Learner-.Centered Approach

           

                      LEARNER-CENTERED TEACHING

Reading the book Learner-Centered Teaching by Maryellen Weimer I could learn a new approach to implement in my future classes.

Here I describe a little bit about the Learner-Centered Approach. 

The aim of this approach is that the main focus is on learning. The activities and the work that students do is the most important part here.  However, being focused on learning can be understood literally so it can be confused:

-       Teaching engages students in the hard work.

-       Teaching motivates and gives control over learning process.

-       Teaching encourages collaboration.

-       Teaching promotes students reflection

-       Teaching includes explicit learning skills.

There are some theories which are behind Learner-Centered Teaching which influence this approach.

Attribution Theory and Self-efficacy

It is the way how people attribute events in terms of success or failure. This theory also can explore hoe the cause is tempered, or controlled.  Besides that Self-Efficacy has to do with student’s beliefs in their capacities. In this case Learner-centered will encourage students to work on their beliefs and challenge them to do things.

Radical and Critical Pedagogy

This theory also takes part in Learner-centered approach because it has the belief that education is a vehicle for social changes. Stage, Muller, Kinzie, and Simmons (1998, p. 57) state that “Learning is directed toward social change and transforming world, and ‘true’ learning empowers students to challenge oppression in their lives.”

Feminist Theory

This theory influences Learner-centered approach in the way of avoiding hierarchy in classroom. Uses students own experiences rather than having them from textbooks.

            Constructivism

This theory emphasizes that students need to build their own learning instead of receiving the contents by someone else. It does not meant that learners have to discover and that it is all thing. It involves discovering, processing and the help of the teacher to avoid misunderstandings. It is constructivism. 

. All of the approaches said above were taking into account in the development of Learner-centered approach. Those provided some facts to build up this new approach with some sort of distinctions which have been proved during researching projects. 

For further reading  check the link:

UScience

Bibliography

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching Five Key Changes to Practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint.

Philadelphia, U. o. (2014). USciences University of Science. Retrieved April 28, 2015, from USciences University of Science: http://www.usciences.edu/teaching/Learner-Centered/