Learning-Centered Education

What is Learning-Centered Education?

The term 'learner-centered' refers to enhancing learning by designing all aspects of the learning environment to respond to the needs of diverse learners and by applying state-of-the-art information about learning to this process of design. By this definition, a learner-centered instructor or institution strives to favorably impact every learner, regardless of his or her diverse characteristics.

The Arizona Faculties Council provides an extensive definition of learner-centered education which begins with:

Learner-centered education places the student at the center of education. It begins with understanding the educational contexts from which a student comes. It continues with the instructor evaluating the student's progress towards learning objectives. By helping the student acquire the basic skills to learn, it ultimately provides a basis for learning throughout life. It therefore places the responsibility for learning on the student, while the instructor assumes responsibility for facilitating the student's education. This approach strives to be individualistic, flexible, competency-based, varied in methodology and not always constrained by time or place.

Why is the National Faculty Center interested in LCE?

The growing diversity among learners in higher education in the United States presents new challenges to post-secondary institutions. Chief among those is the issue of how to facilitate the success of all students. While there is no ideal solution to this issue, we believe that a learner-centered approach to teaching and learning offers many possibilities for effectively addressing the needs of students with disabilities, students of different ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnic minority students, international students, and other diverse learners. The work of the NFC focuses on students with disabilities to showcase how learner-centered education can transform the learning experience.

Examples of LCE activities/practices*

Collaborative group learning, both inside and outside the classroom;
Individual student research and discovery;
Research and discovery by students and faculty together;
Problem-based inquiry learning;
Student-faculty studio and performance activities;
Asynchronous distance learning;
Synchronous interactive distance learning;
Service learning activities;
Hands-on, experiential learning activities;
On-site field experiences;
Self-paced tutorials.

*This list is from the ABOR website. For more information, see their list of pedagogical FAQs.

What are students are saying about LCE?

Recently, in a general eduation class, the professor and TAs employed several LCE methods in their teaching including having the students write exam questions; using collaborative activities, group work and pair work; taking an inventory of learning styles at the beginning of the course; finding ways to blur the line between class and the "real" world; time spent with the professor/instructor outside of class.

Here are some of the things the students said about this class at the end of the course:

"This is by far one of my favorite classes because of the content and teaching strategies ... The interaction that we had outside of the classroom helped us to apply what we learned."

"Seeing as how myself and a plethora of students erolled in this innovative course discussed amongst ourselves on several occasions how effectively this class has influenced our perceptions, erased our preconceived notions, and heightened our interest in the field this semester, I'm learning toward the following solid answers: The strategies implemented to increase the learning process were ABSOLUTELY beneficial and warranted amazing results when considering the student/teacher ratio of the class."

What are instructors saying about LCE?

At a recent meeting, instructors discussed the topic of time investment as it interacts with apparent benefits for LCE - cost vs. benefit for them and their learners:

"I cut content and did fewer things as well. There was less superficiality. I pay more attention to what I'm doing because I'm keeping track differently. There is more traffic in my office and students email me when they have to miss class."

"10 minutes after class, they're still there, still working!"

"I have mixed feelings. I have cut 20% content also so some material has not been covered. In some ways I have been less efficient and had less control. But maybe less is more. The tenor of the class has changed. I had 95/100 in attendance the day before Thanksgiving. Students asked for an extra day of class. There has been more personalization as I assessed learning strageties, and a more collaborative spirit has emerged."

Please note: This portion of our website is still being developed. Check back soon for additional information.