Lesson 12: Information Technology in Support of Student-Centered Learning

The idea of student-centered learning is not a recent idea. In fact, as early as the 20th century, educational educators such as John Dewey argued for highly active and individualized pedagogical methods which place the student at the center of the teaching-learning process.

In this Lesson, we shall see how the teacher can expand his options to make himself more effective and relevant in the 21st millennium information age. In particular, the lesson shall respond to questions on student-centered learning approaches in the classroom. From the traditional teacher-centered learning approach, practical helps on the designing and adapting student learning activities shall be examined.

In addition, suggestions shall be made on how a student-centered classroom (SCL) can be supported by information technology (IT)

The Traditional Classroom

It may be observed that classroom are usually arranged with neat columns and rows of student chairs, while the teachers stands in front of the classrooms or sits behind his/her desk. This situation is necessitated by the need to maintain classroom discipline and also to allow the teacher to control classroom activities through lecture presentation and teacher led discussions.

Noticeably, however, after spending so many minutes in lesson presentation and class management, students can get restless and fidgety. Often enough, the teacher has to lack mange misbehavior in class as students start to talk among themselves or simply stare away in lack of attention. To prevent this situation, teachers often makes students take time to work individually on work sheets can help the situation.

Another option is now presented and this adopting the idea of developing students to be independent learners with the end of making them critical and creative thinkers.

The SCL classroom

Desiring to gain effectiveness, efficiency and economy in administration and instruction, schools in this developed economies have also adopted the support of ICTs. Their students have now become active not passive learners, who can interact with other learners, demonstrating independence and self a awareness in the learning process.

John Dewey has described traditional learning as process in which the teacher pours information to the student learners, much like pouring water from a jug into cups. This is based on the long accepted belief that the teachers must perform his role of teaching so that learning can occur. This learning approach is generally known as direct instruction, and it has worked well for obtaining many kinds of learning outcomes.

The problem with the direct instruction approach to learning, however, is he fact that the world’s societies have begun to change. Of course, this change may not be strongly felt in many countries in which the economy no longer depends primarily on factory workers who repetitive work without thinking on the job. The traditional classroom and direct instruction approach to learning conform to this kind of economies.

In contrast, in industrialized societies we find knowledge-based economies in which workers depend on information that can be accessed through information and communication technologies (ICTs). Desiring to gain effectiveness, efficiency and economy in administration and instruction, schools in this developed economies have also adopted the support of ICTs. Their students have now become active not passive learners, who can interact with other learners, demonstrating independence and self a awareness in the learning process.

Generally, the new school classroom environment is characterized by student individual to or in groups:

performing computer word processing for text or graph presentation

preparing power-point presentation

searching information on the internet

brainstorming on ideas, problems and project plans as needed, the teacher facilitating instruction, also gives individualized instruction to serve individual needs.

Observably, there is a departure from traditional worksheet, read-and-answer, drill-and-practice activities. Students also no longer need to mark the tests if peers since the computer has program for test evaluation and computerized scoring of results.

Given this new trend in teaching-and-learning , it must be pointed out. however, that traditional classroom activities– especially in less developed countries– will continue to have a strong place in the classroom. In spite of this setback experienced in some countries, the option has now been opened for the modern teacher to shift gears to student-centered learning.