Five Key Changes To Practice
The Balance of Power
Radical and feminist pedagogues and those who study self-directed learners
posit that to be truly learner-centered, we must begin with greater insight
into the role of power in our classrooms: who exerts it, why, and with what
effects and what benefits. With a more explicit understanding of the power dynamic,
we are ready to explore how the balance of power changes in a learner-centered
environment. And then we can ascertain whether involvement in the decision making
associated with learning has a positive impact on students' educational experiences.
Do the benefits justify their involvement?
The Function of Content
Strong allegiance to content blocks the road to more learner-centered teaching.
Unlike power, where the influence is largely unrecognized, the content barrier
explicitly impedes faculty. Most of us have no trouble acknowledging that the
need to cover content strongly influences, if not dictates, most instructional
decisions. Our thinking about content has long been dominated by one assumption:
more is better. The time has come to challenge that assumption—not with
content-free courses but with new thinking about the function of content. Learner-centered
objectives allow us to do just that.
The Role of the Teacher
Widespread interest in active, collaborative, and cooperative learning and other
inquiry-based approaches has raised indirectly the issue of the teacher’s
role. Indeed, the effectiveness of these more learner-centered methods depends
on faculty being able to step aside and let students take the lead. However,
having been at the center so long, we are finding it tough to leave that spot,
even briefly. As a result, what happens in most college classrooms continues
to be very teacher centered, despite the interest in, support for, and some
use of these more learner-centered methods.
The Responsibility for Learning
With this chapter, the locus of the change shifts to action required of students.
They must accept the responsibility for learning. This involves developing the
intellectual maturity, learning skills, and awareness necessary to function
as independent, autonomous learners. The faculty contribution to this process
is creating and maintaining conditions that promote student growth and movement
toward autonomy. To date, faculty have not accomplished these goals with much
success.
Evaluation Purpose and Processes
Currently, when faculty consider evaluation, what typically comes to mind first
are grades. In fact, students, parents, society, and faculty regularly focus
on grades more than learning. The learning is assumed; it occurs automatically,
an all but inevitable outcome of the evaluation process. Learner-centered teaching
abandons tacit assumptions about automatic learning. Evaluation is used to generate
grades and to promote learning. The new purpose is larger and better balanced.
Address questions or comments about
TEP or this site to:
Georgeanne Cooper, Program Director,
64 PLC
Phone: 541-346-2177 Fax: 541-346-2184
© Copyright 2000-2006 Teaching Effectiveness Program, University of Oregon.
Last Modified:
01/09/07
