LESSON 3: THE LEARNER-CENTERED APPROACHES WITH EMPHASIS ON

TRAINER’S METHODOLOGY 1

What is learner-centered teaching?

Learner-centered teaching empowers learners to participate actively in the learning
process. Unlike more traditional teacher-centered approaches which focus on the
instructor, this model places the learner at the center of the learning process. The
teacher is still the classroom authority but functions more of a facilitator. A teaching
approach where students are required to take on active learner roles and
responsibilities beyond listening passively to instructors' lectures and taking notes.

Dimensions of learner-centered teaching

1. The function of content
2. The role of the instructor
3. The responsibility for learning
4. The purpose and processes of assessment
5. The balance of power

The function of content

Focus on higher-order thinking rather than memorization, allowing learners to actively
explore and reflect on their learning. Personalized learning involves differentiating
instruction so that students can learn in ways that suit their personal needs.

Learning styles
Verbal – words are your strongpoint. You prefer to use words both in speech and in
writing.
Visual – you prefer to use pictures, diagrams, images, and spatial understanding to help
you learn.
Musical/Auditory – you prefer using sounds or music or even rhythms to help you learn.
Physical/Kinaesthetic – you use your hands, body, and send of touch to help you learn.
You might ‘act things out’.
Logical/Mathematical – learning is easier for you if you use logic, reasoning, systems,
and sequences.
Social – you like to learn new things as a part of a group. Explaining your understanding
to a group helps you to learn.
Solitary – you like to work alone. You use self-study and prefer your own company when
learning.
Combination – your learning style is a combination of two or more of these styles.

Educators can adjust their teaching methods in several ways. They could:
Differentiate content difficulty
 Letting each student to choose their own person to study for black history month.

Differentiate learning process

 Letting the students to learn according to their preferred learning style, such as
letting them choose between watching videos, reading book, and being told a
story.
Differentiate assessments
 Letting the students to choose how to present their work, such as through a
video, performance, essay or poster.
Differentiate learning environment
 Letting the students to choose between studying online or in-person.

The role of the instructor

Serve as a facilitator that promotes learning rather than a content expert or
authoritarian classroom manager. An essential role of the instructor is to assist
students to learn. Teacher Professionalization- teachers need opportunities to ask
questions themselves, try out new strategies and learn from experts throughout
their career.
 10 ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A 21ST CENTURY EDUCATOR

Relationship builder
Every child in school is all of our responsibilities. In a world that is becoming more and
more complex, students need to know that they can trust the educators to see them as
individuals and valued.
Adaptive/learner
New resources and initiatives will always be part of education, and we need to think
critically about them and ask questions to move forward.
Inclusive
Every individual has different experiences and strengths that they bring to the
classroom, and we are all the better if we look to tap into those strengths and build a
community around them.

Reflective
Information is coming our way faster than ever. If anything, we need to slow down and
critically analyze it, not simply accept everything we hear.

Networked/Collaborative
Networks consist of both “online spaces” and face to face collaboration. Creating
diverse networks in and out of education is crucial, understanding we can learn a great
deal from the person across the hallway, as we can from the person on the other side of
the world.

Innovative
Innovation is about creating “new and better “ things. As the skills that students need in
our evolving world become increasingly complex, we have to be in the mindset where
innovation is the norm, not the exception.
Leadership
It is not a boss. Some principals are not leaders, and some teachers are amazing
leaders. What is crucial to think about is whether or not you can influence others to
positively.
Storyteller
Telling stories helps people create their own connections and meaning, and in an
information-rich world, we are striving for our students’ attention. We need look at not
simply sharing ideas but helping share information in different ways that are memorable
and compelling.
Designer
The learning environment matters. We have to understand what possibilities exist in our
world today and be extremely thoughtful in how we design learning experiences to
maximize space, resources, and access for all learners.
Artist
When you see what you do as an art, and you realize that the minds you help shape are
a beautiful canvas, teaching is more than a job; it’s an art. Small details matter more.
Access to tools becomes crucial. Great educators are artists, plain and simple. We need
to embrace this thinking and empower teachers to hone their craft and allow them the
resources and space to do what’s best for the learners in their classrooms.
Teach Savvy
As technology advances, educators must adjust their teaching styles to keep students
engaged in learning. However, it is not enough to just add technology to a
classroom.Tech-savvy teachers are needed in order to direct e-learning activities in a
way that enhances education.

The responsibility for learning

Promote independent, active and autonomous learning, as learners become more
responsible for their own learning. Learners who accept the idea that their own efforts
are crucial to their progress in learning. Student can make choice according to his/her
needs during the process (Burnard, 1999) and so he/she becomes responsible for
his/her own learning as he/she is active in the learning process (Lea, Stephenson &
Troy, 2003).

The purposes and processes of assessments

Assessment is the systematic basis for making inferences about the learning and
development of students. It is the process of defining, selecting, designing, collecting,
analyzing, interpreting, and using information to increase students’ learning and
development.
 Types of assessments

Diagnostic assessment
This is an extremely useful type of assessment, where the teacher assesses their
students before giving them instructions or conducting the classes. This pre-
assessment will help the teacher understand how much their students know. For
example, if you are teaching grammar, you can start by asking the students to state just
one grammar rule and to cite an example of the same. This way, you will be able to
analyze where the students stand in terms of the knowledge they have regarding that
particular concept. Understanding your students by handing them a short quiz or
assessment sheet before and after the classes, will help you get a clear idea of how
much they knew before you began the class and how much they learned.

Formative assessment
Formative assessment is not one type of assessment rather a collection of assessments
or evaluation methods that the teachers use to evaluate their students’ level of
understanding while the learning is happening. In simple words, formative assessment
is ‘for learning’, i.e., formative assessment happens throughout the course like asking
the students to create a quick road map of what they have learned, a quick pop quiz
while the lessons are happening, a sum up at the end of the session by students and
likewise.
Summative assessment
Summative assessments are conducted at the end of a specific instruction period.
Tests, quizzes or assignments, and projects are given out to students to understand
their skill acquisition, their progress, and likewise. The results of this type of assessment
are either recorded as scores or grades. This would then go to the report card or
progress card. Summative assessments decide whether a student is eligible to move
forward to the next level or not.
Ipsative assessment
Ipsative assessment is one where a student is assessed over time. Their previous
assignments, tests, quizzes are compared. The progress is assessed. When students
are given a comparative assessment, they will be able to analyze their growth and if
their performance has dropped, they can be mindful of the same and work accordingly.
This is helpful for teachers as well. Teachers can assess their methodologies and
understand what works and what doesn’t.
Norm-referenced assessment
The main aim of this type of assessment is to compare one student’s performance with
that of another/ a group of students who are of the same age and ability. An average
score or norm is inferred and based on this, all the students are analyzed. Teachers can
then understand the performance of each student and whether they would need extra
support or not. Having said that, this assessment might not be effective because the
capabilities of each student are different and while it may help to gather a general idea
about the performance of students, you cannot draw a judgment based on this
inference. Students must be treated equally, regardless of their academic performance.
They must not be made to feel small or worthless if their performance during their
assessment is not up to the norm.
Criterion-referenced assessment
As the name suggests, in this type of assessment, certain criteria are put in place, and
based on that, the students are assessed. This set of predetermined criteria can range
from statements on what the students are supposed to know to what is expected out of
their answers to how they should approach a question or assessment. For example, if
you are to win a game, there are certain levels that you have to pass, rules that you
have to follow, and likewise. Similarly, in this type of assessment, the students would be
analyzed based on a pre-defined set of rules.
Rubrics
Rubrics are both a tool to measure students’ knowledge and ability as well as an
assessment strategy. A rubric allows teachers to measure certain skills and abilities not
measurable by standardized testing systems that assess discrete knowledge at a fixed
moment in time (Reeves & Stanford,2009).
Performance-based ssessments (PBA)
It also known as project-based or authentic assessments, are generally used a
summative evaluation strategy to capture not only what students know about a topic,
but if they have the skills to apply that knowledge in a “real-world” situation. By asking
them to create an end product.
Portfolios assessment
Portfolios Assessment are a collection of student work gathered over time that is
primarily used as summative evaluation method. The most salient characteristic of the
portfolio assessment is that rather than being a snapshot of a students’ knowledge at
one point in time (like a single standardized test), it highlights student effort,
development, and achievement over a period of time.
The balance of power
Challenge the traditional power structure and the role of authority in the classroom.
According to the learner centered-education achieving a balance means that there is a
power sharing between the teacher and the student. The authority is not in the hands of
the teacher as in the traditional education, but it is shared with the student.