EDUC 104: FACILITATING LEARNER-CENTERED TEACHING
Lesson 1: Learner-centered teaching: This refers to a student under the age of 25
Foundations and Characteristics who is considered a digital native and has been
school age within the last 20 years.
Teacher-centered
The 21st century learners need to
Teacher centered instruction is where the
understand how to command the digital and
teacher is the center of knowledge and in charge of
informational world. This requires skills necessary
learning. In such models knowledge is transmitted
to exist on the global scene.
from instructor to students. Students are usually
passively receiving information. The emphasis is on What are the 21st Century Skills to be
acquisition of knowledge outside the context in developed?
which it will be used.
Subject Matter-Centered
The subject matter -centered approach
is one of the most widely used methods for
organizing educational experiences. In this
approach, the subject matter becomes the basis
around which learning experiences are organized
and the mastery of subject matter becomes the
basis for the attainment of educational objectives.
Learner-Centered Teaching
Learner-centered teaching methods shift the
focus of activity from the teacher to the learners.
These methods include: Active learning, in which
students solve problems, answer questions,
formulate questions of their own, discuss, explain,
Why did we shift to learner-centered teaching?
debate, or brainstorm during class.
Learner-centered education empowers the
Characteristics of Learner-Centered Teaching
students to take ownership of what they learn by
1. Teachers Work Harder than their Students focusing on how the new knowledge solves a
2. Students learn from Classmates problem or adds value.
3. Students learn more through experiences
Instead of simply pouring information over
and active involvement
the child's mind, the facilitator presents the student
4. Students apply new learning to real-life,
with an issue and guides the class as they build a
authentic experiences
solution.
5. Students receive frequent directed, and
timely feedback Philosophical perspectives of a Teacher
6. Students are Encouraged to Explain centered Teaching
Material to Themselves and Others
7. Students Regularly Engage in Essentialism
Communication Essentialism is fundamentally
8. Students Know what They are Learning and about designing and taking control of your life. The
Why same amount of energy, when directed
9. Students Use Personalized Technology to purposefully, can bring you much closer to your
Produce an activity goal. Know the right things you must do, reject
10. A higher Degree of Engagement everything else and direct your time and energy to
Who is a 21st century learner? create the biggest impact where it matters.
Essentialists believe that teachers should Humanism is an approach to life based on
try to embed traditional moral values and virtues reason and our common humanity, recognizing that
such as respect for authority, perseverance, fidelity moral values are properly founded on human
to duty, consideration for others, and practicality nature and experience alone.
and intellectual knowledge that students need to
Humanism stresses the importance of
become model citizens.
human values and dignity. It proposes that people
Perennialism can resolve problems through science and reason.
Rather than looking to religious traditions,
Derived from the word perennial, which
humanism focuses on helping people live well,
means to endure the test of time, perennialism in
achieve personal growth, and make the world a
education means to teach what is everlasting. Just
better place.
as perennial plants last for years, a perennial
curriculum focuses on principles that have been Humanistic teachers believe that students
constant throughout human history. will be motivated to learn a subject if it's something
they need and want to know. The goal of education
Perennialists believe that the focus of education
should be to foster students' desire to learn and
should be the ideas that have lasted over centuries.
teach them how to learn. Students should be self-
They believe the ideas are as relevant and
motivated in their studies and desire to learn on
meaningful today as when they were written. They
their own.
recommend that students learn from reading and
analyzing the works by history's finest thinkers and Humanism is a student centered
writers. philosophy that focuses on enhancing ones innate
goodness, rejects the idea of group-oriented
Learner-centered philosophies
education, and upholds the idea of enhancing
Progressivism individual development.
Progressivists believe that individuality, Constructivism
progress, and change are fundamental to one's
Constructivism is the theory that says
education. Believing that people learn best from
learners construct knowledge rather than just
what they consider most relevant to their lives,
passively take in information. As people experience
progressivists center their curricula on the needs,
the world and reflect upon those experiences, they
experiences, interests, and abilities of students.
build their own representations and incorporate
The main goal of progressive education is to new information into their pre-existing knowledge
get students to have a hands-on learning (schemas).
experience, aka learn by doing. Also known as
One of the key figures in the development of
experiential learning, this method sees active
constructivism is John Dewey, who believed
participation by students in hands-on projects.
that education should be centered around the
It (progressivism) also imparts to them the learner and their experiences. Dewey believed that
skills they require in order to learn any subject, learning should be interactive and that students
instead of focusing on transmitting a particular should be encouraged to explore and discover new
subject. This enhances discovery and self-directed information on their own.
learning through active engagements, inculcating in
Constructivist classrooms focus on student
them the spirit of communalism, tolerance, justice
questions and interests, they build on what
and democratic equity.
students already know, they focus on interactive
Students learn by doing and are learning and are student-centered, teachers have a
encouraged to follow their own curiosity. With dialogue with students to help them construct their
carefully scaffolded instruction, expert teachers own knowledge, they root in negotiation, and
guide students to find the connection point between students work primarily in groups.
their own interests and various topic areas.
Why constructivism is important in
Humanism teaching and learning?
The democratic and interactive process of a
constructivist classroom allows students to be
active and autonomous learners. Using
constructivist strategies, teachers are more
effective. They are able to promote communication
and create flexibility so that the needs of all
students can be met.
Constructivism fosters the development of
critical thinking skills. Students are encouraged to
analyze information, evaluate evidence, consider
multiple perspectives, and solve complex problems.
These skills are essential for success in higher
education, careers, and everyday life.
