BSCRIM 1

9:01 am – 10:30 am
EDUC5: FACILITATING
LEARNER-CENTERED
TEACHING
Characteristics of a learner-centered teaching

What does a learner-centered classroom look

like?

Describe a learner-centered classroom.

Unit 1: Learner-centered Principles
Learning Experience design draws on learners' interests, needs,
feelings, contexts, and mindsets to drive the learning task
design. Its aim is to personalize the learning experiences for the
learner. To accommodate the diversity of learners, the following
task principles accommodate such a learner-centered design.
Characteristics of a learner-centered teaching
According to Weimer and Maryellen (n. d.)
1. It engages students in the hard, messy work of
learning.
2. It includes explicit skill instruction.
3. It encourages students to reflect on what they are
learning and how they are learning it.
4. It motivates students by giving them some control
over learning processes.
5. It encourages collaboration
Learner-centered Principles according to the University of
Minnesota
1. Learner-led
Learning activities and assessments are learner led and provide
scaffolds that support learners in their independent inquiry into
the subject matter. Scaffolds adjust in structure from highly
guided to open inquiry depending on learners' abilities to self-
guide their learning. Instructors act as coaches and mentors to
support the learners' inquiries.
2. Learner choice
Learning activities and assessments provide learners with the
freedom to choose how to execute their assignments and / or
with the opportunity to personalize the assignment to
personally relevant interests. This increases learner's ownership
of the learning process so that they are less likely to feel they
are participating in a process owned by the teacher or the
educational system. This freedom can also address the diversity
of interests in the classroom.
3. Learner relevant
When learning activities and assessments are rooted in
learners' backgrounds, personal interests, passions, and /or
values, learners regard the learning as relevant, take
ownership of their learning, and are willing to put in the effort
needed to learn. When learning activities and assessments are
applicable to learner's life they become personally
meaningful, are viewed as useful and to have purpose.
4. Learner socially - culturally connected
Learning activities and assessments encourage connections
between the subject matter and the learner's social context and
lived experience. Social - cultural connections to the subject
matter can also address learner diversity and make learning
more inclusive.
5. Learner self-expression
Learning activities and assessments encourage learners' self
expression and opportunities to speak their minds. The freedom
to share subjective opinions, thoughts, and feelings deepens the
connection of newly learned concepts to learners' prior
knowledge and increases ownership of learning as individuals.
6. Learner creativity
Learning activities and assessments encourage learners'
creative expression and provide them with the freedom to
experiment with ideas and to arrive at novel solutions and
insights. The ability for learners to express themselves
creatively can contribute to the enjoyment of learning and
make learning fun and engaging. Creative expression further
expands learning to go beyond reproducing existing knowledge
and encourages knowledge building and the re-interpretation of
existing knowledge, processes, and structures.
 Paradigm shift: from teacher-centered to
learner-centered teaching
Teacher-centered philosophies:
1. essentialism
2. perennialism
Learner- centered philosophies:
1. progressivism
2. humanism
3. constructivism
Essentialism:
Essentialism is the educational philosophy
of teaching basic skills. This philosophy
advocates training the mind. Essentialist
educators focus on transmitting a series of
progressively difficult topics and promotion
of students to the next level or grade.
Essentialism:
William Bagley, took progressivist
approaches to task in the journal he formed
in 1934. Other proponents of Essentialism
are: James D. Koerner (1959), H. G.
Rickover (1959), Paul Copperman (1978),
and Theodore Sizer (1985).
Perrenialism:
The goal of a perennialist education is to teach students to
think rationally and develop minds that can think critically. A
perennialist classroom aims to be a closely organized and
well-disciplined environment.

Perennialists are primarily concerned with the importance of

mastery of the content and development of reasoning skills.
Perrenialism:
The goal of a perennialist education is to teach students to
think rationally and develop minds that can think critically. A
perennialist classroom aims to be a closely organized and
well-disciplined environment.

Perennialists are primarily concerned with the importance of

mastery of the content and development of reasoning skills.
Progressivism:
John Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778) and John Dewey (1859–1952)

Rousseau maintained that people are basically good and that society
is responsible for corrupting them. He supported education in
nature, away from the city and the influences of civilization, where
the child’s interests (as opposed to a written set of guidelines) would
guide the curriculum.
John Dewey proposed that people learn best by social interaction
and problem solving. (learning-by-doing).
Progressivism:
The progressivist classroom is about exploration and experience.
Teachers act as facilitators in a classroom where students explore
physical, mental, moral, and social growth.

Common sights in a progressivist classroom might include: small

groups debating, custom-made activities, and learning stations.
Teachers typically walk freely among the groups, guiding them
using suggestions and thought-provoking questions.
Humanism:
Proponents of humanistic psychology are Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers .
In humanism, learning is student centered and personalized, and
the educator’s role is that of a facilitator. Affective and cognitive
needs are key, and the goal is to develop self-actualized people
in a cooperative, supportive environment.
Constructivism:
Jean Piaget (1896-1980) is considered the father of the
constructivist view of learning.
Constructivism is a learning theory which holds that knowledge is
best gained through a process of reflection and active construction
in the mind (Mascolo & Fischer, 2005). Thus, knowledge is an
intersubjective interpretation. The learner must consider the
information being taught and - based on past experiences, personal
views, and cultural background - construct an interpretation.
Constructivism:
Social reconstructionism is an educational philosophy that views
schools as tools to solve social problems. Social reconstructionists
reason that, because all leaders are the product of schools, schools
should provide a curriculum that fosters their development.
Reconstructionists not only aim to educate a generation of problem
solvers, but also try to identify and correct many noteworthy social
problems that face our nation, with diverse targets including racism,
pollution, homelessness, poverty, and violence.
Learning Task
In a Venn Diagram,
compare teacher-
centered and
learner-centered
teaching
Brainstorm
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?
 Dimensions of Learner-centered Teaching

Five Dimensions or areas of learner-centered teaching include:

1) the function of content;
2) the role of the instructor;
3) the responsibility for learning;
4) the purposes and processes of assessment, and
5) the balance of power.
 Dimensions of Learner-centered Teaching
Dimension Definition of this An Essential Teacher- Learner-
Dimension Component Centered Centered
Approach Approach

The Content includes Level to which Teacher allows Teacher

Function building a students students to encourages
of Content knowledge base, engage memorize students to
how the instructor content. content. transform and
and the students reflect on most
use the content. of the content
to make their
own meaning
out of it.
 Dimensions of Learner-centered Teaching
Dimension Definition of this An Essential Teacher- Learner-
Dimension Component Centered Centered
Approach Approach
The Role of An essential role of Teacher uses Teacher: Teacher
the the instructor is to teaching and Does not have intentionally
Instructor assist students to learning specific learning uses various
learn. methods goals teaching and
appropriate for and/or learning
student Uses teaching methods that
learning goals. and learning are appropriate
methods that for student
conflict with learning goals.
learning goals.
 Dimensions of Learner-centered Teaching
Dimension Definition of this An Essential Teacher-Centered Learner-
Dimension Component Approach Centered
Approach

The Students should Responsibility Teacher assumes all Teacher provides

Responsibil assume greater for learning responsibility for increasing
students learning opportunities for
ity for responsibility for should rest with (provides content to students to
Learning their own the students. memorize, does not assume
learning over require students to responsibility for
time. create their own their own learning,
meaning of content, leading to
tells students exactly achievement of
what will be on stated learning
examinations). objectives.
 Dimensions of Learner-centered Teaching
Dimension Definition of this An Essential Teacher- Learner-
Dimension Component Centered Centered
Approach Approach
The There are additional Formative Teacher: Consistently
Purposes purposes and assessment Uses only throughout the
and processes of (giving summative learning
Processes of assessment beyond feedback to assessment (to process,
Assessment assigning grades. foster make decisions instructor
improvement. to assign integrate:
grades) Formative
Provides assessment
students with Constructive
no constructive feedback
feedback
 Dimensions of Learner-centered Teaching
Dimension Definition of An Essential Teacher- Learner-Centered
this Dimension Component Centered Approach
Approach

The The balance of Flexibility of Teacher Teacher is flexible on:

Balance of power shifts so course mandates all Course policies
Power that the policies, policies and Assessment methods
teacher shares assessment deadlines. Learning methods
some decisions methods, or Deadlines
about the learning Teacher does and
course with methods, and not adhere to Teacher always
the students. deadlines. policies. adheres to what
teacher has agreed to
with the students.
Learning task
I learned that...
As a future teacher, I will...
I realized that...
Any questions?
 ASSIGNMENT:
What are the psychological principles of
learner-centered teaching?

What are the implications of these principles

into teaching?