positive academic culture
TRANSCRIPT
Learner -centeredness &
Positive Academic Culture
Nema Habbas Almutairi; PhDUniversity of Dammam
2
Questions
• What are the fundamentals of student-centered learning?
• What are the challenges?
• How to manage these challenges?
3
‘Many institutions or educators
claim to be putting student-
centred learning into practice,
but in reality they are not’.
(Lea et al, 2003: 322)
Definition
Learner-centeredness means placing
the learning characteristics of all
learners at the center of our teaching
practices.
It is a transition from teaching the
entire group to meeting the diverse
learning needs of each learner.
24
The development of competent
self-directed, life-long learners
5
What do we mean by Learner
Characteristics?
#1 Learning Styles
#2
Learning ability
# 3
Learning Preferences
# 4Personality Type
# 5
Learning Strategies
6
Philosophical Active and reflective
Psychological
Cognitive and Metacognitive factorsMotivational and Affective factorsDevelopmental and Social factorsIndividual Differences factors
Cultural Environmental factors- home & community collaboration
Pragmatic Self directed lifelong learning
Foundations forLearner-Centered Approaches
Principles for Good
Practice in Education
7
• Encourages Contact Between Students
and Faculty.
• Encourages Cooperation among
Learners.
• Encourages Active Learning.
• Gives Prompt Feedback.
• Emphasizes Time on Task.
• communicates High Expectations.
• Respects Diversity.
Learner- centeredApproach
Powerful Forces
Activity
Expectations
Cooperation
Interaction
Diversity
Responsibility
Choice 8
What are the Challenges?
Physical aspects
Qualification of teachers
Relevance of teaching
material
Quality of instructional methods
Role of learner
Quality of assessment
Alignment
Physical Aspects
10
• Exposure to authentic experiences
• Class size• Use of demonstrations and
models multi-sensory input
Qualification of Teachers
11
•Attract highly qualified language teachers
•Provide in-service training programs for teachers in learner-centred approaches
• Look for innovations in teaching methods.• Discover how your students are currently
learning. • Make adequate pre-planning for learner-
centered approach activities. • Have a positive attitude to role changes
(mixed-ability teaching).• Work individually with students who are
poor performers . • Give students positive reinforcement.• Help students set challenging goals for
their own learning.• Rapport and CARE.
12
Quality of Instructional Methods
• Talk about why you are teaching this way.• Have students to participate in activities that encourage
them to get to know each other.• Allow time for students to debrief their experience.• Ask how much and how well students learned from this
activity (CAT).• Write a one page paper describing how you teach.• Be willing to make changes .• Devise your own feedback mechanisms. • Choose your instructional peer collaborators carefully. • Be encouraging.
13
Quality of Instructional Methods
• Encourage students to speak up when they do not understand.
• Use collaborative teaching and learning techniques.• Use diverse teaching activities and techniques. • Select and design activities related to the background of
students. • Provide rich & diverse learning experiences, from multiple
sources. • Encourage students to share their viewpoints on topics
discussed in class. • Pair students with lesser abilities with students with greater
abilities.
Relevance of Teaching
Material
Teaching material must be:
• Challenging (ZPD). • Interesting (motivation).• Relates to previous knowledge
(metacognitive).• Active (participation)• Fosters competence for self
learning (self-directed learning).
• Supports CMI. 14
Quality of Assessments
16
• Aligned with the teaching material and instructional method.
• Reduce anxiety and fear.
• Continuous assessment.
• Make room for creative expression, critical thinking and problem solving.
“...the ways in which students are assessed have a strong influence on the ways they approach their learning tasks (Zhang and Watkins (2011: 256) .
17
• They must talk about what they are learning,
write about it, relate it to past experiences.
• Reflect on how they think and learn.
• Develop strategic thinking.
• Become goal & time oriented.
• widen and deepen their knowledge from
multiple sources.
• Work individually or in a group.
• Focus not on grades, but on putting for their
best effort.
Role of Learner
The goal of implementing a learner-centered
approach is life-long learning
The vision of the Ministry of Education at the end of year 2014
18
"The graduation of male and female students with Islamic values and the appropriate knowledge and practice. These students will have acquired practical knowledge, skills, and attitudes; they will be able to react positively to and face modern changes; they will be able to apply advanced technologies with efficiency and flexibility and to deal with international competition in scientific and practical fields. Their positive participation in an efficient educational system will allow them to develop appropriate abilities and attitudes and to spread the positive spirit of work at school environments that encourage learning and social education. (Ministry of Education: The Executive Summary
of the Ministry of Education Ten-Year Plan, 2004-2014: 12).
can be achieved
If we can create
A Positive Academic Culture