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Hello everyone
During the recent webinar, we considered what questions a student-centred tutor or lecturer would be asking him or herself when planning a session.
There were a range of responses, which I have grouped and summarise below.
1. CURRICULUM e.g. what is the content? What are learning outcomes?
2. LEARNING CONTEXT e.g. What is the classroom environment? How many in the class? What resources are there? How long is the session?
3. PEDAGOGY e.g. What style of lesson? What activities can I use? How can I get students to participate and contribute?
4. STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS e.g. How old are the students? What stage are they in their course? What knowledge and experience do they have? How do they behave? What is their ability? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the students? What are they interest in? What are their backgrounds?
Some suggestions would apply to both teacher-centred and learner-centred teachers. For example, all teachers have to consider the time and resources available, the classroom context and the curriculum.
Can we identify questions that only a teacher-centred tutor would ask when planning?
And, questions that only a learner-centred tutor would ask when planning?
By providing some examples to discuss, we can consolidate what is meant by a learner-centred attitude.
Let's discuss" :-)
I think that for a learner centred teacher, the student characteristics will be the most important factor on which the other factors are built upon. Knowing your students, their backgrounds; how old they are, what gender they are, what previous knowledge they have about the topic or subject you are about to teach them? Is it a physical setting or virtual setting? What resources will I need to prepare before the lesson? This will help you select the right pedagogical approach to the lesson.
Thanks Fatimah, do you think that there are any questions that only a teacher-centred teacher would need to ask?
I agree to all these well thought student characteristics which should be considered for effective LCE.
Yes Sandra,
Lovely observations, I agree with colleagues too.
As in, in a learner centred environment, at the end when the learner is sitting the exam, they got to feel ready. How can they feel prepared?
1. If they had participated in the learning process
2. If they felt part of the learning activities
3. If they were at the centre stage of the learning process (They got to feel most important in the process, isn't it?)
4. If they understood the learning process , and finally,
5. If they were actively engaged in research activities for discovery of stuff
There was in fact a suggestion that in groups, the teacher can have them set questions from given content and provide answers, then discuss this in class. The teacher could use some of these questions in the learners final exams or CATs.
My reflections
In agreement with my colleagues.
Just to add a point is that LCE means that the focus of study is on the learner and not learners, Whereby learners are treated on an individual basis. Learners environment are never the same and hence the need to treat each case in isolation.
Thanks
As much as l will like to agree with your statement Rotich, l will like to state here that we all need to consider those things that into adopting learner centred approach. Adopting this method means planning the teaching around the students. It is important that we have it at the back of our mind that all the students in the class need to learn new thing therefore there is a need for their active participation during the period for learning outcome to be achieved.
In line with this, the questions the educator should ask himself or herself is How would l make my students acquire the knowledge to be creative? This will help in determining what should be done to get the adequate learning and learning outcome achieved. At this point we will need to consider everything that has to do with the students that would be involved in learning like considering the age, class, curriculum etc to determine the activities that can go into the lesson and getting the resources and materials available.
I do agree with my colleagues on the issue of learner centred learning where the student is most critical factor in determining the learning and teaching process.
To build a learner centred learning environment, the prior experience of the student should be put into consideration. The teacher must seek to build on the knowledge of the learner by asking questions on what the students know about the teaching.
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