International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education (IJCRME)

ISSN (Online): 2455 - 5428

(www.rdmodernresearch.com) Volume I, Issue I, 2016

STUDENT CENTERED LEARNING IN

CLASSROOMS: A STRATEGY FOR
INCREASING STUDENT
MOTIVATION AND ACHIEVEMENT
Vaikunth Pai* & M. Manjula
Mallya**
* Department of Information Technology, Srinivas Institute of
Management Studies, Pandeshwar, Mangalore, Karnataka
** Assistant Professor & Head, Department of Economics,
Government First Grade
College, Haleyangadi,
Karnataka
Abstrac
t:
In
facing
challenges
such
as
rapid
globalization,
tremendous
impacts
of information
technology,
international
transformation towards knowledge-driven
economy, strong demands for sustainable societal developments, and
international competitions in the new century, numerous educational
reforms and changes have been initiated in the different parts of the
world. Policy-makers and educators in most countries
have to think how to reform their education and prepare next generations
for meeting challenges of the future (Cheng, 2003a, b; Hirsch & Weber,
1999; Kogan & Hanney, 2000; Mingle, 2000). Student-centered learning is
an approach to learning in which learners choose not only what to study
but also how and why. At the heart of the learning environment are
learner responsibility and activity, in contrast to the emphasis on
instructor control and coverage of academic content found in
conventional, didactic teaching. Student-centred learning, as the term
suggests, is a method of learning or teaching that puts the learner at the
centre (cf. Mac Hemer et al, 2007, p.9; Boyer, 1990). With the application
of an SCL approach in higher education, there is necessarily a shift in
focus from academic teaching staf to the learner. This approach has
many implications for the design and fexibility of curriculum, course
content, and interactivity of the learning process. The fact that
conventional teaching predominantly places its focus on the design,
organization and follow-through of the perspective of the academic
teacher
has made it difficult to determine what students see as constituting
SCL, because often they have never been asked. This paper
elaborates why and how Student-centered learning is needed to reconceptualize the practices of action learning to enhance multiple thinking
and creativity in learning.
Index Terms:
Globalization, Knowledge-Driven Economy, Higher
Education, Policy
Makers and Educators & Educational
Reforms Etc
Introductio
n:
India has the second largest educational system in the world. A
focus on quality, access and relevance of education to achieve the
required social transformation for

sustainable economic development of the country has been the national

priority. The educational system of the future must embrace a learnercentered perspective to maximize high standards of learning, motivation,
and achievement for all learners--for both students and their teachers.
The learner-centered perspective begins with a focus
on knowing and understanding each learner in the context of a deep
understanding of the learning process itself. It couples a focus on knowing
and respecting individual learners with the best available research and
practitioner experience about learning. This paper reviews a number of
approaches to the learner-centered classroom and
provides
a
synthesis.
There has been increasing emphasis in recent years on moving
away from traditional teaching toward student-centered learning. This
paradigm shift has encouraged moving power from the instructor to the
learner, treating the learner as a
409
International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education (IJCRME)
ISSN (Online): 2455 - 5428
(www.rdmodernresearch.com) Volume I, Issue I, 2016
co-creator in the teaching and learning process (Barr & Tagg, 1995).
Instructors who deliver student-centered instruction include the learner
in decisions about how and what they learn and how that learning is
assessed, and they respect and accommodate individual differences in
learners backgrounds, interests, abilities, and experiences (McCombs &
Whistler, 1997). The role of the instructor in student-centered classrooms
is to encourage learners to do more discovery learning and to learn from
each other; the instructor focuses on constructing authentic, real-life tasks
that motivate learner involvement and participation (Weimer, 2002).
Meaning of Student-Centered
Learning:
Student-centered learning has been defined most simply as an
approach to learning in which learners choose not only what to study
but also how and why that
topic might be of interest (Rogers, 1983). In other words, the learning
environment has learner responsibility and activity at its heart, in contrast
to the emphasis on instructor
control and the coverage of academic content found in much
conventional, didactic
teaching (Cannon, 2000). Additionally, learners find the learning process
more meaningful when topics are relevant to their lives, needs, and
interests, and when they
are actively engaged in creating, understanding, and connecting
to knowledge
(McCombs & Whistler,
1997).
The paradigm shift away from teaching to an emphasis on learning
has encouraged power to be moved from the teacher to the student
(Barr and Tagg 1995).
The teacherfocused/transmission of information formats, such as
lecturing, have begun to be increasingly criticized and this has paved the
way for a widespread growth of studentcentered learning as an
alternative approach. However, despite widespread use of the term, Lea
et al. (2003)maintain that one of the issues with studentcentered
learning is the fact that many institutions or educators claim to be

putting student
centered learning into practice, but in reality they are not
(2003:322).
Objectives of the
Study:
To give an overview of the various ways studentcentered
learning is defined,
To suggest some ways that studentcentered learning can be
used as the organizing principle of teaching and assessment
practices,
To explore the effectiveness of studentcentered learning and
To present some critiques to it as an approach.
How Can You Implement StudentCentered
Learning?:
Learning is often presented in this dualism of either student
centered learning or teachercentered learning. In the reality of practice
the situation is less black and white. A more useful presentation of
studentcentered learning is to see these terms as
either end of a continuum, using the three concepts regularly used to
describe student
centered learning. (See
Table 1).
TeacherCentered Learning

Student

Centered Learning Low level of Student Choice

High level of Student Choice Student Passive
Student Active
Power is primarily with teacher
student

Power primarily with the

Table 1: StudentCentered and TeacherCentered Continuum

410
International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education (IJCRME)
ISSN (Online): 2455 - 5428
(www.rdmodernresearch.com) Volume I, Issue I, 2016
Implications for Teaching/Learning
Methods:
The University of Glasgow (2004) identified four main strategies in
a study on studentcentered learning practices in their University. The
first strategy was to make
the student more active in acquiring knowledge and skills and might
include exercises in class, fieldwork, use of CAL (computer assisted
learning) packages etc. The second strategy was to make the student
more aware of what they are doing and why they are doing it. A third
strategy is a focus on interaction, such as the use of tutorials and other
discussion groups. The final strategy is the focus on transferable skills.
This last strategy is not mentioned in other definitions of the student
centered learning but does look beyond the immediate course
requirements to other benefits to the student in later employment. Table
2 highlights a sample of studentcentered learning/teaching
methods and includes some ideas for lecturers both within (more

Outside of the lecture

format
Independent projects

In the
Buzz groups Lecture
(short discussion in
twos)
Pyramids/snowballing (Buzz
Peer mentoring of other
groups continuing the discussion into
students
Cross-overs (mixing students
Debate
into groups by letter/number
s
allocations)
Rounds (giving turns to
Fieldindividual students to
trips
Practical
Quizze
s learning
Reflective diaries,
Writing reflections son learning (3/4
journals
Computer assisted learning minutes)
Student class presentations
Choice in subjects
Role
for
play
Writing newspaper article
Poster presentations
Portfolio development
Students producing mind maps in
class
teachercentered)
and outside of the lecture format. You may consider, however, in striving
to reduce the amount of lecture contact hours for more studentcentered
formats, where possible. Implications for Assessment Practices:

Table 2: Examples of student centered learning/teaching methods

Why do we want to Promote Student Centered Teaching? What are
its Benefits?
Student centered teaching helps us design efective instruction for
every member of the classroom, no matter what his or her diverse
learning needs. By its nature, student centered teaching is adaptable to
meet the needs of every student. In order to design any lesson, the
teacher must first think of the students, rather than the content, and so
we are assured that the students needs are being considered.
Student centered teaching has been proven effective in its
ability to teach students the material they need to know. There are
site numerous studies that followed students who were taught in the
student centered approach that found that not only does student
motivation increase, but actual learning and performance do as well.
Students taught in a student centered classroom retain more
material for longer periods of time. In order to learn, the brain
cannot simply receive information; it must also process the
information so that it can be stored and recalled. The active nature
of the student centered approach helps students actually work with
information, and therefore learn it and store it.
For foreign language students, especially, the student-centered
method has special benefits. When students use the language, they
retain it more than if they

411
International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education (IJCRME)
ISSN (Online): 2455 - 5428
(www.rdmodernresearch.com) Volume I, Issue I, 2016
would hear it. They get practice in actively producing meaningful
conversation and they take a more direct route to fluency than they
would take, for example, if they filled out worksheets with sentences
created by the teacher.
Even beyond learning what they need to know, students benefit
from a less academic side effect of student centered teaching -they learn how to feel good about them. As they take on new
responsibilities and succeed with these responsibilities, they come
to gain confidence in themselves as competent
problem-solvers. Even more, research shows that students have
higher achievement when they have confidence in themselves and
when they attribute success to their own abilities and not to luck
or help. In a student centered approach, it is the students
themselves who are responsible for the success of a
lesson and therefore they tend to feel more responsible for the
success of their own learning.
Teacher-Centered vs. Learner-Centered Paradigms:

Comparison of Teacher-centered and Learnercentered paradigms

(Learner-Centered
Assessment on College
Campuses by Huba
and
Teacher-Centered
Learner-Centered
Paradigm
Paradigm
Students construct knowledge
through gathering and synthesizing
Knowledge is transmitted
information and integrating it with
from professor to
the general skills of inquiry,
students
communication, critical thinking,
problem
and so
on
Students passively receive
Studentssolving
are actively
involved
information
Emphasis is on using and
Emphasis is on acquisition of
communicating knowledge
knowledge outside the context in
effectively to address enduring
which it will be used
and emerging issues and problems
Professors role is to be
Professors role is to coach and
primary
facilitate.
information giver
Professor and students evaluate
Teaching and assessing are
Teaching and assessing are
separate
intertwined
Assessment is used to
Assessment is used to monitor
promote and diagnose
learning
Emphasis is on generating
Emphasis is on right answers
better questions and learning
Desired learning is assessed
Desired learning is assessed
indirectly through the use of
directly through papers, projects,
objectively scored tests
performances, portfolios, and the
like
Approach is
compatible
Focus is on a single discipline
with interdisciplinary
Culture is competitive
Culture is cooperative,
and
collaborative, and
Only students are viewed as
Professor and students learn
learners
together
Table 3: Teacher-centered
vs. Learner-centered
paradigms
How Can We Create Student Centered Teaching?
In order to allow students to gain this power in the class, teachers
cannot simply lecture and let students take a passive role. They must
design activities that let students
take initiative and that let students discover meaningful information for
their own lives.
412
International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education (IJCRME)
ISSN (Online): 2455 - 5428
(www.rdmodernresearch.com) Volume I, Issue I, 2016
They must also get to know the students on an individual basis so that
they can better respond to the individual needs and interests of the
students. In general, teachers need to focus on the students needs,
abilities, and interests -- they need to "look at how students learn, rather
than at what there is to teach.
Moving From a Teacher/Expert Approach to a StudentCentered Approach:
Although an educational shift, from a teacher/expert approach
to a student- centered approach, maybe associated with positive
consequences, it nonetheless
requires teachers and students to respectively modify their thinking
and actions towards education.
First, teachers will need to change their role as

professionals, to develop competence programs, to adapt their lectures

to include interactions with the class, to
consider students prior knowledge and background (impact of
cultures), as well as
orient and guide students in their learning process (Frenay et al., 1998). In
other words, teachers will need to accept that the relationship between
teaching and learning is now different (Tagg and Barr, 1995). Second,
students will be required to participate in their own learning process; that
is become active learners, and focus on transferring information and
knowledge to other disciplines and to real life situations (Frenay et al.,
1998)
.
In sum, a change in approach signifies that both teachers and
student change their attitudes and behaviors to education. The already
existing normative structure in terms of education needs to be
modified in order to support a new way of conceptualizing
education. This is precisely what our Normative Theory of Social
Change attempts to do. First, our Normative Theory of Social Change
offers a theoretical framework for understanding peoples reaction in
face of dramatic social change that affects the normative structure of
a group. Second, our Normative Theory of Social Change proposes a
concrete solution designed to facilitate the shift from a
teaching/expert approach to a student-centered approach: minority
influence. Assessment of Student Centric Learning:
In a student centered classroom, students are encouraged to
participate actively in learning the material as it is presented rather than
being passive and perhaps taking notes quietly. In the student centered
classroom students are involved throughout the class time in activities
that help them construct their understanding of the material that is
presented. The instructor no longer delivers a vast amount of information,
but uses a variety of hands-on activities to promote learning.
Four aspects of Creative thinking are involved in Student centered
learning. They
are
:
Inquiry: It is closely associated with science, inquiry or research is the
task of acquiring knowledge pertaining to empirical questions. Students
should know the language of science like theories, laws, hypotheses etc.
and principles of scientific method. They can be taught and instructed to
evaluate the credibility of information sources.
Reasoning: Commonly also called inference is the relatively overt
mental process which helps us to reach conclusions on the basis of
evidence, lies at the heart of higherorder thinking as reasons can be communicated
to others.
Inferential Errors: It is a means of inoculating people
against mistakes.
Argumentation: Students should develop skills of argumentation by
constructing and analyzing arguments which also plays a key role in
purporting creative thinking.
The Efectiveness and Critiques of Student
Centered Learning:
The use of studentcentered learning appears to be reflective of
todays society
where choice and democracy are important concepts, however is
it an effective

413
International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education (IJCRME)
ISSN (Online): 2455 - 5428
(www.rdmodernresearch.com) Volume I, Issue I, 2016
approach to learning? Lea et al. (2003) reviewed several studies on
studentcentered learning and found that overall it was an effective
approach. A six-year study in Helsinki, which compared traditional and
activating instruction, found that the activating group developed better
study skills and understanding, but were slower in their study initially
(Lonka and Ahola 1995). Equally, Hall and Saunders found that students
had increased participation, motivation and grades in a first year
information technology course (1997). In addition, 94% of the students
would recommend it to others over the more conventional
approach
(Hall
and
Saunders
1997).
Students
in
a
UK
University
elaborated on the impact of studentcentred learning on them, i.e. they
felt there was more respect for the student in this approach, that it was
more interesting, exciting, and it boosted their confidence (Lea et al.
2003).
Studentcentered learning, despite its popularity, is not without its
critics. The main critique of studentcentered learning is its focus on
the individual learner. In addition, there are some difficulties in its
implementation, i.e. the resources needed to implement it, the belief
system of the students and staf, and students lack of familiarity with the
term. Another concern regarding student centered learning is the belief
that students hold in relation to their learning. Students, who value or
have experienced more teacherfocused approaches, may reject the
studentcentered approach as frightening or indeed not within their remit.
Prosser and Trigwells work in higher education emphasizes the different
belief systems held by staff and students (2002). They found that lecturers
with a teachercentered approach to teaching held views that students
should accommodate information rather than developing and changing
their conceptions and understanding. The reverse was true for those with
more student centered approaches to their teaching. Perrys work on the
development of University students highlights how students move from a
dualistic view that knowledge is right or wrong to a relativist view that all
answers are equally valid (Perry 1970). This study highlights that even
during the University years, students can change their view on learning
and as they move through the years so to may their views on student
centered learning change.
Conclusio
n:
The ultimate goal for student-centered classrooms is for students to
gain independent minds and the capacity to make decisions about their
life-long learning
(Brown, 2008). What makes learner-centered education transformative is
that meaning is co-constructed and that self-regulation occurs through
interdependence, with a focus on being and becoming fully functioning
(McCombs, 2009, p.7). To achieve successful social change in terms of
education, there are two necessary steps in order to maximize
the likelihood of constructive change in education. First, a studentcentered approach
needs to be clearly and simply articulated. Second, mechanisms are
needed that allow for every stakeholder in the education process to be
fully informed about the processes arising from educational reform. For
example, schools, institutes and universities need to develop a common
identity and sense of belonging to the broader reform-minded community.

Since traditionally the Ministries of education have been the major

source of power in education, they need to take a leadership role by
publicizing new programs and emphasizing a unified philosophy of
education.
Studentcentered learning is not without some criticism but in
general it has been seen to be a positive experience, for example,
Edwards (2001) emphasizes the
value of studentcentered learning: Placing learners at the heart of the
learning process
and meeting their needs, is taken to a progressive step in which learner
centered approaches mean that persons are able to learn what is
relevant for them in ways that
414
International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education (IJCRME)
ISSN (Online): 2455 - 5428
(www.rdmodernresearch.com) Volume I, Issue I, 2016
are appropriate. Waste in human and educational resources is reduced as
it suggested learners no longer have to learn what they already know or
can do, nor what they are uninterested in. (Edwards 2001:37).
Technology can play an interesting and essential role in an
institution's centralized approach to teaching and outcomes-based
handling of student learning. For example, faculty may be required to
use e-learning platforms such as Black Board or Web CT. This processpainful though it may be for many individuals-typically forces
teachers to think more reflectively about course design, delivery, and
assessment. It can stimulate
creative
new
ways
to
engage
students and to incorporate highly contemporary materials, while
sensitizing faculty to the range of new challenges and possibilities
inherent in the application of educational technologies.
Referenc
es:
1.
Aaronsohn., E. (1996). Going against the grain: Supporting the
student-centered teacher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
2.
Bloom, B. S. Engelhart, M.D. Furst, E. J. Hill, W.H. Krathwohl,
D.R. Taxonomy of
educational objectives: The classification of educational goals.
Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Co., 1956.
3. Cannon, R. (2000). Guide to support the implementation of the
Learning and
Teaching Plan Year 2000. Australia: The University of Adelaide.
4.
Education and Manpower Bureau (1998 November). Information
technology for learning in a new era: Five-year strategy 1998/99
to 2002/03. Hong Kong:
Government Printer.
5.
Goldsmith, M., Morgan, H. & Ogg, A.J. (2004)(eds.). Leading
organizational leading: Harnessing the power of knowledge. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
6.
Henderson, R. W., & Cunningham, L. (1994). Creating interactive
sociocultural environments for self-regulated learning. In D. H. Schunk,
& B. J. Zimmerman, (Eds.), Self-regulation of learning and performance.
Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
7.
Jarvis, P. (2001) (Ed.). The age of learning: Education and the
knowledge society.
London: Kogan Page
8.
Kazamias, A.M. & Schwarty, K. (1977). Intellectual and ideological

perspectives in comparative
education:
An
interpretation.
Comparative Education Review,
21(June/Oct), 153-176.
9.
Kogan, M., & Hanney, S. (2000). Reforming Higher Education.
Higher Education
Policy Series 50. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Ltd.
10. National Education Commission (NEC, 2000). Learning reform: A
Learner-centred approach. Bangkok, Thailand: Ofice of the National
Education Commission.
11. OECD
(Organization
for
Economic
Co-operation
and
Development) (2000).
Knowledge management in the learning society. Paris: OECD, Center for
Educational
Research and Innovation.
12. Rogers, C. (1983). As a teacher, can I be myself? In Freedom to
learn for the 80s.
Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company.
13. Stuart, A. (1997, September/October). Student-centered learning.
Learning, 26, 5356.
14. Weber, W. L. (1998). Economic socialization: The economic beliefs
and behaviours of young people. Economics of Education Review,
17(2), 231-232.
15. Woodhall, M. (1992). Cost-benefit analysis in educational
planning (3rd Ed.).
UNESCO: International Institute for Educational Planning.
415