Learner-centered Approach Research Articles

Lessons on educational borrowing and change: teachers’ implementation of differentiated instruction in Singapore

ABSTRACT Learner-centred educational approaches, like differentiated instruction (DI), have been gaining popularity worldwide through the process of educational borrowing. Teachers’ experiences with educational change are complicated when the educational ideas they encounter are transferred from abroad. This mixed method study examined how ten teachers in Singapore implemented and experienced DI, an educational approach from the USA. Findings revealed that when the destination conditions are more aligned with source conditions, Singapore teachers experience greater successes in their DI implementation, specifically in creating environments that support learning, building on quality curriculum, and leading and managing the classroom. When teachers faced cultural, technological, and political misalignments, they encountered greater obstacles, specifically, in using assessment and adapting instruction to student variances. Findings spell implications for greater synergy across educational change and borrowing work, including more criticality when borrowing educational ideas across countries and the need to foreground contextual peculiarities in both source and destination countries.

Implementation of research ethics training for postgraduate medical students - A learner-centered approach.

Implementation of research ethics training for postgraduate medical students - A learner-centered approach.

Enhancing teaching and learning through the co-creative learning community approach

ABSTRACT This study is positioned at the crossroads of pedagogical action learning and action research, as it addresses the challenges in designing and implementing action-learning approaches in the Middle East. In particular, it focuses on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and draws from a reflective analysis of a university – industry ‘business challenge’ collaboration. This resulted in the development of the co-creative learning community (CCLC) approach in which students, instructor, academic peers, and business practitioners can engage in co-creative, collective learning. The CCLC model was found to be an effective, learner-centric approach that can improve student engagement while addressing complex learning goals, as it requires active collaboration and knowledge exchange between the learning community participants. The CCLC model developed in this study will benefit university faculty in the Middle East who aim to incorporate action learning in their classrooms to facilitate the learning of a more complex set of skills, as expected from 21st-century higher education institutions.

French for Specific Purposes (FSP): A Key to Success in the Professional World

This article highlights the growing importance of mastering French for Special Purposes (FSP) in an increasingly globalized world. The article discusses the characteristics of FSP, including its historical evolution, learner-centered approaches, and the integration of authentic materials. It also explores teaching methods such as task-based communicative approaches and the use of practical activities to facilitate real-world application. The evaluation process in ESP involves diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments. Additionally, the feedback from professionals who have undergone FSP training highlights the concrete benefits of French for Specific Objectives in various professional sectors.

ТЕХНОЛОГИИ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ КОММУНИКАТИВНО-ТВОРЧЕСКОЙ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ УЧАЩИХСЯ НА УРОКАХ ИНОСТРАННОГО ЯЗЫКА

This article is devoted to the problem of communication and creative activity at the foreign language lessons in the theory and practice of secondary school education. The authors consider some aspects of the development of communicative-creative thinking in the process of foreign language learning and communicative-creative technologies in teaching foreign languages ​ ​ as a goal-setting aspect of their research. Examining the methodology and scientific approaches, we clarify the psychological and pedagogical conditions for organizing communicative and creative activities while learning the English language. This involves the use of active teaching methods and a learner-centered approach during foreign language lessons. The key findings include a detailed description of the authors' use of collage and interactive “speaking” postcard technologies perceived as forms of art technologies aimed at fostering students' communicative and creative skills and enhancing their proficiency in foreign language communication. The conclusions drawn from the research are substantiated by its originality, and the value of the obtained data is predominantly of an applied nature. The practical significance lies in the potential wide adoption of the methodology developed by the authors in real-life foreign language teaching scenarios. Future research endeavors will focus on publishing the obtained results in professional journals and presenting the developed methods to the academic community through participation in scientific-practical conferences and similar events.

Attitudes, Beliefs and Knowledge of Iraqi EFL Teachers Regarding Peer Tutoring

To better promote the various elements of learning, the language education industry has made a considerable shift to a more learner-centered approach. While peer tutoring in the classroom has a large body of literature, there is little study on this method in the field of foreign language in higher education. Teaching and learning a second language should not always follow a linear approach, with the teacher at one end and the student at the other. Since English is a worldwide language, it is essential for communicating with English speakers and should be required for postgraduate study. Language and communication are fundamental to human existence.

Digiqual Framework: A Learner-Centric Approach for Measuring the Quality of Online Courses in Postgraduate Institutions

Digiqual Framework: A Learner-Centric Approach for Measuring the Quality of Online Courses in Postgraduate Institutions

Learners’ Differences in Blended Learner-Centric Approach for a Common Programming Subject

As the number of students entering higher education increases with a growing diversity of background, educators of programming courses face increasing challenges. Different teaching pedagogies need to be explored for students with different background knowledge. Some students find programming courses difficult to understand and practice. It may lead to de-motivation and disengagement in learning process with consequential impact on their grades. Addressing these issues demands approaches for effective teaching programming courses to multidisciplinary cohorts. This article investigates how computing science (CS) and engineering cohorts respond differently to teaching approaches in a common module, Fundamentals of Programming. Both traditional teacher-centric teaching and a blended learner-centric approach have been explored in a diverse group of students. The blended learner-centric approach combines classroom teaching and self-paced blended learning using work examples videos method. These two teaching approaches have been evaluated in Academic Year 2019/2020. It can be seen from the evaluation results of 92 CS and 150 Engineering students who participate in this research that the performance is improved by about 5% through blended learner-centric approach. It is further observed that quantitatively the performance gap between CS and Engineering students has been reduced. Questionnaire survey has also been conducted with 54 CS and 89 Engineering students being responded. The learners’ perceptions of the blended learner-centric approach have also been compared between these two cohorts.

MODERN STANDARDS OF HIGHER EDUCATION PEDAGOGY: ХХІST CENTURY LEARNING

B a c k g r ou nd . Modern standards of pedagogy in higher education prioritise student-centred approaches, integration of technology, active learning, personalised learning, critical thinking, collaboration and creative problem solving. These skills are essential for students to navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Instead of focusing solely on memorisation and rote learning, educators encourage students to analyse, evaluate and synthesise information. They provide open-ended problem-solving opportunities that allow them to think critically, approach problems from different angles, and develop innova- tive solutions. By seamlessly integrating technology into the learning process, educators create dynamic and interactive learning environments that accommodate different learning styles and promote digital literacy skills. Purpose and objectives. To outline the trend in contemporary pedagogy in secondary schools that embraces learner-centred approaches that prioritise active learning and personalised learning. Emphasise the effectiveness of active learning methods, such as group discussions, practical experiments and project-based learning, which encourage students to become active participants in their learning. Demonstrate that these methods will foster deeper understanding, critical thinking skills and creativity as students apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Re su lt s . Student-centred approaches, such as active learning and personalised teaching, promote engagement, critical thinking and creativity, empowering students to take ownership of their education. Collaborative skills are developed through group projects and discussions, preparing students for life in a globalising society. C onc lu si on s . Modern assessment strategies emphasise flexibility and adaptability, using performance-based assess- ment and continuous feedback to evaluate student learning. In general, modern pedagogy in secondary schools aims to educate ХХІst century learners, equipping them with the necessary skills to succeed in a constantly changing world.

ONLINE LEARNING AND ITS POTENTIAL IN DEVELOPING EFL LEARNER AUTONOMY: ENGLISH-MAJORED STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS

Learner autonomy is now regarded as a desirable goal in tertiary education as it is found to comply with learner-centered approaches and enable students to pursue life-long learning (Sinclair, 2000a; Ciekanski, 2007). In the time of COVID-19 pandemic, the essential to conduct in-depth investigations into leaner autotomy and online learning has become more urgent, especially in the context of a university in Vietnam. This quantitative research responded to such a pressing call by exploring two aspects: (1) the students’ perception of online learning, and (3) the potentiality of online learning for developing learner autonomy. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires administered to 199 English-majored students in the context of a university in Mekong Delta. The results revealed that the students possessed positive perceptions toward online learning. Furthermore, the potentiality of online learning was explored including the ability of (1) planning learning experience, (2) evaluating learning performance, (3) determining learning goals, (4) self-controlling learning process, (5) taking responsibility for learning decision. Last but not least, this study expected that the proposed pedagogical implications will contribute to the innovation of promoting learner autonomy in online learning in the context of a university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0203/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The Impact of Learner-centered Approach on Efl Learners’ Writing Skill

Contemporary education calls for the use of learner-centered approach over the traditional education where students are passive learners.  English as a foreign language can be best learned in a learner-centered approach. The writing skill has always been taught in a teacher centered approach in schools which made students graduate with poor writing skills. Therefore, researchers recommend the use of the learner-centered approach to develop the writing skill of language learners. For this reason, a new educational system called the Bologna Process which adopts a learner-centered approach is currently being implemented in some departments and colleges of the University of Duhok. This study investigates the effectiveness of the learner-centered approach in the learners’ writing skill, learner’s attitudes towards learning academic writing in a learner-centered teaching and learning environment, and to find out which learner-centered based activity students mostly prefer adopt when learning academic writing. For this purpose, 16 students from the English Language Department/ College of Basic Education have been interviewed. The results show that students find the learner-centered approach to have a positive effect on their writing skill since it help enhance their knowledge, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, brainstorming activities and essay structure. As result, they have developed a positive attitude towards this approach and want to continue learning academic writing. The findings also have revealed that the most preferred learner-centered activities are students’ presentations and group work. Finally, the study ends up with some conclusions and recommendations

TOWARDS A LEARNER-CENTRED APPROACH TO TEACHING ENGLISH

The aim of the paper is to discuss the importance of embracing a learner-centred approach when teaching English to students at non-philological faculties. The paper will start from clarifying some theoretical aspects: What does “learner-centred” mean? Why is it important and why is it important especially for non-philological faculties? Then the paper moves on to examine some of the practical issues, emphasizing the importance of creating, adapting and tailoring teaching techniques and materials so as to help students develop those language skills needed in a business environment, i.e.in their future careers. In addition, the paper will deal with some of the problems that might occur when adopting a learner-centred attitude and will suggest some ideas that may enable teachers to become more learner-centred. The paper will mainly draw on (but not be limited to) Maryellen Weimer’s (2002) description of five practice areas to work on in order to achieve learner-centred teaching: the function of content, the role of the teacher, the responsibility for learning, the processes and purposes of evaluation and the balance of power.

College instructor education: A model for effective student learning.

The interconnection between teaching and learning in higher education has been the subject of academic investigation for some time. However, within the community college context, the effectiveness of pedagogically trained instructors on student learning has remained an under-examined area of scholarly research. This study advances a greater understanding regarding the importance of quality teaching within the community college system in Ontario and explores how institutional policy and practices support or impede the promotion of quality teaching.
 A mixed methods sequential explanatory design was employed at a Toronto college to gauge the perspectives of participants in three sub-groups of the College strata: administrators, instructors, and students. A pragmatic approach was utilised from which multiple methods of data collection (i.e., semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and online questionnaires) were selected to exhaustively address the primary research question.
 Key findings revealed that formal academic development in pedagogical education was perceived by the majority of participants as foundational to effective teaching practice and that more comprehensive academic development was needed to improve both current practice and student academic achievement. Most instructors and students concurred that learner-centred approaches, both in class and in field placements, led to a deeper level of learning. From a leadership standpoint, participants also believed that college policies and practices were misaligned with promoting quality instruction and that greater progress towards alignment was necessary; thus, there were serious leadership implications. This study adds to the current instructor education discourse by providing impetus for institutional change towards the professionalisation of college instructors and also recognises the inextricable tie between instructor education and student learning.

The correlation between learning styles and self–directed learning of fifth graders

<span lang="EN-US">Vietnam education has been directed into a learner-centered approach and fostering competencies for students, especially self-directed learning. Thus, understanding how students’ learning styles impact self-directed learning are crucial for the new direction of Vietnam education. This research employed the survey method by questionnaire and presents the results of practical research on the correlation between styles of learning and self–directed learning of fifth-grade students at elementary schools in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The sample was 364 fifth graders voluntarily participating in the survey with the consent of parents. The results indicated that learning styles are strongly correlated with self–directed learning competency of fifth graders. The data revealed that students at District 10 not only attained high self-directed learning levels but also their learning styles attributing impactfully on their self-directed learning competency.</span>

ICRE Top Research Abstracts

ICRE Top Research Abstracts

Pecha Kucha: An Innovative Pedagogy to Cultivate Cultural Competency in 21 st Century Nursing Students.

Pecha Kucha: An Innovative Pedagogy to Cultivate Cultural Competency in 21 st Century Nursing Students.

ANIPHI: An innovative pedagogical platform based on the Delphi method to support animal welfare teaching

As a teaching subject, animal welfare is challenging for educators and learners, as was recently shown in a recent survey on the evolution of animal welfare teaching in Europe. Among several suggestions to overcome the current resistance to implementing animal welfare education, we highlight two. The first is that animal welfare education should be based on learner-centred approaches; the second is that it should encompass both animal welfare science and ethics and law. To the best of our knowledge, there are no learner-centred pedagogical approaches that can simultaneously explore scientific and ethical concepts. Furthermore, when exploring ethical concepts within the educational context, there is the additional challenge of being able to depart from discussion and debate to a systematic organization of knowledge. Our work simultaneously addresses these two challenges, presenting the design and implementation of a novel web-based learner-centred pedagogical platform for farm animal welfare teaching. The platform, named ANIPHI, uses the Delphi method's iterative nature as a learning process to generate both reflection and (online) debate among learners. ANIPHI can be used by educators in an online environment, in a classroom environment, or in a combination of the two environments. ANIPHI was developed within the ERASMUS+ ANICARE project and is an open web-based platform for all educators interested in teaching farm animal welfare. Given ANIPHI's flexible and user-friendly nature, the platform simultaneously exposes learners to ethical and scientific concepts in different educational realities, according to the educator's objectives. Furthermore, videos depicting different husbandry practices across different types of animal production and countries are embedded in the platform. These videos are commented on by the farmer himself and by animal scientists, which enriches the learner's experience. Educators across the ANICARE consortium have already successfully tested the ANIPHI platform for different farm animal welfare topics. We conclude this article by presenting one example of using ANIPHI in a real-life educational context, where we discuss some aspects of the design and use of our pedagogical platform.

Target settings for modeling career guidance in the education system of the region

Introduction. The article is devoted to the problem of insufficient theoretical justification of modeling career guidance in the education system of the region, primarily to identifying foundations of goal-setting. The aim of the study is to identify the features of the leading targets in modeling career guidance in the education system of the region, and to consider the possibility of their simultaneous use in the modeling of career guidance in the education system of the region. Materials and Methods. The study follows paradigmatic, socio-pedagogical and learner-centered approaches. The authors summarize and integrate educational, psychological and sociological theoretical ideas on the problem of this research. Methods of theoretical analysis, comparison, generalization, analysis of infographic representations of models of career guidance are used in order to solve the research problem. Results. Literature analysis enabled the authors to identify the leading constructs used as the basis of goal-setting in the models of career guidance in the educational system of the region (choosing a career, professional self-determination, career growth, professionalism), and to clarify their content characteristics. The construct ‘choosing a career’ focuses on a personal specific result; ‘professional self-determination’ deals with the process of personal and professional development through making meaningful decisions, involving a possibility of a career choice. ‘Career growth’ concentrates on the process of movement to social understanding of profession success. ‘Professionalism’ implies self-transformation in the interests of the profession not only in terms of technological readiness, but also personal compliance and moral attitudes. The authors proposed a way of coordinating the main targets of modeling career guidance in the education system of the region: a) the ideal goal (strategic goal) is defined through the formation of professionalism (at the personal level); orientation to career planning and career growth (in broad connotations) can be included in the structure of professionalism; b) the goal as the expected result of career guidance practices (tactical goal) is defined through professional self-determination. Conclusions. The authors conclude that the appropriate selection of target foundations contribute to clarifying qualitative characteristics of career guidance models in the education system of the region. Based on selecting leading constructs within the target setting, a typology of regional models and evaluation of their qualitative effectiveness can be made. The variants of combining leading constructs allow to define priorities, which determine the main direction and specifies organizational and methodological content of the model.

Redesigning the College of Education Curriculum to meet the Learner Centered Approach Needs of the Pre-service teacher for Effective Implementation of the Standard Based Curriculum in Ghana

Purpose: There is the need for the training of Pre-Service Teachers (PST) to appreciate and exhibit Learner Centered Approach (LCA) in the teaching and learning process. As we celebrate the preparedness of the college of education tutors to impart this knowledge to the PST, the space to deliver is faced with challenges. This paper aims at exploring how tutors are implementing the practices in LCA in colleges of education in their lesson delivery. It also aims at populating the challenges associated with the implementing the approach. The paper in addition, aims at highlighting the possible practices that can support Pre-Service Teachers to appreciate the use LCA in facilitating concepts in the classroom.
 Methodology: This current qualitative research adopted exploratory and descriptive design. Qualitative data was collected through interview. Three Colleges of Education (CoE) in VOLTI zone were purposively sampled for the study.
 Result: From the interview results, it was found that, college curriculum on academic content is focusing much of its attention on academic content than practicum. The mode of assessment is also making the impartation of LCA to the pre-service teacher seemingly untenable. The college tutors are functionally equipped to impart the methodology of LCA to the pre-service teacher, however the use of the LCA does not support them co cover much curriculum content. Tutors struggle to complete the semester’s curriculum hence a deviation from the low usage of the LCA. It is also noted that, quizzes and End of Semester examination assessment items do not reflect practicum. The observation results supportively confirm that tutors have difficulty of integrating LCA in the teaching of content related courses due to their apparent focus on examination.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: It is therefore concluded that, the current practice of promoting LCA without appropriate forms of assessment to sustain its practice demotivates both tutors and students to engage in such classroom practices. We therefore recommend that, the B.Ed program is reorganized to include more practicum to prepare functional PST in towards the facilitation of the Standard based Curriculum.

The role of web-based flipped learning in EFL learners' critical thinking and learner engagement.

The flipped learning approach with the use of social media as an emerging technology has changed the quality of learning in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educational contexts. This review probed the effect of the web-based flipped learning approach on learners' engagement and critical thinking. The earlier studies revealed the significance of social media in developing learner engagement and critical thinking. Studies indicated that the provision of opportunities for more cooperative and collaborative learning activities, and high-quality interaction through the use of social media can be influential in developing learners' engagement. Moreover, social media platforms can provide a context for feedback, and various types of challenging tasks that can improve EFL learners' critical thinking. However, this review implicated that social media in flipped learning approach may be beneficial for instructors, learners, teacher educators, curriculum designers, educational policy-makers, and advisors to be aware of this valuable learner-centered approach.