Lesson 12: Information Technology in Support of Student-Centered Learning

STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING CLASSROOM

            It is characterized by innovative methods of teaching which aim to promote learning in communication with teachers and other learners and which take students seriously as active participants in their own learning, fostering transferable skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and reflective thinking.

Student-Centered Classroom            

            Student-centered learning is focused on each student's interests, abilities, and learning styles, placing the teacher as a facilitator of learning.

INSIGHTS:

• Carl Rogers' states that "the only learning which significantly influences behavior (and education) is self discovered".
• According to Ernie Stringer, “Student learning processes are greatly enhanced when they participate in deciding how they may demonstrate their competence in a body of knowledge or the performance of skills.”
• According to Lev Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, students typically learn vicariously through one another.

ADVANTAGES

1. Strengthens student motivation. 
2. Promotes peer communication.
3. Reduces disruptive behavior.
4. Builds student-teacher relationships.
5. Promotes discovery/active learning.



Active Learning

6. Responsibility for one’s own learning. 

3S’s of Teaching for Democratic Living

               By: James Henderson

• Subject Learning
• Self-Learning
• Social Learning

Implementation Considerations

• What the child is curious about learning?
• Teaching strategies to accommodate individual needs: intellectual, emotional.
• Student's social needs: collaboration, communication, peer approval.
• Curriculum goals overall.

Generally the new school classroom environment is characterized by student individually or in group:

• Performing computer word processing for text or graph presentation.
• Preparing power-point presentation.
• Searching for information on the internet.
• Brainstorming on ideas, problems and project plans.

Brainstorming

          Observably, given this trend in teaching-and-learning, it must be pointed out, however, that traditional classroom activities-especially in less developed countries-will continue to have a strong place in the classroom. In spite of this setback experienced in some countries, the option has now been opened for the modern teacher to shift gears to students centered learning.

            But then, no matter how modernized it is. There would be some problems that may occur. Like others said, nothing is perfect in this world.  Thus, I think a disadvantage of student-centered learning could be there are students who do not respond well to this kind of environment.

~end~