Learner-Centered Curriculum

A learner-centered curriculum can influence how a student experiences learning in so many ways. With an emphasis on putting the student at the center of the educational process instead of the usual teacher-centered approach, students will benefit from it. For example, it increases student engagement, personalize their learning, students develop problem solving and critical thinking skills, they have the opportunity to collaborate with communicating with one another, and it builds confidence and students want to learn.

Creating a curriculum that is learner-centered has its advantages and challenges for teachers. For example, educators might discover that their position shifts from being the exclusive source of knowledge to one of greater facilitation. Teachers might have to help students with their learning, promote critical thinking, and give them chances to learn on their own. In order to encourage peer-to-peer learning and communication skills, teachers could assign and oversee more group projects, tasks, and cooperative activities. In the classroom, this might also entail creating a sense of community.

Ways to Help Teachers Move Towards a Learner-Centered Curriculum

Organizing a curriculum to help teachers of various subjects switch to a learning-centered curriculum can be a challenging but worthwhile endeavor. Curriculum is arguably the most important structural component, so addressing curriculum design is essential if we are to change our institutions and make them genuinely learner-centered (Cullen et al., 2012). The Walden University, (2015c) video file, Systemic construction of curriculum, gives teachers a great breakdown of how to be successful when using Learner-Centered Curriculum in the classroom.

To aid in teachers of various subject areas in moving toward a learner-centered curriculum would be to set up common planning times and days for teachers to work collaborative together. During these planning times, teachers will have the opportunities to provide feedback to one another (Walden University, 2015c). I would set up opportunities for teachers to observe each other to get pointers. For teachers that are still teaching in the industrial era, it is going to take time for them to look at a new way of teaching and using a learner-centered curriculum. We cannot expect them to change overnight. It is going to take much planning, practice, and constructive feedback in order for teachers to feel comfortable with the transition.

Together we would also analyze the data, create common assessments during team meetings, look at students strengths and weaknesses and teach those standards. Differentiate them to strengthen the weaknesses, and research best practices and use them in the classroom to address those needs (Walden University, 2015c). We would also conduct book studies, attend professional development, review success stories, and analyze curriculum maps within the classroom, lesson plan, district and statewide (Walden University, 2015c).

References

Cullen, R., Harris, M., & Hill, R. R. (2012). The learner-centered curriculum: Design and implementation. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.

Walden University (Producer). (2015c). Systemic construction of curriculum [Video file].