. PARADIGM SHIFT: FROM TEACHERCENTERED TO LEARNER-CENTERED

TEACHING
1. Philosophical perspectives
Teacher-Centered Philosophies

Teacher-centered philosophies are the ones you are probably most familiar with. These
philosophies focus on what the teacher wants his or her students to learn. There are a
lot of factors that determine what kind of teaching philosophies to use. Shawn A.
Faulkner and Christopher M. Cook state that “the state tests seem to drive the
curriculum and warrant more teacher-focused instructional methods—lecture,
worksheets, and whole-class discussion” (2006). We remember this from our own
experiences in school. Do you remember when you were in class and the teacher was in
front and she lectured to you? Everyone student remembers taking notes off of the
blackboard. These are just two examples of teacher-centered practices. Kathy Brown
clarifies that “the teacher-centered approach is associated chiefly with the transmission
of knowledge” (2003). Getting the knowledge out and to the student is the main focus.
The students are accountable for what they have learned and the teachers are also.
Teachers are in control and they plan out activities and learning strategies according to
specific times during the lesson (Teacher Vision). Teacher-centered philosophies that
are mostly used in teaching include essentialism and perennialism. Let us briefly look at
these two philosophies.

a. Essentialism

In the excerpt of the book Teachers, Schools, and Society: A Brief Introduction
to Education, authors David Miller Sadker, Ph.D and Karen R. Zittleman, Ph.D
state how “Essentialism strives to teach students the accumulated knowledge of
our civilization through core courses in the traditional academic disciplines”
(2007). What this means is that our society has certain viewpoints and practices
that schools must pass down to students in a more authoritarian way. According
to William Gaudelli, who is an assistant professor of social studies education at
the University of Central Florida, “essentialists concern themselves with teaching
students how to survive, succeed in their lives, and not be a burden to others”
(Gaudelli, 2002). Essentialist teachers believe that what they teach will help their
students in real-life situations as they grow older (Gaudelli, 2002). In the
classroom, you will most likely see traditional subjects such as math, English,
science, and history as the foundations of learning. “Essentialist teachers rely on
achievement tests scores to evaluate progress and teachers expect that students
will leave school not only with basic skills, but also disciplined, practical minds
that are capable of applying lessons taught in school in the real world” (Sadker
and Zittleman, 2007). In essence, teachers want their students to be able to use
what they have learned in school and use it appropriately in the real world.

b. Perrenialism

Perennialism and essentialism may sounds somewhat alike, but perennialists are
in fact different in their approaches. “Perennialists recommend that students
learn directly from the “Great Books”—works by history’s finest thinkers and
writers, books meaningful today as when they where first written” (Sadker and
Zittleman, 2007). “Perennialist generally prefer a past orientation, because it
tends to be based on historical truth, rather than conjecture about the present
and guessing about the future” (Gaudelli, 2002). This means that perennialists
believe that a student can be influence by such heroes in our past like
Washington and Lincoln. In a perennialist classroom, the teacher will focus on
the importance of reading and will often use the underlying reading lessons to
 make a moral point (Sadker and Zittleman, 2007). These teachers want to teach
their students how to be excellent leaders in society just like history portrays.
Learner-Centered Philosophies

Student-centered learning is just what is says. It is basically learning by doing. Teachers

believe that education should be child-centered. According to Julie K. Brown, she
basically says that “student-centered instruction is when the planning, teaching, and
assessment revolve around the needs and abilities of the students” (2008). This is quite
the opposite from what you have just read. “Regardless of variations in developmental
levels, all children are exposed to the same content in the same time period and the
teacher’s role is to facilitate growth by utilizing the interests and unique needs of
students as a guide for meaningful instruction” (Teacher Vision). According to Becky A.
Smerdon and David T. Burkam, “students develop analytic skills that can be applied to
other problems and situations, rather than accept their teachers’ explanation” (1999).
This technique gives the students the chance to use their abilities and experiences to
solve problems and find new ways of learning. One example of this would be if a math
teacher lets his or her students work in groups to solve different problems or let
students create their own test. With student centered learning, students and teachers
are committed to working together and finding the best achievable way of learning.

a. Progressivism
“Progressivisms build the curriculum around the experiences, interests, and
abilities of students, and encourage students to work together cooperatively”
(Sadker and Zittleman). The progressivist teacher would use games like
Monopoly or Jeopardy to illustrate important points. Unlike Perennialists,
Progressivists do not believe in teaching “Great Books,” but use “computer
simulations, field trips, and interactive websites on the Internet to offer
realistic learning challenges for students, and build on students’ multiple
intelligences” (Sadkier and Zittleman, 2007). Many props are used to expand
the students’ abilities and to make them think a little differently. Instead of
just lecturing to students, teachers try to find more interesting ways to
communicate important learning techniques and this “affords students
opportunities to explore ideas and construct knowledge based on their own
observations and experiences” (Smerdon and Burkam, 1999). Teachers
ultimately serve as their students’ guide and they want their students to use
problem-solving strategies they have learned in class to help manage the
challenges of life.
b. Humanism/Existentialism
Existentialism is another student-centered philosophy. “Existentialism places
the highest degree of importance on student perceptions, decisions, and
 actions” and individuals are responsible for determining for themselves what
is true or false, right or wrong, beautiful or ugly (Sadker and Zittleman,
2007). To sum it up, students make choices and then take the time to
evaluate those choices. “The teacher’s role is to help students define their
own essence by exposing them to various paths they may take in life and by
creating an environment in which they can freely choose their way” (Sadker
and Zittleman, 2007). This philosophy means that students think for
themselves and are aware of responsibilities assigned to them. Existentialism
philosophies say no to tradition and focuses on the students’ unique talents.
The teacher views each student as an individual and students learn how to
achieve their full potential by trying new concepts.

c. Constructivism
“Social Reconstructionism encourages schools, teachers, and students to
focus their studies and energies on alleviating pervasive inequities, and as the
name implies, reconstruct into a new and more just social order” (Sadker and
Zittleman, 2007). Social reform is the key to this type of philosophy and social
challenges and problems help guide teachers with their message. A social
reconstructionist teacher wants to not only inform their students, but rouse
emotions and point out the inequalities that surround them and the world
(Sadker and Zittleman, 2007). The teacher engages the students to discuss
and address problems such as poverty, homelessness, violence and many
more issues that create disparity. The teacher’s role is to explore social
problems, suggest alternate perspectives, and assist students’ examinations
of these problems (Sadker and Zittleman, 2007). For examples in the
classroom, “one group of students might analyze news coverage of racial and
ethic groups of a community or students might arrest and trial records in
order to determine the role race plays in differential application of the law”
(Sadker and Zittleman, 2007). The main focus of this philosophy is to help
students find ways to improve society. The teacher wants the student to
value society and realize that there is unfairness in the world and it is
important to be aware and act as advocates for those who are being judged.

2. Supporting Research
More than twenty years of research evidence supports learner-centered
teaching methods as a path to better student outcomes when compared to
traditional, teacher-centric methods. A few of these better student outcomes
are:
 Meaningful and long term understanding
 Engaging in deep learning approaches rather than superficial attempts
 Independent, lifelong learning
 Increased motivation to learn
 Better assessment outcomes, especially with conceptual understanding
tests

Research has consistently demonstrated that learner-centered teaching

practices are more effective than traditional teacher-centered approaches,
but unfortunately, the benefits may not be immediate or automatic. Indeed,
many teachers find it easier to revert back to their more comfortable,
teacher-centered pedagogies. To increase our chances of successfully
implementing learner-centered approaches, it is important we understand the
potential obstacles we might face. Interestingly, the primary obstacles or
resistance to change come from two groups: students and colleagues.
Students may resist learner-centered approaches. Students may be less than
enthusiastic, or even rebellious, when confronted with learner-centered
teaching.

There are four likely reasons for this resistance, and you may deal with
any one or all of them in the classroom. The four most commonly
encountered reasons for resistance include:
1. Learner-centered approaches require more work

Students often have an unhealthy attachment to their PowerPoint notes,

and for good reason. This method for acquiring knowledge requires
minimal mental effort on their part. What if instead of providing a list of
examples for a concept in your lecture, you ask the students to turn to a
partner and generate their own list of examples? It requires mental effort
for them to make the attempt, and what if their examples are wrong? To
the students this might feel like effort wasted, when in reality this process
helps them learn the content better and provides opportunities for them
to confront their own misconceptions about a new concept.

2. Learner-centered approaches are threatening

Keep in mind that for most of a student’s life, she/he has been told what
to doand what to know by the teacher in a teacher-centered class
environment. Imagine their reaction when they discover that in a learner-
centered classroom, the details about: what to do, what the “right
answer” is, and who is responsible for what is suddenly less clear than
they what they have come to expect. This is quite daunting for them
because it is a brand new experience, and the fear of failure in this
unfamiliar environment can cause anxiety.
 “Unhappy, whining, complaining students can easily
get on a teacher’s nerves. Consciously or unconsciously,
that’s part of the students’ plan—wear the teacher
down and watch her back down. And if she does, they
have discovered that resistance works, so you can
expect it to increase” (p. 212).5

3. Learner-centered approaches involve losses

Learner-centered approaches generate intellectual growth that creates

independent thinkers and learners. A learner-centered teaching
environment firmly places the responsibility for learning and decision-
making on the student. There can be sense of loss when a student
realizes she or he must move from a dependent learner to independently
making decisions about what is important for her or him to learn, and how
in depth a concept should be studied.

4. Some students are not ready for certain learner-centered approaches

Sometimes a student truly is not intellectually ready to become the

independent learner that is necessary for him or her to get the most out
of learner-centered teaching approaches. If they don’t seem to be
resistant to more work or responsibility and they do not seem to be afraid,
then it may be that they are not intellectually ready to tackle a particular
activity. If this is the case, you may need to either revise the activity, or
create a bridging experience to prepare them for that activity.
Knowing the sources of resistance can help you formulate a plan for
combatting resistance that may occur in your course. For any of these
situations, communication is the best first response.
There are many effective ways to communicate your way through student
resistance. One way is to explain the rationale behind what you are asking
the students to do. Do not assume that students will immediately see the
benefits for working through a new assignment or activity. .

You will also need to enact strategies that motivate students to

accept the responsibility for their learning. For example, one effective
strategy is to demonstrate your own personal commitment to learning. If
students can occasionally see how their teacher is working through a
current problem within their job, they can become more aware of the
bigger learning picture beyond just grades.
 “Given the reality of student resistance, I don’t think you
can try learner-centered approaches halfheartedly. You
can’t be tentative about what you’re doing. That only adds
fuel to the resistance fire. You may feel like retreating,
returning to a safer, saner way of teaching, but when
you’re working with students all they should see is your
unwavering commitment to learner-centered goals. They
get a sense of that determination and they back down” (p.
213).

The good news! Students do come around and begin to appreciate

learner-centered teaching approaches. Throughout numerous studies,
students typically report struggling initially with the new learner-centered
teaching style, but after a little experience in the course, they begin to see
the benefits. They even feel that they have more advantageous outcomes
compared to the older traditional teaching method (p.54).

Some methods and actions may work better than others for overcoming
student resistance to learner-centered teaching. The key is to not give up.
Continue trying new things until you find something that works because
students deserve the clear benefits of this educational approach despite
their initial resistance..

3. Resistance to Change: Managing the shift

Colleagues may resist learner-centered teaching

Some faculty and administrators may become alarmed with your learner-
centered teaching plans for a variety of reasons.

Below are three of the more common reasons your colleagues may not agree with your
new approach.
1. One common reason is the belief that you are not “covering” enough content.
If you switch your course from a teacher-centered approach to a more
learner-centered one, you will need to redefine the role of content.
 Remember, the role of content in your class is to guide the knowledge base
students must acquire, and to provide an opportunity for developing learning skills
within that knowledge area (p. 123, How does content function in a learner-centered
course?). A learner-centered teaching approach uses content to accomplish this,
while a teacher-centered approach just covers all the content that can fit into the
course. It is more important that the students learn how to use their acquired
knowledge rather than know all the facts presented in the vacuum of a classroom.

2. A second common reason for colleague resistance is the belief that only very
advanced and mature students would benefit from this type of teaching
practice. Your colleagues may not believe that beginner students can learn
enough from these methods and need to be schooled in the basics first.
However, this is a widely accepted misconception. Learner-centered
approaches can benefit any student despite their educational starting point.

“Just as those of us committed to learner-centered

approaches cannot return to how we taught before,
students also find that they no longer want to learn as
they once did. They chafe in classes where there are no
choices, no focus on learning, no responsibility or
autonomy” (p. 213).7

3. The third common reason is that faculty can feel threatened when shifting the
responsibility for learning to the students. It is difficult, especially for
experienced teachers, to let go of complete control in the classroom and share power
with students. The nature of learner-centered teaching shifts the
balance of power in the classroom. In order for students to learn, they must be given
more opportunity and responsibility to engage with the concepts and
construct their own understanding.

What does the power shift look like? It does not entail handing all of the
power to the students and losing control as a leader. There is a reason you are the
teacher. The power shift is more about sharing responsibility for learning with the
students. For a better explanation of how this sharing might occur, refer to Changing
the balance of power, p. 94.
How can you address fears of the power shift? Ask yourself, or your
colleagues, the following questions found on p. 88:

• How would you characterize your students?

 Are they empowered, self-motivated learners who tackle learning tasks
with confidence and ingenuity? Often the answer is no.
 Many students tend to hope the course is easy and worry about what
they will do if they run into difficulties. “Most would rather not
speak in class and their idea of a good class is one where the
teacher tells them exactly what to do” (p. 88).
• Why are so many students anxious, indecisive, and unsure of
themselves as learners?
• Is there something about the way we teach that makes students
dependent learners, that inhibits their development, making it
so they cannot learn unless teachers tell them what and how?

“When teachers are learner-centered, focused on

developing understanding of the material and
committed to helping students gain mastery over
their learning processes, students learn the
material at a deeper level and begin managing
their learning in ways that lead to their autonomy
and independence as learners” (p. 37).8

Conclusion

There are three take-away messages:

1. Learner-centered approaches are more effective than traditional teacher centered

pedagogy.
 More than twenty years of research supports this statement, which
begs the question: why haven’t things changed? According to a
classroom observation study discussed in the book (p. 67), from a
group of teachers that trained in learner-centered teaching strategies,
nearly 75% still implemented lecture-based teacher-centered
pedagogies in practice. “Why do outstanding scientists who demand
rigorous proof for scientific assertions in their research continue to
use, and indeed defend, on the basis of intuition alone, teaching
methods that are not the most effective?” (p. 55)

According to the science of teaching and learning, learner-centered

approaches are the most effective way to teach students. In order to
consider ourselves reputable educators, we should actively use
evidence-based practices to inform the way we teach.

2. Evolving to learner-centered approaches can be challenging.

It is human nature to be uncomfortable with change. However,
help instructors better prepare for implementation of this approach.

3. It takes dedication and ingenuity to adopt learner-centered teaching

approaches.

Incorporation of learner-centered teaching improves student learning and

strengthens academic programs. As you continue the curriculum review and redesign
process, you should consider your responsibility to the students in your program. While
programs tend to focus on teaching disciplinary content, we should also recognize the
importance of teaching students “how to learn” so they may continue into their
profession with lifelong learning skills. To best serve our students, we should embrace
this approach and encourage a new culture of education based upon how students
learn not just what students learn.

d. Dimensions of Learner-centered Teaching

In teaching, consider the following questions:
 What is the role of the teacher?
 What is the balance of power?
 What is the function of content?
 Whose responsibility is it for learning?
 What is the purpose and process of evaluation?
Most respond to these questions from a traditional point of view. The faculty give
students content to learn. Evaluation is for students to show faculty what they know.
Faculty have all the power. Another perspective to these the questions is called
Learner-Centered Teaching (LCT). In their seminal paper, Barr and Tagg (1995) argue
that teaching needs to shift from an instruction-centered focus to a focus on student
learning. So to move to a learner center approach, Weimer invites us to consider the
five questions that we posed at the beginning of this blog post. These questions
challenge our assumptions about teaching and invite us to rethink our approach to
undergraduate education.
What does LCT look like in practice? Phyllis Blumberg (2009 pg 19-20 table 1.2)
developed the rubric below that contrast instructor-center and learner-center
approaches to teaching based on Wiemer's 5 dimensions of of LCT. 
 
Dimension Definition of this Dimension  An Essential Component Instructor-Centered Approach Learner-Centered Approach 
Content includes building a
Instructor encourages students to transform
knowledge base, how the Level to which students
The Function of Content Instructor allows students to memorize content. and reflect on most the content to make their
instructor and the students use engage content.
own meaning out of it. 
the content.
Instructor:
An essential role of the Instructors uses teaching and  Does not have specific learning goals Instructor intentionally uses various teaching
The Role of the Instructor instructor is to assist students learning methods appropriate and/or and learning methods that are appropriate
to learn.  for student learning goals.  for student learning goals.
 Uses teaching and learning methods
that conflict with learning goals
Instructor assumes all responsibility for students
Instructor provides increasing opportunities
Students should assume learning (provides content to memorize, does not
The Responsibility for Responsibility for learning for students to assume responsibility for
greater responsibility for their require students to create their own meaning of
Learning should rest with the students.  their own learning, leading to achievement
own learning over time.  content, tells students exactly what will be on
of stated learning objectives. 
examinations).  
Instructor
Consistently throughout the learning
There are additional purposes Formative assessment (giving  Uses only summative assessment (to process, instructor integrate
The Purposes and Processes
and processes of assessment feedback to foster make decisions to assign grades)
of Assessment  Formative assessment
beyond assigning grades.  improvement. 
 Provides students with no constructive
 Constructive feedback 
feedback 
Instructor is flexible on most
 Course policies

Instructor mandates all policies and deadlines.  Assessment methods

The balance of power shifts so
that the instructor shares some
The Balance of Power
decisions about the course
with the students.  Instructor does not adhere to policies.   
Flexibility of course policies,
 Learning methods
assessment methods, learning or
methods, and deadlines.  
Deadlines
and
Instructor always adheres to what instructor
has agreed to with the students. 
 

References:
Weimer, M. (2012, August 8). Five characteristics of learner-centered teaching.
Retrieved August 4,
2015, from http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/five-
characteristicsof-learner-centered-teaching/2
Barr, R. B. & Tagg, J. (1995). From teaching to learning - a new paradigm for
undergraduate education. Change, 27(6), 12-26