Student-centered learning: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Methods of teaching}}

=== Overview ===

{{Use American English|date=March 2021}}

{{Pedagogy sidebar}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Critical pedagogy}}

'''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 <ref>Jones, Leo. (2007). The Student-Centered Classroom. Cambridge University Press.</ref> by putting responsibility for the learning path in the hands of students by imparting to them with skills, and the basis on how to learn a specific subject and schemata required to measure up to the specific performance requirement.<ref>Rogers, C. R. (1983). Freedom to Learn for the 80's. New York: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company, A Bell & Howell Company.</ref><ref>Pedersen, S., & Liu, M. (2003). Teachers’Teachers' beliefs about issues in the implementation of a student-centered learning environment. Educational Technology Research and Development, 51(2), 57-76.</ref><ref name="hannafin">{{cite web |last1=Hannafin, |first1=M. J., & |last2=Hannafin, |first2=K. M. (|date=2010). [|url-status=dead |url=https://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/cda_downloaddocument/9781441915504-c1.pdf?SGWID=0-0-45-855998-p173924330 |title=Cognition and studentStudent-centeredCentered, webWeb-basedBased learningLearning: Issues and implicationsImplications for researchResearch and theory]. InTheory |work=Learning and instructionInstruction in the digitalDigital ageAge (pp.|publisher=Springer 11US |archive-23)url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210911072956if_/https://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/cda_downloaddocument/9781441915504-c1.pdf?SGWID=0-0-45-855998-p173924330 Springer|archive-date=Sep US.11, 2021 }}</ref> Student-centered instruction focuses on skills and practices that enable [[lifelong learning]] and independent problem-solving.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Teaching Nursing: Developing a Student-centered Learning Environment|page= 5

|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=078175772X|isbn=078175772X978-0781757720

|first1=Lynne E.|last1=Young|first2=Barbara L. |last2=Paterson |year=2007}}</ref> Student-centered learning theory and practice are based on the [[Constructivism (philosophy of education)|constructivist learning theory]] that emphasizes the learner's critical role in constructing meaning from new information and prior experience.

Student-centered learning puts students' interests first, acknowledging [[student voice]] as central to the learning experience. In a student-centered [[learning space]], students choose what they will learn, how they will pace their learning,<ref name="Augsburg Fortress Publishers">{{Cite book|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/j.ctt9m0skc|title=Pedagogies for Student-Centered Learning: Online and On-Ground|lastlast1=Crumly|firstfirst1=Cari|last2=Dietz|first2=Pamela|last3=d’Angelo|first3=Sarah|date=2014-11-01|publisher=Augsburg Fortress Publishers|isbn=978-1-4514-8953-8|doi=10.2307/j.ctt9m0skc.5|jstor = j.ctt9m0skc}}</ref>, and how they will assess their own learning by playing the role of the facilitator of the classroom.<ref name="hannafin"/> This is in contrast to [[traditional education]], also dubbed "teacher-centered learning", which situates the teacher as the primarily "active" role while students take a more "passive", receptive role. In a teacher-centered classroom, teachers choose what the students will learn, how the students will learn, and how the students will be assessed on their learning. In contrast, student-centered learning requires students to be active, responsible participants in their own learning and with their own pace of learning.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Student Centered Classroom: Vol 1: Social Studies and History|page=19

|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1317919491|isbn=1317919491978-1317919490

|first=Eli|last=Johnson|year=2013}}</ref>

Usage of the term "student-centered learning" may also simply refer to educational mindsets or instructional methods that recognize individual differences in learners.<ref>Student-Centered Learning. (2014). Education Reform Glossary. http://edglossary.org/student-centered-learning/</ref> In this sense, student-centered learning emphasizes each student's interests, abilities, and [[learning styles]], placing the teacher as a facilitator of learning for individuals rather than for the class as a whole.

==Background==

<!-- [[WP:NFCC]] violation: [[File:Carlrogers.jpg|thumb|Student-centered learning theorist Carl Rogers]] -->

Theorists like [[John Dewey]], [[Jean Piaget]] and [[Lev Vygotsky]], whose collective work focused on how students learn, have informed the move to student-centered learning. [[John Dewey]] was an advocate for progressive education, and he believed that learning is a social and experiential process by making learning an active process as children learn by doing. He believed that a classroom environment in which students could learn to think critically and solve real world problems was the best way to prepare learners for the future .<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/j.ctt9m0skc|title=Pedagogies for Student-Centered Learning: Online and On-Ground|last=Crumly|first=Cari|last2=Dietz|first2=Pamela|last3=d’Angelo|first3=Sarah|date=2014-11-01|publishername="Augsburg Fortress Publishers|isbn=978-1-4514-8953-8|doi=10.2307/j.ctt9m0skc.5}}</ref>[[Carl Rogers]]' ideas about the formation of the individual also contributed to student-centered learning. Rogers wrote that "the only learning which significantly influences behavior [and education] is self discovered".<ref name="Kraft, R. G. 1994 Pg. 41">Kraft, R. G. (1994). Bike riding and the art of learning. In L. B. Barnes, C. Roland Christensen, & A. J. Hansen (Eds.), Teaching and the case method. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, Pg. 41</ref> [[Maria Montessori]] was also a forerunner of student-centered learning, where preschool children learn through independent self-directed interaction with previously presented activities.

[[Carl Rogers]]'s ideas about the formation of the individual also contributed to student-centered learning. Rogers wrote that "the only learning which significantly influences behavior [and education] is self discovered".<ref name="Kraft, R. G. 1994 Pg. 41">Kraft, R. G. (1994). Bike riding and the art of learning. In L. B. Barnes, C. Roland Christensen, & A. J. Hansen (Eds.), Teaching and the case method. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, Pg. 41</ref> [[Maria Montessori]] was also a forerunner of student-centered learning, where preschool children learn through independent self-directed interaction with previously presented activities.

[[Self-determination theory]] focuses on the degree to which an individual’s behavior is self-motivated and 'self-determined'. When students are given the opportunity to gauge their learning, learning becomes an incentive.

[[Self-determination theory]] focuses on the degree to which an individual’sindividual's behavior is self-motivated and 'self-determined'. When students are given the opportunityallowed to gauge their learning, learning becomes an incentive, thus more meaningful. Placing students at the center of the classroom allows them to gauge their own self-worth which creates a higher degree of intrinsic motivation.

Student-centered learning means inverting the traditional teacher-centered understanding of the learning process and putting students at the centre of the learning process. In the ''teacher-centered'' classroom, teachers are the primary source for knowledge. On the other hand, in ''student-centered'' classrooms, active learning is strongly encouraged. Armstrong (2012) claimed that "traditional education ignores or suppresses learner responsibility".{{sfn|Armstrong|2012|p=2}}

Student-centered learning means inverting the traditional teacher-centered understanding of the learning process and putting students at the centrecenter of the learning process. In the ''teacher-centered'' classroom, teachers are the primary source for knowledge. On the other hand, in ''student-centered'' classrooms, [[active learning]] is strongly encouraged. Armstrong (2012) claimed that "traditional education ignores or suppresses learner responsibility".{{sfn|Armstrong|2012|p=2}}

A further distinction from a teacher-centered classroom to that of a student-centered classroom is when the teacher acts as a [[facilitator]], as opposed to instructor. In essence, the teacher’s goal in the learning process is to guide students into making new interpretations of the learning material, thereby 'experiencing' content, reaffirming Rogers' notion that "significant learning is acquired through doing".<ref name="Kraft, R. G. 1994 Pg. 41"/>

A further distinction from a teacher-centered classroom to that of a student-centered classroom is when the teacher acts as a [[facilitator]], as opposed to an instructor. In essence, the teacher’steacher's goal in the learning process is to guide students into making new interpretations of the learning material, thereby 'experiencing' content, reaffirming Rogers' notion that "significant learning is acquired through doing".<ref name="Kraft, R. G. 1994 Pg. 41"/>

Through peer-to-peer interaction, collaborative thinking can lead to an abundance of knowledge. In placing a teacher closer to a peer level, knowledge and learning is enhanced, benefitting the student and classroom overall. According to [[Lev Vygotsky]]'s theory of the [[zone of proximal development]] (ZPD), students typically learn vicariously through one another. [[Instructional scaffolding|Scaffolding]] is important when fostering independent thinking skills. Vygotsky proclaims, "Learning which is oriented toward developmental levels that have already been reached is ineffective from the viewpoint of the child's overall development. It does not aim for a new stage of the developmental process but rather lags behind this process."<ref>{{Cite book|title=Mind in Society|page=89

Through peer-to-peer interaction, collaborative thinking can lead to an abundance of knowledge. In placing a teacher closer to a peer level, knowledge and learning is enhanced, benefitting the student and classroom overall. According to [[Lev Vygotsky]]'s theory of the [[zone of proximal development]] (ZPD), students typically learn vicariously through one another. [[Instructional scaffolding|Scaffolding]] is important when fostering independent thinking skills. Vygotsky proclaims, "Learning which is oriented toward developmental levels that have already been reached is ineffective from the viewpoint of the child's overall development. It does not aim for a new stage of the developmental process, but rather lags behind this process."<ref>{{Cite book|title=Mind in Society|page=89

|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0674076699|isbn=0674076699

|first=L.S. |last=Vygotsky|year=1980}}</ref>

<br />

==Student-centered assessment==

One of the most critical differences between student-centered learning and teacher-centered learning is in assessment.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Pedagogies for Student-Centered Learning: Online and On-Ground

|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1451489536|isbn=1451489536978-1451489538

|first=Cari|last= Crumly|year=2014|page=26|ref=harv}}</ref> Student-centered learning typically involves more [[formative assessment]] and less [[summative assessment]] than teacher-centered learning.{{sfn|Crumly|2014|p=26}} In student-centered learning, students participate in the evaluation of their learning.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Technological Change and Societal Growth: Analyzing the Future|page=182

|first=Isa|last=Jahnke|chapter=A Way Out of the Information Jungle

|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1466602015|isbn=1466602015978-1466602014

|editor-last=Coakes|editor-first=Elayne |year=2012}}</ref> This means that students are involved in deciding how to demonstrate their learning. Developing assessment that supports learning and motivation is essential to the success of student-centered approaches.

==Application to Elementary and Secondary Education==

In the U.S. the principles of student-centered instruction have been promoted as a way to improve engagement and boost achievement through their inclusion in the [[Common Core State Standards Initiative|Common Core]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Can Student-Driven Learning Happen Under Common Core? |url=https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/27332/can-student-driven-learning-happen-under-common-core |website=KQED |date=February 26, 2013 |access-date=16 September 2020}}</ref> Student-centered instruction has been shown to be related to increased mathematics engagement. Additionally, there is evidence that using student-centered instruction raises mathematics achievement.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cornelius-White |first1=Jeffrey |title=Learner-centered teacher-student relationships are effective: A meta-analysis. |journal=Review of Educational Research |date=2007|volume=77 |pages=113–143 |doi=10.3102/003465430298563 }}</ref>

==Application to higher education==

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|title=Student-Centered Learning in Higher Education

|first=Gloria Brown |last=Wright

|pages=93–94|ref=harv}}</ref> They have been defined specifically within higher education as both a mindset and a culture within a given educational institution and as a learning approach broadly related to, and supported by, [[Constructivism (philosophy of education)|constructivist theories of learning]]. They are characterised by innovative methods of teaching which aim to promote learning in communication with teachers and other learners and which take students seriously as active participants in their own learning and foster transferable skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and reflective thinking.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Student-Centered Learning SCL Toolkit|lastlast1 = Attard|firstfirst1 = Angele|publisher = European Students' Union|year = 2014|isbn = |___location = Brussels|pages = |last2 = Iorio|first2 = Emma Di|last3 = Geven|first3 = Koen|last4 = Santa|first4 = Robert|url = http://pascl.eu/publications/student-centered-learning-scl-toolkit/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = Student-Centered Learning Environments in Higher Education Classrooms|last = Hoidn|first = Sabine| work=SpringerLink |publisher = Palgrave Macmillan|year = 2017|isbn = |___location = New York, NY |url = https://www.palgrave.com/de/book/9781349949403}}</ref> The revised European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance, due to be(ESG) approved by the ministers[[Ministerial ofConference]] Europeanin higher[[Yerevan]] educationon in15 May 2015, include the following passage on student-centred learning: "Institutions should ensure that the programmes are delivered in a way that encourages students to take an active role in creating the learning process, and [should ensure] that the assessment of students reflects this approach."<ref>{{Cite web |last=ESG |first=European Higher Education Area |date=15 May 2015 |title=Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area |url=http://ehea.info/media.ehea.info/file/2015_Yerevan/72/7/European_Standards_and_Guidelines_for_Quality_Assurance_in_the_EHEA_2015_MC_613727.pdf |access-date=9 April 2023 |website=European Higher Education Area}}</ref>

A research university in [[Hong Kong]] sought to promote student-centered learning across the entire university by employing the following methods:{{sfn|Kember|2009|pp=10,12}}

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* A compulsory teacher training course for new junior teachers, which encouraged student-centered learning.

* Projects funded through teaching development grants, of which 16 were concerned with the introduction of active learning experiences.

* A program-level quality enhancement initiative whichthat utilized a student survey to identify strengths and potential areas for improvement.

* Development of a model of a broadly based teaching and learning environment influencing the development of generic capabilities to provide evidence of the need for an interactive learning environment.

* The introduction of program reviews as a quality assurance measure.

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The success of this initiative was evaluated by surveying the students. After two years, the mean ratings indicating the students' perception of the quality of the teaching and learning environment at the university all rose significantly.{{sfn|Kember|2009|p=12}} The study is one of many examining the process of implementing student-centered pedagogies in large institutions of higher education.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=Time for Student-Centred Learning?|first1=K.|last1=Geven|first2=A.|last2=Attard

|title=European Higher Education at the Crossroads

|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=9400739370|isbn=9400739370978-9400739376

|editor1-first=Adrian |editor1-last=Curaj|editor2-first=Peter |editor2-last=Scott |editor3-first=Laz?r |editor3-last=Vlasceanu|year= 2012 |ref=harv}}</ref>

==See also==

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* [[Inquiry-based learning]]

* [[Learning environment]]

* [[Learning space]]

* [[Personal learning environment]]

* [[Phenomenon-based learning]]

* [[PhilosophyProblem-based of educationlearning]]

* [[Project-based learning]]

* [[Public sphere pedagogy]]

* [[Purpose-centered education]]

* [[Reggio Emilia approachSCALE-UP]]

* [[Teaching method]]

* [[Standards based education reform]]

* [[Student voice]]

* [[Sudbury model|Sudbury model of democratic education]]

* [[Traditional education]]

==Notes==

{{Reflist}}

<references />

==References==

* {{Cite book|first=Armstrong|last=J.S.|year=2012|chapter-url=https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/files/?whdmsaction=public:main.file&fileID=8113|chapter=Natural Learning in Higher Education|title=Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning|___location=Heidelberg|publisher=Springer}}

* {{Cite book|last=Hoidn|first=S.|year=2017|title=Student-Centered Learning Environments in Higher Education Classrooms|___location=New York, NY|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan}}

* {{Cite journal|last=Kember|first=David|year=2009|title=Promoting student-centred forms of learning across an entire university|journal=Higher Education|volume=58|issue=1|pages=1–13|refdoi=harv10.1007/s10734-008-9177-6|s2cid=145136281}}

==External links==

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* [http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-centered-learning-environments-paul-bogdan "Student-Centered Learning Environments: How and Why"]

* [http://ylcstudents.x10host.com/hytttw/teachingenvironment.php "Helping You Talk to the World: Student-Centered Teaching"]

{{Education}}

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[[Category:Philosophy of education]]

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[[Category:Education reform]]

[[Category:Progressive education]]

[[Category:Critical pedagogy]]