Revisiting the Idea of Learner-Centered Pedagogy: The Theoretical Perspective

Over the years, three common theoretical perspectives dominated the practices of learner-centered pedagogy (LCP) across the world. These perspectives include constructivism, humanism, and transformative theoretical traditions. This article critically examines the contributions and weaknesses of these theoretical traditions as ways of conceptualizing how learning occurs. Then, the researcher revisited the idea of “learner-centered pedagogy” in a new theoretical strand that strives to engage learners in discerning critical aspects of the object of learning. Therefore, it is argued that the new theoretical strand, the variation theory, makes a powerful contribution to LCP practices in bringing about student learning.

Policy Failures with Learner-Centred Pedagogy: Case Studies from the Zimbabwean Experiment on Project-Based Learning

Globally, policy reform in education has recommended learner-centered pedagogy for more than a century, but its practical implementation remains an illusion in many classrooms. This study describes history teachers’ experiences while experimenting on project-based learning (PjBL) in Zimbabwe’s current curriculum reform initiative. Project-based learning has gained acceptance as an indispensable approach in developing learners’ 21st century skills of creativity, critical thinking, research, and problem-solving. Using a qualitative multiple-case study, four history teachers were observed and interviewed while implementing PjBL at four secondary schools in Zimbabwe. Results indicate policy failures with learner-centered pedagogy. Where some participants and their students had made significant progress, others had done very little at the time the policy reformers withdrew the projects. Feasibility studies could have circumvented some of the pitfalls experienced while enacting PjBL.

Beaches, Temples, and Flying Proas

Our mission at educators, teachers, professors, and yes, even guides and facilitators on the journey of knowledge and learning for students in higher education must be to strive each and every day to foster an environment within the classroom and even beyond its walls that seeks to empower the learners to take charge of their own learning and to endeavor to find approaches and strategies that most effectively contribute to the outcomes of stated learning objectives. In this chapter, the authors analyze five years of experience within the classroom setting in upper level sociology courses at the University of Guam. The experience centers around strategies and approaches in three broad areas of learner-centered pedagogy that include flipping the classroom, collaborative, and active learning approaches.

Assessment that matters: Balancing reliability and learner-centered pedagogy in MOOC assessment

Learner-centered pedagogy highlights active learning and formative feedback. Instructors often incentivize learners to engage in such formative assessment activities by crediting their completion and score in the final grade, a pedagogical practice that is very relevant to MOOCs as well. However, previous studies have shown that too many MOOC learners exploit the anonymity to abuse the formative feedback, which is critical in the learning process, to earn points without effort. Unfortunately, limiting feedback and access to decrease cheating is counter-pedagogic and reduces the openness of MOOCs. We aimed to identify and analyze a MOOC assessment strategy that balances this tension between learner-centered pedagogy, incentive design, and reliability of the assessment. In this study, we evaluated an assessment model that MITx Biology introduced in a MOOC to reduce cheating with respect to its effect on two aspects of learner behavior – the amount of cheating and learners’ engagement in formative course activities. The contribution of the paper is twofold. First, this work provides MOOC designers with an ‘analytically-verified’ MOOC assessment model to reduce cheating without compromising learner engagement in formative assessments. Second, this study provides a learning analytics methodology to approximate the effect of such an intervention.

Learner-centered Pedagogy: A Double-edged Sword?

Managing state school lessons and private language school classes has been a persistent concern for Iranian learners. This study reports on implementing learner-centered pedagogy as a potential resource to deal with managing this dilemma. Data from the learners’ diaries and teacher reflective journals were generated to explore their perceptions about this innovation. The findings indicated that the learners referred to the positive impacts of the course on meeting their ongoing needs and wants, especially assisting them with managing both state school lessons and those of the language class. The learners also raised a number of challenges, particularly problems with curriculum coverage. Additionally, the teacher experienced restructurings in his perceptions about LCP in that he developed more adaptability to LCP, mediated by classroom occurrences and his personal-experiential enhanced awareness. The study suggests that innovative pedagogies can be leveraged to deal with contextual problems effectively, yet they should be anchored in the exigencies of the teaching context in order to safeguard the advantages against the possible discrepancies.

From ambition to practice: An Analysis of Teachers’ Attitude Toward Learner-Centered Pedagogy in Public Primary Schools in Rwanda

Learner-centered pedagogy (LCP) is one of the best approaches in developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes of learners to cope with the changing world. Implementation of LCP practices tend to vary from one context to another. It is within this perspective that this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the teachers’ attitudes toward LCP in public primary schools located in Nyarugenge District. A sample size of 165 teachers was selected from 13 public and government-aided primary schools. Simple percentages, and chi-square analysis were used to analyze data, and the findings were triangulated with questionnaire and interview responses. Results show that primary school teachers manifested negative attitude toward LCP. The study also indicates that both institutional and individual factors, such as insufficient and inadequate trainings, lack of clear indicators on LCP, and lack of prior experience on LCP among colleges and university tutors during preservice training, affect the attitude of teachers. It is further revealed that gender does not influence the attitude of teachers; however, training was found to be significant at .05 level. It is therefore important that authorities ensure proper training to head teacher, school subject leaders, and teachers on LCP and avail clear indicators on those methods.