LEARNER-CENTERED TEACHING
Learning Objectives:
After this tutorial, you should be able to:
- Describe the goal of learner-centered teaching
- Recognize the effects brain research has on
students' learning
- Describe various strategies to let our students do the
work
- Identify traits of authentic learning
- Describe the goal of learner-centered teaching
- Recognize the effects brain research has on
students' learning
- Describe various strategies to let our students do the
work
- Identify traits of authentic learning
Chapters One-Three:
Chapter One: Follow The Research
Learner-centered teaching (LCT) is about optimizing the opportunities for our students to learn (Doyle, 2011). Changes in the neuron-networks of the brain is what facilitates learning. In order for the changes to take place, students must be paying close attention and actively engaging their brains to process the new sensory input.
According to Doyle (2011), the goal of learner-centered practice to create learning environments that optimize students' opportunities to pay attention and actively engage in authentic, meaningful, and useful learning. Research says that daydreaming has a direct effect on staying focused for more than a few minutes. However, recent research tells us that letting your mind wander can be positive because it allows us to do some important thinking.
In 2010, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that nicotine has a significantly positive effect on fine motor skills, accuracy of short-term memory, some forms of attention, working memory, and other basic cognitive skills. Although smoking has been linked to dementia and other health risks.
According to Doyle (2011), the goal of learner-centered practice to create learning environments that optimize students' opportunities to pay attention and actively engage in authentic, meaningful, and useful learning. Research says that daydreaming has a direct effect on staying focused for more than a few minutes. However, recent research tells us that letting your mind wander can be positive because it allows us to do some important thinking.
In 2010, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that nicotine has a significantly positive effect on fine motor skills, accuracy of short-term memory, some forms of attention, working memory, and other basic cognitive skills. Although smoking has been linked to dementia and other health risks.
Chapter Two: Getting Students To Do The Work
Strategies for Letting Our Students Do the Work
- Cumulative Testing- Focusing on two to three important points from each section at a time and retesting those points help to promote long-term learning. Continue to focus on a few points from each section and build upon the retesting.
- Establish a Wiki Site- Create a wiki site or other appropriate online environment as a test review space for them. The site will allow students to post course information, content questions, and practice test questions. This idea will save class time because in-class test review is no longer needed (Doyle, 2011).
- Rewriting Papers- Allowing students to rewrite their papers to make corrections is a powerful learning tool and meets the goal of having students do their work.
- Mapping- Using concept mapping is a great way to get students to do their work by requiring them to make maps of their lecture notes and chapter readings. This method is great for visual learners who will have visual representations of the course idea.
Chapter Three: The Power Of Authentic Learning
By Definition
Authentic learning is defined as a pedagogical approach that allows students to explore, discuss, and meaningfully construct concepts and relationships in contexts that involve real-world problems and projects that are relevant to the learner (Doyle, 2011). It incorporates the use of real-world problems and issues and seeks to have the students use the learned methods to solve them.
According to Doyle (2011), employers view that the most important skills in new hires include teamwork, critical thinking/reasoning, assembling/organizing information, and innovative thinking/creativity. Authentic learning helps to develop these skills.
According to Doyle (2011), employers view that the most important skills in new hires include teamwork, critical thinking/reasoning, assembling/organizing information, and innovative thinking/creativity. Authentic learning helps to develop these skills.
Features of Authentic Learning
There are many authentic learning features out there that were created to help educators design easy to implement experiences. Doyle mentions some key features of authentic as described by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.
- Deals with a real-world task
- Has value beyond a school setting
- Is interdisciplinary
- Allows for a variety of learning styles
- Affords students the opportunity to take ownership of their learning
- Is student driven
- Positions teachers as facilitators
- Uses scaffolding to assist learning
- Uses real-time data for students to investigate and draw conclusions from
- Encourages team work
- Asks students to produce a product that is directed toward a real-world audience
Connections
These chapters provide a great foundation for understanding learner-centered teaching. Combined with what I learned in my undergrad program and my current position at Apple, I can build upon that foundation and create online learning tools to engage my students in the classroom and provide them with the most current technology available in education.
Implementation
Implementing authentic learning can be a fun way to get students to get involved in their learning. Model eliciting activities (MEAs) are great ways to get students to understand and encourage problem solving. Some examples of MEAs are complete lesson plans which can be found on the Carleton University website at http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/search/index.html
- Students can analyze data on departure delays for five airlines flying out of a major airport and develop a model to determine which airline has the best chance of arriving/departing on time. Students then write a report that identifies the best airline and the reasoning behind their choice.
- Students can write a letter to the editor of their hometown newspaper addressing a real-world issue they care about in their town.
- The class can publish a magazine or book of writings to distribute around campus.
Assessment
This is a brief quiz to assess your understanding of the material in this workshop. Please answer each question using the information you have learned about Learner-Centered Teaching. Don't forget to enter your first and last name and click "submit."
Resource:
Doyle, Terry, (2011). Learner-Centered Teaching: Putting the Research on Learning Into Practice. Sterling, VA: Stylus
Publishing.
Publishing.