In this paper, we examine the role of the instructor during student-centered approaches, specifically those that are problem-centered, to outline effective strategies that are valuable for facilitating discussions. After describing the role of the instructor in each phase of implementation, from planning to evaluation, we discuss specific…

A student-centred approach to learning encourages students to have more responsibility for their learning and is a process that relies heavily on professional confidence to "let-go" of traditional teaching responsibilities. This paper describes the introduction of a student-centred approach within one further education college in…

Thayer-Bacon uses this opportunity to further explore Ranciere's ideas concerning equality as described in "The Ignorant Schoolmaster" and their connection to democracy, as he explains in "Hatred of Democracy". For Ranciere, intelligence and equality are synonymous terms, just as reason and will are synonymous terms. Ranciere recommends the only…

In her book, "Learner-Centered Teaching", Maryellen Weimer contrasts the practices of teacher-centered college teaching and student-centered college teaching in terms of (1) the balance of power in the classroom, (2) the function of the course content, (3) the role of the teacher versus the role of the student, (4) the responsibility of learning,…

Describes six primary grade teachers' beliefs which guide their teaching practices within an exploration of child centered programs. Seven graduate students viewed a video which illustrated and described child centeredness in different settings and described what they perceived as teachers' interpretations of child centeredness. (RJC)

Maintains that the meaningful use of projects necessitates knowledgeable and reflective teachers with the autonomy to make intellectually honest curricular decisions in the best interest of each child. (BB)

This collection of articles on the learner-centered classroom offers strategies that fall into the following five educational arenas: (1) integrated curricula; (2) thoughtful instruction; (3) active learning; (4) reflective transfer; and (5) authentic assessment. Section one presents an overview of natural, holistic, integrated curricula created…

This paper describes an analysis of facilitation of a student-centered problem-based learning group. The focus of this analysis was to understand the goals and strategies of an expert facilitator in support of collaborative learning. This was accomplished through interaction analysis using video data and stimulated recall to examine two PBL group…

Contends that an interdisciplinary curriculum and cooperative learning are well suited to middle school students. Asserts that the approaches help students learn higher order thinking skills and improve social skills. Maintains that authentic or performance-based assessment is appropriate for these techniques and this age group. (CFR)

This article presents the traditional view of schooling as a barrier to reform; it explicates the learner-centered vision of schooling as an alternative, identifies the underpinnings of the learner-centered approach to schooling, and explores how this vision of schools as learner-centered environments might be enacted. (SM)

This paper suggests that the whole language approach, widely used for first-language reading instruction, is the most appropriate means for teaching reading to learners of English as a second language (ESL). Drawing on research evidence, seven basic tenets of whole language instruction are explained and applied to ESL reading instruction. These…

This paper explores the value, in English-as-a-Second-Language medium tertiary education, of extending the notion of student autonomy beyond the context of language learning to the whole curriculum, arguing that autonomy needs to be seen in a broader, more socio-political perspective and that for students to enjoy autonomy requires a…

Theoreticians and empiricists have stressed the importance of organization in the learning process and, therefore, the importance of instructional strategies that help develop a child's ability to organize information. Theoreticians have also stressed the importance of the student's active participation in the learning process. The Directed…

Efforts by community colleges to become more learning-centered reflect the reforms taking place in traditional higher education. In addition to making learning the highest priority, American education must continue to overhaul its outdated, traditional framework restricted by time, place, bureaucracy, and limited teacher roles. The ideal model of…

A discussion of the philosophy of open learning in higher education, particularly in the Australian context, looks at a variety of issues, including societal pressures to redirect higher education, the teaching role of faculty, student-centered curricula, lifelong learning, need for new student assessment strategies, and student attitudes toward…