Trends

Learning centered teaching is increasingly being encouraged in higher education as a way to produce self-directed, lifelong learners. In their report published in 2002 called Greater Expectations: A New Vision for Learning as a Nation Goes to College, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) recommended that faculty and administrators take steps to improve the quality of college student learning. Based upon the data collected during a two year national panel convened by the AACU, this report characterized the ideal type of learners as intentional learners who can adapt to new challenges by taking what they learned from many sources and having the ability to continue to learn throughout their lives.

The change in the focus from teachers to student learning is also highlighted in the 2001 national survey of college students’ engagement (NSSE) in their educational activities. Results from 972 colleges and universities surveying more than 844,000 students have led the NSSE researchers to develop five benchmarks of effective educational practices including: raising the level of academic challenge, using active and collaborative learning, fostering meaningful student-faculty interactions, creating enriching educational experiences, and establishing a supportive campus environment (National Survey of Student Engagement, 2005). All of these benchmarks are consistent with learning centered teaching. In addition, evidence is accumulating that when the focus is placed on student learning, these colleges attain higher rates of student retention and have better prepared graduates than those students who were more traditionally trained (Matlin, 2002; Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2002).

In addition to traditional college students and classroom instruction, greater emphasis is being placed on meeting the needs of non-traditional students or students in on-line learning environments. The needs of non-traditional learners and technologically literate traditional students are pushing distance education to be more vivid, interactive, and learning centered in nature. The role of educational institutions and educators in this new learning centered model is to provide students with online learning environments that encourage critical reflection and knowledge construction through social interaction with other students in learning-community settings (Palloff & Pratt, 1999).

Practice

Learning centered teaching does not use a single teaching method, rather it emphasizes a variety of different methods that shift the role of the instructors from one of sage or giver of information to one of facilitating student learning or creating an environment for learning. Teaching using learning centered practices requires the development of new skills and attitudes (Sorcinelli, et. al. 2006).

Weimer (2002) segments learner-centered teaching practices into five criteria:

• The functions of the content in learning-centered teaching include building a strong knowledge foundation and to develop learning skills and learner self-awareness.

• The role of the teacher should focus on student learning. The roles are more facilitative rather than prescriptive teaching.

• The responsibility for learning shifts from the teacher to the students. Students take responsibility for their own learning. The teacher creates learning environments that motivate students to accept responsibility for learning.

• The processes and purposes of evaluation shift from only assigning grades to also including constructive feedback and to assist with improvement. Learning-centered teaching uses assessment as a part of the learning process.

• The balance of power shifts so that the teacher shares some decisions about the course with the students such that the teacher and the students collaborate on course policies and procedures. Learning-centered teaching has an appropriate balance of power between the teacher and the students by giving students some control over the policies; the schedule including deadlines; methods of learning; and methods of assessment but not the essential content of the course.

These criteria were used as the basis for the self-assessment tool described in this module.

Notes

In many cases, the move toward learning-centered teaching may require a significant investment of time as well as adjustments in teaching/presentation style.  It is important to note that while we may strive to achieve a total learning-centered approach, it may not be realistic or obtainable in every course. Determining if a total unified learning-centered approach is appropriate for a particular course depends on the content, context and level of the course. However, implementing even some of the practices noted in this module indicates progress toward achieving the goal of an integrated learning-centered approach.

Tools

This module contains examples a 3-part self-assessment tool:

• Rubrics - help to identify possible specific examples of how teachers can transition to more learning-centered practices.
• Worksheets Part 1 - serves as a check on the validity of the learning centered practice levels selected on the rubrics earlier in this process.
• Worksheets Part 2 - should be used to develop tactical plans for 2 - 3 components that the instructor would like to improve within the course being evaluated.

Using the scoring rubric and worksheets, helps teachers to see incremental steps toward learning-centered teaching.   To view the samples click on the tool title listed above or the "Next Topic" link listed below.

If you would like a complete set of the assessment materials or are interested in implementing this tool in your department or Institution, contact JoAnn Gonzalez-Major or Phyllis Blumberg at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.  They would be happy to provide seminars, train-the-trainer, and one-on-one consultation services.