Research on effective teaching and learning confirms that thoughtfully designed unit plans and lesson plans can help all students learn more deeply, especially when teachers shift how they think about and approach their lesson planning, moving away from a teacher-centric perspective and toward a student-centric one. A teacher-centric perspective…

Learner agency is necessary for students to consolidate new learning. In environments where teachers and students prioritize learner agency, students actively engage in and take ownership of their learning. Students with agency seek relevant learning experiences, connecting new ideas, academic knowledge, and personal experiences. Integrating the…

Protocol-guided teaching, a method of classroom instruction reform started by Donglu Middle School in Nanjing of China has developed into a student-centered teaching model in the context of the deepening reform of Chinese basic education. In this model, the teacher plays an essential guiding role, and the main objective is the development of the…

There has been a growing number of calls to improve theory instruction in sociology. These conversations have focused on what instructors should teach (with a renewed emphasis on racism and sexism) and whom to teach (with calls to diversify the reading list), but comparatively little attention has been placed on how social theory should be taught.…

The author presents a child-centered approach to teaching, developed through longtime connections with colleagues, which concentrates on the children and provides them time to make their own connections, to learn, to think, and to develop at their own pace with the support of their classmates. Two examples of how mathematics interlaced into…

This chapter explains how the current education paradigm, which has its origins rooted in the First Industrial Revolution, is markedly different from the classroom where formal and informal learning takes place and which, as a classroom of today, is suited for the Fourth Industrial Revolution which is currently unfolding. Learning must be…

Using play to meet specific learning goals in pre-k can be challenging. In this article, we discuss why play is an essential activity for pre-k learning. We share some research on the importance of supporting unconstrained, trifecta skills like oral language in the context of child-centered, playful activities. We explain the importance of teacher…

Learning trajectories (LTs) can inform teaching by contributing a variety of pedagogical and content-related insights and strategies. They support sequencing topic introduction and development. Because ideas evolve gradually and often rely on a careful introduction of new representations, operations, cases of numbers, structures, and definitions,…

This paper provides a background on recent research related to learning and instruction, focusing on two mechanisms essential to deeper learning: (1) inclusion of authentic learning contexts and (2) valuing student voice as part of instruction. The authors point to ways that culturally responsive and related pedagogies leverage these same two…

In the Fall of 2014, several universities came together to offer a unique "dual-layer" open online course. This course was designed with two complete layers from two different course design modalities (instructivism and connectivism). Learners were granted the freedom to create an individualized pathway through the course involving…

This article originated from a working group on "Learning beyond formal schooling through human--computer--human interaction (HCHI)" convened at the UNESCO EDUSummIT 2023 in Kyoto (Japan). A polylogue approach was adopted by engaging eight co-authors whose diverse perspectives culminated in propositions that addressed the pivotal…

The authors propose decentering the child as a critical motion in the education of pedagogists who work to refuse developmental pedagogies in early childhood education. Tracing how child-centered developmental practices are obstacles for deeper ethical and intellectual work and reiterate anthropocentric relationalities, they offer two propositions…

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment grounded in the learning sciences and neuroscience. In this article, the author proposes a mathematical version of UDL called UDL Math. She describes three classrooms that include students with disabilities in meaningful mathematics and explores how the…

The increasing prevalence of learner-centred forms of learning as well as an increase in the number of learners actively participating on a wide range of digital platforms and devices give rise to an ever-increasing stream of learning data. Learning analytics (LA) can enable learners, teachers, and their institutions to better understand and…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a type of active learning modality involving a student-centered approach that encompasses small group settings in order to promote learning via critical thinking and discussion as opposed to via direct presentation of facts and concepts. Through PBL, students engage actively in their learning. Facilitated PBL…