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Dongs Chundusu Post 1

• 21 July 2020, 6:52 PM

Disadvantages of learners centered education

It may interest you to know that after looking at the benefit of learners centered education to educators, i want to bring to our knowledge the disadvantages which include: 

1. An appoach to learning with not as much structure or discipline as a traditional method, causing students to feel overwhelemed and maybe not pull as much from learning as they normally would. Also, another disadvantage to learner-centered instruction would be too much independence

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Deborah Cooper Post 2 in reply to 1

• 23 July 2020, 9:41 PM

Hello Dongs

It is always interesting and important to consider disadvantages. Is this your experience or concern?

Yes I can see how some learners might prefer structure. I would like to suggest that LCE still needs  planning and structure in activities. It is not free for all for example the teacher will set the timings of pair work and decide who works in groups for best sharing. 

Yes many teachers worry about lack of discipline if there is more student talking time but when activities are structured talk is developmental to learning  Teacher sets the rules but speaks in a different way. 

Regards

Deborah

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Kris Stutchbury Post 3 in reply to 1

• 31 July 2020, 9:16 AM

Dongs  - this is interesting. If you think of LCE as a set of attitudes and values that place the learner at the centre of your planning and practice, then there is no downside - it is a matter of human rights and human respect for others. What you highlight is a disadvantage of some classroom approaches. If students are overwhelmed then a LC teacher would be able to adapt their practice - move more slowly perhaps by using pair work instead of group work, getting students used to the expectations of them, gradually. We can't suddenly expect students to be independent - we have to prepare them and teach them how to take responsibility. Have you any suggestions about how to do this?  

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Aminu Rufai Post 4 in reply to 1

• 2 August 2020, 8:37 AM

If the learner centered education class is not handled very well, there could be noise in the class and discipline could be lost buy if it's planned an coordinated very well discipline will be maintained  and the noise too could minimized

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Sandra Amos Post 5 in reply to 4

• 3 August 2020, 9:21 AM

Students need chance to talk and this is constructive noise. School students making a lot of noise that is not connected to the activities would suggest that they are bored or the work is too difficult. Good activities that are suitable and interesting to the learners will engage them. This is why student-centred teachers are more successful. 

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Adenrele Afolorunso Post 9 in reply to 4

• 13 August 2020, 5:23 PM
Not if Learners responses and reactions are well co-ordinated and ordered.
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Matthew Nasilele Post 6 in reply to 1

• 3 August 2020, 11:00 AM

I may not whole heartedly agree with the disadvantages advance against LCE in that, though it is Learner Centred Education this does not divorce the presence of the teacher completely.  The teacher's presence must be felt whether in asynchronous learning or synchronous learning.  Independence is cardinal in that the learners will learn to control both themselves and the noise and they also learn to collaborate.  This is very important in that the slow learners will always try to consult the other learners.  As for the noise that one is inevitable as long as it is an "educational noise".  That is why the presence of the teacher should not be far away from the learners.


 

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Helen Hendry Post 7 in reply to 6

• 4 August 2020, 10:32 PM

I think this is an interesting point Matthew. Learner centred education definitely still needs the teacher, although their role might be different in some ways. I like the idea that the learners will learn how to work in this way. 

Do you think there are any disadvantages of LCE?

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Felicia Oamen Post 8 in reply to 1

• 11 August 2020, 2:08 PM

Dongs, your observations are correct. However, the trained educator can help curtail these disadvantages

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Chimdiebere Joseph Post 10 in reply to 1

• 5 September 2020, 12:13 AM

I agree with you. It also comes with a set of rules such as 'you should be doing group work' and you mustn't talk to a class for more than 5 minutes.  This is not helpful. Badly organized group work with ill thought out tasks is worse than the alternative and whole - class teaching can be student centred.

Discussion tags: activity 2.1, disadvantages of lce