Kharbach, M. (2014) The Networked
Teacher.
Challenges of Student-Centered
Learning
Student-centered learning, based on the
constructivist philosophy for knowledge-building, is a way to empower students
and to have them fully take responsibility for what they are learning in a
course. This way of learning is geared towards collaborative activities or
tasks that can help students discuss among themselves to reach a common
learning goal, which is connected to course specific objectives or course exit profiles.
As an English Language Instructor
dealing with students in an English Teaching Major, I teach a variety of
courses in the English Language Teaching (ELT) program. Some of the courses
that I am currently teaching can be easily modified to implement some sort of
hybrid learning, especially those in which students have to do some research,
think critically, and analyze texts. My students, whose number in class never
exceeds 18, are young adults who –at times- lack critical thinking skills and
are not fully committed to teamwork. For this reason, it is difficult to have
them work collaboratively along some of my courses and course tasks due to the
individualism that is taught in our Costa Rican social context, something that
is part of our social conditioning.
In my current teaching scenario at
Universidad Latina, I have been trying to implement –empirically, I must admit-
some sort of hybrid learning, so students can empower themselves with
autonomous learning and collaborative teamwork. What I have been doing
–steadily- for the last four years is to use the university’s Moodle platform
and my own google sites (as LMSs) to achieve certain learning goals with my
students along the courses they take with me (many of them fully connected to
literature and its branches). My learning tasks are aimed at providing
student-centered, critical-thinking oriented activities that can yield some
good long-lasting learning for them.
Llanes, J. (2010, Oct
6). Student-Centered Learning. [Infographic].
I have experienced several challenges
while implementing student-centered/autonomous learning tasks for my students.
On the one hand, the change of the concept of the traditional paper-based exams
for online learning tasks is the first thing students need to substitute in
their minds. We do have “exams” which are divided into smaller chunks over a
longer period of time to give them a sense of accomplishment and growth, and a
greater chance to work with some other partners in the understanding of what
they have to do, depending on the course they are enrolled with me. The second
important role they must unlearn from my courses is the traditional submission
of their final products on paper. I have gone green in my courses at the
university by eliminating tons of paper on tests or on works from and for my
students. Everything now is delivered through the Moodle platform for grading
and feedback. Lastly, some of the learning outcomes for tasks imply cooperative
learning which means collaborative teamwork. By empowering them on the final
grades their team partners can get via a peer-grading rubric, there is a better
“comprise” from team members, but occasionally you must hop in to solve student
differences in terms of what they do or don’t do.
As we have discussed among colleagues
at Universidad Latina, student-centered learning in F2F settings or online
scenarios is fully connected to training students on how to take advantage of
this teaching/learning philosophy. Empowering them with the tools to continue
learning beyond the classroom is important for learners and for their long-life
learning.
Kharbach, M. (2014) The
Networked Teacher. [Infographic]. Retrieved from Educational Technology and
Mobile Learning Website: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP1KLL-ln9NLE6MQ84p61nh7I0QHdQz279LcFAToxA8-6_u18ottlWy3xQkuxOzU4JNLQdGovWZa1vhe_bAG3GrgyxceHH_QeXDXXmkj5RCV556TMWfhGTM5KHk8W46tYJg5gkZuoPyFt/s1600/1.png
Llanes, J. (2010, Oct 6).
Student-Centered Learning. [Infographic]. Included on the article entitled European Student Union. Retrieved from
On Strategic Management of higher Education Website: http://jrllanes.wordpress.com/tag/student-centered-instruction/
? To
fully comprehend the scope of this teaching reflections, it is highly advisable
that the following topics must be expanded further:
·
How to empower students in their learning
·
Hybrid learning in college teaching
scenarios
·
Student-centeredness in education
·
Cooperative learning in VLEs
Professor Jonathan Acuña-Solano
ELT Trainer, Instructor &
Curriculum Developer based in Costa Rica
Contact Information:
Email: jonacuso@gmail.com
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Article
published on Friday, May 7, 2014
How to quote this
blog entry:
Acuña,
J. (2014, May 9). Challenges of Student-Centered Learning. Retrieved from
Reflective Online Teaching Website: http://reflective-online-teaching.blogspot.com/2014/05/challenges-of-student-centered-learning.html
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