LESSON I

INTRODUCTION TO LEARNER-CENTERED
TEACHING

DESCRIPTION
This lesson of the module introduces the pre-service teacher about the teaching and
learning process in the advent of learner-centeredness. This Lesson will lay down the key concepts
of facilitating learner-centered teaching in the 21 st century classrooms.
GUIDE
1. Answer the pre-test in your activity notebook.
2. Observe and analyze the pictures in the ACTIVITY. Write your observations in your activity
notebook.
3. After observing, answer the questions in the ANALYSIS part.
4. Read and understand the ABSTRACTION.
5. Design an infographic that will synthesize the different concepts about learner-centered
teaching,
6. Write a reflection about your take away in your journal notebook.
7. Answer the post-test in your activity notebook.
LESSON LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the Lesson, students are expected to perform the following:
⮚ Synthesize the different concepts about learner-centered teaching.
REQUIREMENTS
The following are the requirements for this lesson:
1. Activity Notebook
2. Journal
3. Internet Access
4. Computer Software
PURPOSE
The following are the purpose of this lesson:
1. Introduce the pre-service teachers about learner-centered teaching;
2. Instill the significance of learner’s diversity in the teaching-learning-process; and
3. Clarify misconceptions about learner-centered teaching versus traditional teaching
method;

KEY TERMS

Learner-centered teaching - the perspective that combines a focus on individual learners—their

heredity, experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, talents, interests, capacities, and needs—with a
focus on the best available knowledge about learning and how it occurs and about teaching
practices that promote the highest levels of motivation, learning, and achievement for all learners.
Learner- a person who is trying to gain knowledge or skill in something by studying, practicing, or
being taught.
Teacher- a teacher is a person who helps people to learn. 
Facilitator- a person or thing that makes an action or process easy or easier.

ACTIVITY

Direction: Analyze the picture below and answer the following questions in the ANALYSIS part.

A.

B.

ANALYSIS

After observing the pictures above, answer the following questions in your activity notebook:
1. What are your observations on pictures A and B?
2. What are the similarities and differences between pictures A and B?
 3. Which among these pictures is teacher-centered? Which is student-centered? Why?
4. Which of these pictures manifest in today's classroom? Why?

ABSTRACTION

Throughout the history of education, the word “teaching” has evolved its definition,
methodology, and purpose. The traditional approach to teaching deals in the context of the teacher
where the learners are trained to become passive receivers of knowledge and skills. The trend in
this contemporary time in the science and art of teaching focuses on the learner’s context, where
they become active and engaging learners in presenting their knowledge and skills.
Nevertheless, before we start exploring and defining learner-centered teaching, let us
discuss first learner-centered. The most renowned and accepted definition is according to
McCombs and Whisler (1997), they defined learner-centered as the perspective that combines a
focus on individual learners—their heredity, experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, talents,
interests, capacities, and needs—with a focus on the best available knowledge about learning and
how it occurs and about teaching practices that promote the highest levels of motivation, learning,
and achievement for all learners. This dual focus then informs the drives of educational decision
making. The definition explicates the importance of the learner as the key element in the success
of the teaching-learning process. It requires the teacher to adopt teaching methodologies that
acknowledge the learner's heredity (biological component), experiences (social component),
perspectives (beliefs), backgrounds (social upbringing), interest (motivation), capacities
(developmentally appropriate), and needs (survival skills and knowledge). It demands the school to
establish educational policies that center on inclusive practices, a positive school climate, and a
safe and secure learning environment. What do you think of the current educational set up? Is it
reflective of a learner-centered instruction?
As opposed to traditional teaching involving lectures punctuated by an objective test, the
learning process from learner-centered teaching is the facilitation of student construction of
knowledge based on their direct experiences. Learner-centered teaching means subjecting every
teaching activity (method, assignment, or assessment) to the test of a single question: “Given the
context of my students, course, and classroom, will this teaching action optimize my students’
opportunity to learn?” (Doyle 2008). Learner-centered teaching involves optimizing learning
opportunities for learners. A great teacher knows how to maximize opportunities for students to
learn. There are aspects of learner-centered practices for achieving optimizations; (1) Engage
students in authentic learning, which requires the teacher to provide experiential and firsthand
experiences as a learning activity for the learners to learn; (2) Involving students in their choice and
control about learning, sharing the responsibility for learning with them makes them held
accountable for their learning; (3) Instill life-long learning skills for the students, teachers must be
trained to teach survival skills and learning—how-to-learn skills and strategies needed to deal with
the complex and challenging problems of the society where they will become productive individuals
in the near future; (4) Promoting the relevance of learner-centered teaching, before starting your
lesson, provide first the rationale behind acquiring new skills and knowledge that will enable the
learners to decide whether it is worthwhile for them to engage in learning. Prioritize knowledge and
skills that are important to know instead of good to know topics.
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. In this
approach, the teacher lets students perform learning tasks that are developmentally
appropriate, objective-oriented, relevant to the topic, and maximizes learning opportunities.
 2. Leaner-centered teaching includes explicit skill instruction. Teachers as an expert in their
field of discipline must teach the learners how to solve problems, evaluate arguments,
think critically, apply information, and integrate knowledge, in order for learners to think like
an expert and have the mastery of the lesson content.
3. Learner-centered teaching encourages students to reflect on what they are learning and
how they are learning it. Learners should be conscious of what and how they are learning.
Teachers guide their learners to become active, responsible, and reflective learners,
especially in selecting appropriate learning strategies and study skills best fit for the
situation.
4. Learner-centered teaching motivates students by giving them some control over learning
processes. Contrary to the traditional teacher-centered approach where classroom
decision making is the teacher’s sole responsibility, in a learner-centered classroom,
decision-making is inclusive involving teachers, students, and parents. Learners are
consulted in the crafting of classroom rules and routines and planning, designing,
implementing, and evaluating the learning experience.
5. Learner-centered teaching encourages collaboration. A learner-centered classroom is
seen as a commLessony of learners. It recognizes the importance of social regard for
learning and cooperation as an attribute for everyone to learn something new. Nowadays,
teachers are not just the sole source of information; instead, everyone has something to
share with others based on their experiences, making learning in a collective sense.
Teachers need to work to develop structures that promote shared commitments to
learning.
Our biggest challenge that we face as a pre-service teacher is to adopt and implement a
learner-centered approach to teaching successfully is to buy into the change, to switch their
learning paradigm. Although the movement towards the full realization of learner-centered teaching
in the national curriculum is extensive, there are still some backlash and resistance against it. Both
learners and teachers have their rationale against this movement. The following are a list that
represents learner’s resistance towards a learner-centered approach to teaching, according to
Weimer (2012):
1. Learner-centered approaches require more work. A learner-centered teacher will demand
time, effort, and resources from the students in performing learning tasks. To the learners,
this might feel exhaustive and challenging, but as long as the learning tasks have direct
relevance and raise learner’s interest, it would drastically lessen the burden.
2. Learner-centered approaches are threatening. For some learner’s developed the ways of
teacher-centered classroom practices, introducing a learner-centered approach is quite
daunting for them because it is a brand new experience, and the fear of failure in this
unfamiliar environment can cause anxiety. It requires time and a great deal for our learners
to develop a new set of learning habits, especially those who were patterned in the
teacher-centered instruction.
3. Learner-centered approaches involve losses. The decision-making and responsibility for
learning is both a shared power of the learners and teachers. There can be a sense of loss
when the learners realize a sudden shift of learning accountability from the teacher to
them.
4. Some students are not ready for specific learner-centered approaches. Some learners are
not ready yet for a learner-driven learning experience. Some learners need assistance and
guidance from their teachers and parents to be intellectually, emotionally, physically, and
socially ready in a classroom where they are the main character.
Some teachers and administrators had felt anxious towards the adaptation of a learner-
centered teaching approach:
1. The coverage of the lesson content. Shifting from a teacher-centered approach to a
learner-centered approach requires the teacher to redefine the lesson content. In a
 teacher-centered approach, the teacher can cover all the content that fits into the course,
while in a learner-centered approach, the teacher identifies the essential content and use it
to acquire new skills and knowledge. Due to limited time, teachers must decide if they will
focus on covering the entire lesson content and disregard time for learning tasks or select
the most important topics and provide relevant learning tasks.
2. Only advance and mature students will benefit from a learner-centered approach. It is a
misconception for teachers to have such a contrary assumption about the capacity of our
students. In fact, in learner-centered teaching, all students, despite their class, gender,
beliefs, race, religion, social upbringing, language, and educational starting point, benefits
from this approach, since they are the priority and their needs are taken to consideration in
facilitating learning.
3. The threat when shifting the responsibility for learning to the learners. For some teachers,
it is a formidable act of transferring and sharing powers to the learners in the act of
teaching. Especially for experienced teachers, it is hard for them to let go of complete
control of the classroom and share power with the learners.

Dimensions of Learner-centered Teaching

1. Balance of Power
The learner's motivation, confidence, and enthusiasm for learning are adversely affected when
teachers control the process through and by which they learn. In a learner-centered classroom,
there is shared, collective decision-making between the learners and their teacher. Before you start
your school year with your learners, allow them to express their expectations, talents, interests,
and goals in attending your class. This will give them the feeling of being necessary for the class.
Weimer (2013) suggests that Learners should be involved in activities and assignment decisions,
class policy decisions, class content decisions, and evaluation activities. The benefits of power-
sharing had been proven effective. Learners are engaged, involved, motivated, and more
connected with the class, which results in more learning. Through this, teachers become active,
interested, and connected with their students, making the student-against-teacher rigid wall to
breakdown. It also levels up the classroom environment by having a sense of ownership and
comfort where anxiety, guilt, and fear has no place. However, how much power is enough? How
much freedom can our learners handle? When do teachers compromise their professional
responsibilities? The teacher can only answer these questions.

2. The Function of Content

Commonly, teachers have a strong content orientation that, until now, is being part of their
principles in selecting lesson content. Teachers need to abolish the more-is-better assumption in
covering a lesson. A teacher must select subject matter that is essential and practical for the
students in a society that undertake an influx of changes. Teachers must be able to understand
that in a learner-centered environment, content and learning are thought of as mutually reinforcing,
instead of having a dichotomous relationship. The content-learning relationship features that
content must be used to develop a knowledge base, it should be used to develop learning skills,
and it must be used to create learner awareness. The race to cover content has equally negative
consequences for the students. It eventually reinforces learning strategies that focus on rote
memorization, simple recall, and forgetting. Having a strong allegiance to content prevents
teachers from using methods and activities that strengthen learning outcomes and develop
learning skills. Teachers must be guided with the following questions in selecting the content of the
subject matter, How much content is enough? How do we change attitudes about the role of
content? What about students at different skill levels? How do I adapt generic learning activities to
fit the content I teach?

3. The Role of the Teacher

In learner-centered teaching, the role of the teacher shifts from being a sage on the stage (the
sole source of information) to being a guide on the side (facilitator of learning). Teachers are
positioned alongside the learner to keep the attention, interest, focus, and spotlight aimed at and
on the learning process. According to Weimer (2013), teachers must perform less by instructing the
learning tasks to the learners; teachers must avoid explaining concepts to the learners instead let
the learners discover, explore, and experience; teachers must rigorously plan and design their
instruction that centers on the learner’s success; they must act as a model for their learners in
terms of mastery of the content knowledge and skills by demonstrating approaches in
accomplishing the learning tasks; teachers must use a collaborative approach for learning to value
the importance of social learning; teachers must develop a positive classroom climate for learning,
and teachers must provide an avenue for feedbacking to students outputs and performances.
Intervention is also important, especially during class presentations, but teachers should be
reminded of when and how to intervene to avoid humiliation in front of the class.

4. The responsibility for Learning

In learner-centered teaching, the responsibility for learning is bestowed upon the learners. In
getting the learners to accept the responsibility for learning, the classroom climates must be
conducive for learning and build autonomy and responsibility for the students. A classroom climate
is conducive for learning where students perceive the classroom as a setting where they belong.
When the students are in an environment that they prefer, they achieve more. We also need a
classroom climate that encourages learner’s autonomy, responsibility, and confidence. To become
responsible in learning also means becoming a self-regulated learner. Self-regulated learners
handle a learning task with diligence, creativity, confidence, and resourcefulness. They are aware
of their limitations; proactively seek answers, and flexible when encountered with obstacles.
Teachers must convince the learners that the act of learning is their sole responsibility and only
theirs and their teachers are there to guide them. They must also know when their responsibility
ends and where the students begin. Although we cannot force them to accept the responsibility,
we can help them develop their confidence and interest when we plan and implement classroom
policies and practices that enable them to understand their responsibility and that empower them to
accept it.
5. The Purpose and processes of Evaluation
In today’s milieu, our policies and practices, coupled with a broader societal interest, place a
disproportionate emphasis on evaluation for grading. The culture of cheating, beliefs about ability,
and grade grubbing are results of being grade oriented—these results to a severe consequence
that compromises learning outcomes. Also, our policies and practices exclude students from our
evaluation process. This leads to the denial of student’s opportunities to learn essential self and
peer assessment strategies.
Evaluation refers to teachers providing value-judgment from the work of the learners. The term
inclines fear and frustration from our learners for their scores in the evaluation determines their
grades. Daunting assumptions had also lurked the term. However, the purpose of evaluation in
learner-centered teaching, evaluation activities should be used in a way that enhances learner's
already inherent potentials to promote learning, and evaluation processes should be opened to
students in ways that give them opportunities to develop self- and peer assessment skills.
 APPLICATION

Direction: Using software (Canva or Photoshop), you are tasked to design an infographic that
discusses the roles of the teacher in learner-centered teaching. You will be guided with the rubric
below for the content of your infographic.
Guide: The width of an ideal infographic must not be more than 600 pixels,
and the length should not exceed 1800 pixels. Almost all vertical Infographics are between 600-
1100 pixels wide; shorter infographic height goes up to about 2000 pixels. Submit your infographic
in a JPEG or PDF format. To avoid technical problems, please follow the directions exclusively.

Criteria Percentage
Creativity 40%
The infographic shows the art of creativity and maximizes the use of
elements.
Content 40%
The infographic contains important concepts about learner-centered
teaching.
Mechanics 20%
The content shows strong writing skills and proper use of grammar.
Total 100%

REFLECTION

In 100-150 words, write your reflection about the topic in your journal notebook.

REFERENCES
Doyle, Terry (2008). Helping Students Learn in a Learner-centered Environment: A Guide to
Facilitating Learning in Higher Education. Stylus Publishing. Sterling, Virginia
McComba, B. & Miller, L. (2007). Learner-centered Classroom Practices and Assessments:
Maximizing Student Motivation, Learning, and Achievement. Corwin Press. Thousand Oaks. CA
Weimer.M. (2008). Learner-centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice (2 nd Edition). John
Wiley & Sons Inc. San Francisco. CA APA 7th Edition - format