Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching

Learner-Centered Teaching

• Focuses on students’ needs, abilities, interests, and learning styles.

• Encourages active learning, collaboration, and critical thinking.

• Views learners as having unbounded potential that will unfold at their own pace and in their own way.

• Emphasizes active learning, student engagement, and real-world applications.

• Teacher acts as a facilitator, promoting critical thinking and collaboration.

Characteristics of Learner-Centered Teaching

1. ) Active student participation.

2. ) Emphasis on problem-solving and critical thinking.

3. ) Collaboration and social interaction.

4. ) Personalized learning experiences.

5. ) Reflective Learning.

Teacher-Centered vs. Learner-Centered Approaches

Theoretical Foundations in Learner-Centered Teaching

1.) Constructivism

• Jean Piaget: Learning is an individual process where students construct knowledge through experiences and cognitive development.

  • Cognitive Constructivism: Learning is self-discovery through experiences; encourages hands-on exploration and developmentally appropriate tasks.

    • Example: A teacher introduces a science experiment where students predict, observe, and analyze results instead of just memorizing facts.

• Lev Vygotsky: Emphasized that learning happens through social interactions and guidance from more knowledgeable individuals.

  • Social Constructivism: Learning happens through social interaction; emphasizes peer collaboration, scaffolding, and language in learning.

    • Example: Students work in pairs to peer-review each other’s writing, providing feedback and suggestions.

2.) Experiential Learning

• Proposed by David Kolb; learning occurs through a cycle of experience, reflection, and application rather than just passive listening.

• Learning follows a cycle of experience, reflection, and application; best used in projects, simulations, and real-world tasks.

  • Example: Students participate in community service, reflect on their experiences, and connect their actions to classroom theories.

3.) Social Learning Theory

• Proposed by Alex Bandura; students learn by observing, imitating, and interacting with others.

• Learning occurs through observation, imitation, and modeling; encourages roleplaying, teacher demonstrations, and peer feedback.

  • Example: In a social studies class, students act out historical events to better understand perspectives and consequences.

21st Century Learning Framework

• Refers to the knowledge, life skills, career skills, habits, and traits that are critically important to student success in today’s world, particularly as students move on to college, the workforce, and adult life.

• Without skills, students are left to memorize facts, recall details for worksheets, and relegate their educational experience to passivity.

Frameworks for 21st Century Skills

1. ) Learning Skills: Also known as the four C’s of 21st-century learning: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.

2. ) Life Skills: Flexibility, initiative, social skills, productivity, and leadership.

3. ) Literacy Skills: Information literacy, media literacy, and technology literacy.

Most Commonly Cited 21st Century Skills

1. ) Critical Thinking

2. ) Problem-solving

3. ) Communication skills

4. ) Collaboration skills

5. ) Creativity

6. ) Innovative

The Importance of 21st Century Skills

1. ) Higher-education and business leaders cite soft skills as being the most important driver of success in higher-level courses and in the workplace.

2. ) Career readiness means equipping students with a nuanced set of skills that can prepare them for the unknown.

3. ) The age of the Internet has dramatically increased access to knowledge. Students need to learn how to process and analyze large amounts of information.

4. ) Content knowledge from core subjects can only go so far; students need to be taught how to apply facts and ideas towards complex problems.

Motivation and Engagement in Learning

Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

• Developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan in 1985.

• Richard Ryan: This theory focuses on human motivation, emphasizing how social and environmental factors can either enhance or undermine an individual's motivation, wellbeing, and overall development.

• Edward Deci: It highlights that individuals are naturally driven to grow, develop, and achieve personal goals when their fundamental psychological needs are satisfied.

Three Basic Psychological Needs

1. ) Autonomy: The need to feel control of one’s actions and decisions. When learners have choices and a sense of ownership, they become more motivated.

   • Example: Allowing students to choose the topic of their project or how they present their work.

2. ) Competence: The need to feel capable and successful in tasks.

   • Example: Providing constructive feedback and opportunities to develop skills enhances this.

3. ) Relatedness: The need to feel connected and valued by others. Building strong relationships with peers and teachers helps fulfill this need.

   • Example: Encouraging group discussions and collaborative learning activities to foster a sense of belonging in the classroom.

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic

• Involves performing an activity for the inherent pleasure or interest it provides.

• It is self-driven and promotes deeper engagement, creativity, and learning.

Extrinsic

• Involves engaging in activities for external rewards or pressures.

Six Types of Motivation of SDT

1. ) Intrinsic Motivation: Engaging in activities for the inherent enjoyment and satisfaction they provide.

   • Example: Reading a book because it’s interesting and fun.

2. ) Integrated Regulation: Performing actions aligned with one’s core values and identity.

   • Example: Studying to become a skilled professional because it fits your long-term goals and personal values.

   • Example: Exercising regularly because you recognize its health benefits.

3. ) Identified Regulation: Participating in activities that are personally important and valued.

4. ) Introjected Regulation: Behaviors motivated by internal pressures such as guilt or the desire to gain approval.

   • Example: Completing homework to avoid feeling guilty or to gain praise from parents or teachers.

5. ) External Regulation: Actions driven by external rewards or punishments.

   • Example: Attending class to avoid detention or to earn extra credit.

6. ) Amotivation: A state of complete lack of motivation and intention to act.

   • Example: Feeling indifferent about participating in school activities because they seem pointless or uninteresting.

Diversity and Differentiated Instruction

Multiple Intelligences

• Howard Gardner: Suggested that people can be intelligent in more than one way. This theory suggests that traditional psychometric views of intelligence are too limited.

Key Points

1. ) Intelligence is multifaceted.

2. ) Everyone has a unique intelligence profile.

3. ) Education should address all intelligences.

The Eight Intelligences

1. ) Linguistic-Verbal: Encompasses sensitivity to spoken and written language, the ability to learn languages, and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals; individuals with this intelligence often excel in reading, writing, and public speaking.

2. ) Logical-Mathematical: The capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically; those strong in this area are adept at abstract reasoning and pattern recognition.

3. ) Musical-Auditory: The capacity to discern pitch, rhythm, timbre, and tone; it involves sensitivity to sounds and vibrations, and an appreciation for the structure, rhythm, and emotional expression of music.

4. ) Bodily-Kinesthetic: The ability to use one’s body or part of it to solve problems.

5. ) Spatial-Visual: The ability to think in images and pictures, to visualize accurately and abstractly; individuals with this intelligence can often manipulate spatial relationships effectively.

6. ) Interpersonal: The capacity to understand the intentions, motivations, and desires of other people; individuals with high interpersonal intelligence are typically good at social interactions and communication.

7. ) Intrapersonal: The capacity to understand oneself, to have an effective working model of oneself—including one's own desires, fears, and capacities—and to use such information effectively in regulating one's own life.

8. ) Naturalist: The ability to recognize, categorize, and draw upon certain features of the environment.

Application in the Classroom

1. ) Designing varied learning activities.

2. ) Offering choices for demonstrating learning.

3. ) Personalized feedback and support.

4. ) Creating a balanced curriculum.

5. ) Classroom environment.

Strengths and Criticisms

Strengths

a. ) Recognizes diverse talents.
b. ) Promotes inclusive and differentiated teaching.
c. ) Encourages student-centered learning.
d. ) Fosters holistic development.

Criticisms

a. ) Lack of empirical evidence.
b. ) Overlaps with learning styles.
c. ) Challenging to implement.
d. ) Potential to label students.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

• Is a framework for designing learning experiences that are flexible and accessible to all learners, regardless of their individual differences.

• It focuses on proactively addressing barriers to learning in the curriculum and environment, rather than modifying individual students' learning styles.

Three Principles of UDL

1. ) Multiple Means of Representation: The “what” of learning - Emphasizes that students have their own way of absorbing the lesson in the class.

2. Multiple Means of Action and Expression: The “how” of learning - This principle is about teachers presenting information in different ways to accommodate diverse learning styles, abilities, and backgrounds.

3. ) Multiple Means of Engagement: The “why” of learning - This principle supports varied ways for students to demonstrate what they know. It recognizes that students have different strengths in expressing knowledge—some may excel in writing, others in speaking, building, or drawing.

Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT)

• Is an educational approach that recognizes the importance of students' cultural backgrounds in the learning process, aiming to create an inclusive and supportive classroom.

• It involves acknowledging and embracing students' cultures, languages, and experiences and connecting them to classroom learning.

• Emphasizes the need for teachers to be aware of the diverse cultural backgrounds in their classrooms and to facilitate lessons that resonate with each student.

Key Aspects of Culturally Responsive Teaching

1. ) Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity

   • Teachers recognize that students bring with them unique cultural identities, traditions, languages, and worldviews.

   • This awareness helps avoid cultural biases and stereotypes and encourages acceptance and celebration of diversity.

2. ) Inclusive Curriculum and Pedagogy

   • Lessons are designed to connect academic content to students’ real-life experiences and cultural contexts.

   • It promotes the development of critical thinking and social justice awareness.

3. ) High Expectations for All Learners

   • CRT encourages teachers to hold high expectations for every student, regardless of race, background, or language.

   • The focus is on providing the right support and scaffolding so all students can meet rigorous academic standards.

Constructivist Teaching Practices

• The constructivist learning theory explains that we learn by 'constructing' knowledge in our minds through interaction with our environments.

• A student-centered approach to learning.

• Knowledge is actively constructed by the learner.

• Emphasizes real-life experiences, exploration, and collaboration.

• Based on theories by Piaget Vygotsky.

Scaffolding & Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) – Lev Vygotsky’s Concept

• The Zone of Proximal Development refers to the sweet spot in a learner’s development—the gap between:

a.) What they can do on their own; and
b.) What they can do with help or guidance from someone more knowledgeable (like a teacher, peer, or mentor).

Scaffolding – Jerome Bruner

• Scaffolding is the temporary support provided to a learner so they can perform a task within their ZPD. It's like the scaffolding used in construction—meant to assist until the building (or learner) can stand on its own.

• Scaffolding can come in many forms:

a.) Clues or prompts
b.) Breaking tasks into smaller steps
c.) Modeling or demonstrating
d.) Using visuals or graphic organizers
e.) Giving feedback or encouragement

Student-Directed Learning

• Also known as self-directed learning, is an instructional strategy that shifts the focus from the teacher to the student, encouraging students to take an active role in their learning process.

• An approach to education that empowers learners to lead their own learning journey.

• A learner identifies their own learning goals, the resources they need, and the strategies they want to adopt.

• They then set about gaining new knowledge or skills and, later, evaluate the outcome.

Key Points

• Students take initiative and ownership of their learning.

• Teachers act as facilitators rather than lecturers.

• Promotes choice, autonomy, and critical thinking.

• Students are encouraged to identify their learning goals and how they will achieve them.

The Benefits of Self-Directed Learning

• Offers flexibility.

• Helps learners identify their personal learning style.

• Improves critical thinking skills.

• Promotes lifelong learning.

• Improves motivation for learning.

Reflective Teaching Practices

• It is where teachers continuously introspect and critically analyze their own teaching strategies, beliefs, and assumptions to improve their instructional methods and student learning outcomes.

• It's about examining your own teaching process before, during, and after you teach a course.

A Reflective Teacher Reflects on the Following

a.) What is currently being done?
b.) Why is it being done?
c.) How well students are learning and their outcomes?