Sessional Academic Staff Online Directory
How do my Students Learn?
What is Learner Centred Learning?
Active learning, student engagement and other strategies that involve students and have a learner or learning focus are often known as student or learner-centred learning. A learner-centred approach to teaching in which the responsibility for learning is placed upon the students, who are often working in collaboration with each other, is not new.
At CSU, our focus is on learning and teaching that actively involves students and allows them to develop and apply their knowledge and skills to real-world problems. As a teacher you need to engage students in their learning, stimulate their interest and motivate them to succeed.
Learner-centred learning is a way of thinking about learning that guides your teaching practice. Your focus is on how the students are learning, what they are experiencing, and how they engage in the learning context.
“Without taking away from the important role played by the teacher, it is helpful to remember that what the student does is actually more important in determining what is learned than what the teacher does" ( Shuell, 1986).
Lea, Stephenson, & Troy (2003) states that the principles of student centred learning include;
- the reliance on active rather than passive learning,
- an emphasis on deep learning and understanding,
- increased responsibility and accountability on the part of the student,
- an increased sense of autonomy in the learner,
- an interdependence between teacher and learner,
- mutual respect within the learner teacher relationship,
- and a reflexive approach to the teaching and learning process on the part of both teacher and learner.’
How can I put into practice Learner-centred Learning?
Understanding your Students
First you need to know as much about your student cohort as possible. What are their backgrounds, experiences, and abilities? What are their aspirations and motivations? Are they on campus or distance students? For more information about understanding your students, see Who are my Learners?
Understanding your Content
As a teacher you have specific discipline knowledge that you will want your students to learn. However, your subject is not a standalone subject but forms a part of a larger course. Courses have been specifically designed to meet discipline specific accreditations standards, CSU Curriculum Renewal principles and to enhance the student experience.
One of the Common Teaching standards is Subject-Course Linkages. Subject coordinator’s are expected to participate in course based curriculum development and planning and to have aligned the subject to support these. So it is therefore important to know – Where does my subject fit into the course? Is it a first year subject? What other subjects are students enrolled in?
Understand the Learning process
If we adopt a learner-centred approach, then we also need to understand how our students learn.
As you can see from the image below, active learners retain more knowledge if they have opportunities to ‘say’ and ‘do’ what they have learned.
Image: http://teachingislearning.com/teachers-talk-too-much/
The Learning approaches, principles and theories (pdf) is a handy reference table that identifies key differences between various pedagogical approaches and their theoretical underpinnings. This resource covers many pedagogical approaches: Objectivism, Instructivism, Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Humanism, Constructivism, Connectivism, Discovery / Inquiry learning, Experiential learning, Case based learning, Problem based learning, and Scenario based learning.
Educational Technologies at CSU
At CSU, many teachers are re-thinking the traditional lecture with blended and flexible approaches utilising a diverse range of learning technologies.
The appropriate use of learning technologies to enhance the student experience underpins much of CSU teaching and helps the university meet its goals around flexible learning.
An overview of Educational Technologies at CSU is available at: http://www.csu.edu.au/division/landt/resources/resources
References
- Lea, S. J., D. Stephenson, & Troy, J. (2003). Higher Education Students’ Attitudes to Student Centred Learning: Beyond ‘educational bulimia’. Studies in Higher Education, 28(3), 321-334.
- O’Neill, G., Moore, S., & McMullin, B. (2003). Student-centred learning: What does it mean for students and lecturers? Issues in the Practice of University Learning and Teaching. http://www.aishe.org/readings/2005-1/oneill-mcmahon-Tues_19th_Oct_SCL.html#XLea2003
- Shuell, T.J. (1986). Cognitive Conceptions of Learning. Review of Educational Research , 56(4), 411-436. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1170340
Further Resources
- Approaches to Learning http://plqss.learningnetworks.org.uk/LO3-Introduction.html
- Surface & Deep approaches to learning ttp://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/deepsurf.htm
- Learning Theories http://www.learning-theories.com/