What is Learner-Centered Education? A Qualitative Study Exploring the Perspectives of English Language Teachers in Colombia

Abstract

Despite a recent influx of conceptual studies on the topic of ‘learner-centered education’ (LCE), the term continues to be interpreted inconsistently by a wide range of stakeholders. This study develops previous quantitative work on teachers’ understandings of LCE by exploring the perspectives of 16 Colombian EFL teachers. The methods consisted of semi-structured interviews based on a pre-interview questionnaire, which included both ‘open response’ and ‘closed response’ components. The study found similarities between participants’ views and the findings of previous quantitative research. Participants considered LCE to be a multifaceted term, but placed more emphasis on ‘practical’ classroom-based aspects (‘Active participation’) than those aspects implying changes to teacher-student relationships and epistemology (‘Power sharing’ and ‘Higher order skills’). Certain interpretations of LCE were considered more important by the study participants than is typically evident in the literature (notably ‘Formative assessment’, ‘Metacognition’ and ‘Humanistic role’), suggesting that a wider range of aspects could be taken into account as part of a more flexible approach to defining LCE. Differences were also found between aspects mentioned in participants’ initial ‘open response’ definitions, compared to their later ‘closed response’ questions, which may have implications for future conceptual research exploring stakeholder perspectives.