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Learner-Centered StrategiesIris RobinsonAdrienne SaundersShareen Williams

Learner-Centered StrategiesPlace emphasis on the person who is doing the learning (the students!)Learner-Centered TeachersDo not employ a single teaching method, but a variety of methods that shifts the role of instructors from givers of information to facilitators of student learningLearner-Centered Teaching vs. Instructor-Centered TeachingBloomberg, P. Developing Learner-Centered Teachers: A Practical Guide for FacultyLearner-centered teachers do not employ a single teaching method. This approach emphasizes a variety of different types of methods that shifts the role of the instructors from givers of information to facilitating student learning.

Traditionally instructors focused on what they did, and not on what the students are learning. This emphasis on what instructors do often leads to students who are passive learners and who did not take responsibility for their own learning. Educators call this traditional method, instructor-centered teaching. In contrast, learner-centered teaching occurs when instructors focus on student learning. 2Benefits of Learner-Centered StrategiesStudents:are actively involved in their own learning,learn skills for future learningTime management, self-monitoring, goal settingthink about their learning, and assume responsibility for their own learningassess their strengths and weaknessesIncreased motivation for learningGreater satisfaction with school

Bloomberg, P. Developing Learner-Centered Teachers: A Practical Guide for FacultyStrategic processing and executive control. The ability to reflect on and regulate ones thoughts and behaviors is an essential aspect of learning. Successful students are actively involved in their own learning, monitor their thinking, think about their learning, and assume responsibility for their own learning

Research shows that personal involvement, intrinsic motivation, personal commitment, confidence in ones abilities to succeed, and a perception of control over learning lead to more learning and higher achievement in school.3Learner-Centered StrategiesAppropriate for use with:English/Language ArtsSocial StudiesScienceWorld LanguagesExample 1: Newspaper ProjectTaskDesign a newspaper that highlights several important aspects of the American Revolution Stories should be based on facts from researching this topicProcessReview the criteria for each section & write a story for a newspaper after researching the various topicsStories will be entered into the newspaper template (print-out)Students are going to create a newspaper that will give the colonists information about a variety of events that occurred during the American Revolution.

Students will use their textbooks, books from the library, and/or resources from the internet to find research information about these different topics. They will have a chance to read and study newspapers to get a feel for how newspaper articles are written, how captions are written, etc. They will also use technology to put the newspaper together.

Provide resources for the students as to where they can access information about the Revolutionary War, particularly internet resources.

Use the attached rubric to score the projects.Have students turn in the newspapers to a newspaper stand. Teacher will pretend to be newspaper delivery girl/boy and pass out the students newspapers to different kids in the classroom. The students will read the newspapers and write a comment (on a separate sheet of paper) regarding the newspapers and answer several key questions: does this newspaper depict the war correctly? What conclusions can you draw from this article. Did the student leave anything important out about that topic? How did you like the photos included? Were they relevant to the stories or not.

5Goals of the Newspaper ProjectTo teach students the importance of current & historical events Analyze and organize (in a creative way) events and information from the American RevolutionStrengthen research, writing, and technology skills

21st Century Skills:Newspaper ProjectCreativityMedia LiteracyTechnology LiteracyInformation LiteracyInitiative & Self-DirectionProductivityLeadership & Responsibility

Example 2: Virtual MuseumEnables students to infuse 21st Century Skills into traditional learning.Helps students gain presentation skills that can be used in real world scenarios. Provides new, meaningful, and contemporary opportunities to integrate technology.Requires students to engage in higher-level thinking, when conducting research and constructing the museum.Requires use of research-based skills and primary sources.Offer students opportunities to think flexibly and creatively.

Virtual Museum RubricSelf DirectionSocial ResponsibilityCreativityCommunicationMedia LiteracyTechnology LiteracyCross-curricular integration by having students link ideas

21st Century Skills:Virtual Museum

Fosters student creativity. Allows students to use their critical thinking skills. Educates students on relaying information using different technological techniques. Utilizes non-verbal and verbal skills when in front of their peers (Communication skills).

Goals of the Virtual Museum AssignmentYou will be representing the assigned character/historical figure on todays talk show. Meet as a group and:1. Come up with a short biography in which you will tell your story from your perspective. You may wish to include what your relationships are to the other guests on todays show.2. Write two or three questions that you would like to ask each of the other guests on todays show. Keep in mind that these should be questions from your characters perspective. All members of your group should speak up during our talk show to reflect your groups point of view, so you may wish to decide who will ask which questions in advance.3. Try to anticipate any questions that you think other guests might ask you, and think about how you might respond.

Example 3: Student InterviewsStaging the talk showAfter ten to fifteen minutes, have the groups reconvene.Introduction of each guest From this point forward, the host group should be able to moderate the discussion, asking their own questions and encouraging each group to ask questions of the other groups. As the discussion proceeds, the instructor can encourage quieter members to participate, throw in questions of his/her own, and (if necessary) help keep the discussion flowing smoothly and keep the students on-task. This discussion period can last anywhere from twenty minutes to an entire class period, depending on when you do the preparation work and how much time you have to devote to the discussion.

Example 3: Student InterviewsThe host group can write their show title on the board and then introduce todays topic. They will then (with coaching from the instructor as needed) introduce each guest in turn and allow the guest groups to introduce themselves. From this point forward, the host group should be able to moderate the discussion, asking their own questions and encouraging each group to ask questions of the other groups. As the discussion proceeds, the instructor can encourage quieter members to participate, throw in questions of his/her own, and (if necessary) help keep the discussion flowing smoothly and keep the students on-task. This discussion period can last anywhere from twenty minutes to an entire class period, depending on when you do the preparation work and how much time you have to devote to the discussion.16Wrap-upAfter the talk-show, ask students to write about the experience, either by reflecting on the controversial issues raised in an essay or other graded assignment, or simply by writing a short response on an index card or piece of paper before leaving the classroom. Possible short prompts might include:Discuss one thing you didnt know before todays discussion that you think you understand better now.Which talk show guest made the best arguments today and why were they so persuasive?What was your favorite part of todays discussion and why?What other guests might have been included on todays show, and how would their participation have changed the discussion?

Example 3: Student InterviewsWhy does Fitzgerald list all of Gatsby's party guests? Why did Gatsby want Daisy to see his house? When Nick told Gatsby that "you can't repeat the past", Gatsby replied, "Why of course you can!" Do you agree with Nick or Gatsby?Describe Daisy and Gatsby's new relationship. Nick is both part of the action and acting as an objective commentator. Does this narration style work? Why, why not?Who attended Gatsby's funeral? How and why is this significant? How would you end the novel?

Example 3: Student InterviewsQuestions Collaboration Creativity Communication Information Literacy Self direction Interact Effectively with others Cross Cultural Skills21st Century Skills:Student InterviewsPrepares students for real life situations outside of school.Allows students to use their independent and critical thinking skills.Encourages students to build positive relationships with one another. Motivates students to build their communication skills. Goals for the Student Interview AssignmentDivide students into groups and assign each group to a scene. Parts of the novel that lend themselves especially well to oral interpretation are the following: the dinner partyGatsby and Daisy's meeting before he went off to warthe rendezvous between Daisy and Gatsby at his mansionthe hotel sceneBefore each group sets to work on its scene, go over the following principles of oral interpretation or readers' theater: Every scene that you've selected for students to enact has a major climax and some smaller ones. It's the group's first job to figure out which parts of the scene are the high pointsand how to emphasize them in a reading.

Example 4: Play ScriptsWhen students in a group are ready, make sure they have the time they need to perform. Consider having members of the audience take notes about each oral interpretation, commenting on some or all of the following points:division of script into narrator's parts and characters' partsperformer's eye contactspeaking voices: slow enough? loud enough? varied enough?particularly strong parts and particularly weak parts of the presentationNotes will help the audience to give constructive feedback to each group after their performance. If time permits, give groups an opportunity to rework their scripts and perform a second time after taking the audience's comments into consideration.

Example 4: Play ScriptsCollaborationOral CommunicationCreativityAnalyzing InformationSelf Direction SkillsInterpersonal Skills

21st Century Skills: Play Scripts

Students will listen and read for details and improve comprehensibility.Allows students to tell stories through dialogue, physical interaction, and symbolism. Encourages students to explore story elements in literature.Improves listening comprehension of different types of spoken texts for main ideas, details, and speakers attitudes and emotions. Formulates, expresses and defends individual ideas and opinions in an improvisation. Goals of the Play Script Assignment Questions:Learner-Centered StrategiesHow does learner-centered instruction encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning?How does learner-centered instruction enable students to develop real world social skills while having fun?How does learner-centered instruction take teachers out of the critical role?How does learner-centered instruction optimize opportunities for students to learn?Why should teachers change to a learner-centered approach to instruction?In what ways can we increase students learning?Works CitedPlay Scripthttp://www.teachervision.fen.com/literature/resource/2924.html#ixzzinF1BH91

Interviewwww.learnnc.org/LP/pages/630http://www.teachervision.fen.com/literature/resource/2924.html#ixzzinF1BH91

21st Century Skillshttp://route21.p21.org/index.php