learner centered teaching and active learning strategies

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Written by: H.O.D. Noura Al-Bedaiwi AL-ADAILEYA PRIMARY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS - Ministry of Education Learner-Centered Teaching and Active Learning Strategies

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Page 1: Learner centered teaching and active learning strategies

Written by: H.O.D. Noura Al-Bedaiwi

AL-ADAILEYA PRIMARY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS - Ministry of Education

Learner-Centered Teaching and Active Learning Strategies

Page 2: Learner centered teaching and active learning strategies

Learner-centered teaching focuses on learners’ acquisition of knowledge

and practices. It emphasizes the processes learners practice to analyze data

and facts within themselves and within social contexts, which is sometimes

controlled by the teacher in class.

Active learning indulges learners to be responsible for their own learning.

They are no longer empty bowls to be filled with content; they are thinkers

and even instructors sometimes to their self and peers. Active learning as

James states “acknowledges that a course leader has certain knowledge and

that they give thought as to how to present that knowledge in a meaningful

manner that guides the learner without necessarily providing the actual

answers.”1

Metacognitive, cooperative, and collaborative learning approaches are

used in a learner centered teaching. Such approaches use active learning

strategies, such as:

Think-Pair-Share: learners sit in pairs and discuss a question/a problem

raised by the teacher, then share their answer with their class.

Carousel: learners make projects in groups about the topic discussed during

class, such as colours and numbers, providing clear instructions and

materials to use and guiding them through the process when needed. The

teacher can prompt questions while working on the projects or when

learners share their project with their class mates.

K-W-L Chart: the task can be assigned at the beginning of a lesson where

learners should write what they know about the current topic, what they

would like to know and at the end of it, they can write what they have

learned that day.

OneNote Microsoft Program: using OneNote to work individually, in pairs

or in groups to complete a task, such as discussing pictures to deliver

findings to class or answering a multiple-choice question where they match

letters or words to pictures.

Technology in class endorses active learning in a learner-centered teaching;

some teachers might use applications, like “I Can Write” to encourage

learners to participate in class. It is a vital tool to involve learners in their

Page 3: Learner centered teaching and active learning strategies

own learning in class and can also be used to assess students’ development

and needs.

Even though using technology might help teachers to engage learners, it

might not be enough to encourage them to participate equally in class.

Center of Excellence in Teaching department in the university of California

states:

Learner-centered education requires a focus on student learning, but we

also know that not all learners are equally invested. Regardless of how we

teach and what technology we bring into the classroom or outside the

classroom, we need to be proactive in our quest to assess through various

forms of feedback the extent to which our investment is working and

meeting our goals.2

Active learning strategies is part of the learner-center teaching approach.

They conjoin in context to facilitate the learning process. Teachers can

design tasks using different approaches and strategies where learners be

the vital factor where discussions, experiments and finding solutions and

concrete results are the paved path to learning.

Page 4: Learner centered teaching and active learning strategies

References

1. The Differences Between Active and Passive Learning. James Tweed

2014: http://www.mycoracle.com/news/opinions/differences-between-

active-and-passive-learning

2. Center for Excellence in Teaching. Learner-Centered Teaching. University

of Southern California Module 1.3. P.3.

3. http://timgauntley.blogspot.com/