Yna Kosugi PROED8 – Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching

BSED 2-1 Dr. Andres Z. Taguiam

PROED8 – Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching Prelim Examination
1. Differentiate learner-centered teaching from different teaching approaches as applied to various
teaching areas. (25 points)
Teacher-centered teaching is the traditional way of teaching in different learning areas. The focus
is on the instructor wherein he or she is the deliverer of learning and collaboration is discouraged. While
the student-centered teaching both students and teachers are both focused. This approach allows teachers
and students to interact and collaborate with each other. Learner-centered teaching promotes active
learning while teacher-centered teaching promotes passive learning.
2. Explain logically the need to shift from teacher-centered by citing the philosophy of Essentialism and
Perennialism, while on learner-centered, cite the philosophy of Progressivism, Humanism and
Constructivism.
In teacher-centered teaching the teacher is focused on delivering the knowledge while the
students are passively learning. In Perennialism and Essentialism, they are both subject-centered
philosophy that supports teacher-centered teaching. In Essentialism, the teachers focus on transmitting a
series of progressively difficult topics and promotion of students to the next level, meaning that the
historical background of the material world and culture are the main topics of study and proceed in a
logical order to provide an essential learning of the present. In Perennialism, the teachers are concerned
with the importance of mastery of content and development of reasoning skill. It also aims to develop
students’ minds to think critically and rationally. In both philosophies, the teachers communicate the
knowledge while the students are expected to take notes. It is more difficult to absorb the knowledge
while taking notes than to absorb the knowledge actively which is focused on learner-centered teaching.
In learner-centered teaching, the learners and teachers are equally focused while the teachers are acting as
the facilitators and the students are actively learning on their activity. It is supported by three philosophies
such as Progressivism, Constructivism and Humanism. The philosophy of Progressivism, Constructivism
and Humanism contradicts the way of teaching promoted in Essentialism and Perennialism.
Progressivism uses cooperative learning strategies that let’s the students experience the world and uses
experimentation. In Constructivism, the learners construct knowledge rather than passively take in
information. Knowledge is built through reflection of experiences and incorporate it to their pre-existing
knowledge. In Humanism, the learners are choosing their specific subject area of interest so that they can
find motivation and engagement on their learning. It focuses on the importance of the relationship of
feelings and knowledge to the learning process.

3. Discuss the significant dimensions of learner-centered teaching by citing the following a.) the function
of content; b.) the role of instructor; c.) the responsibility for learning; d.) the purposes and processes of
assessment; e.) the balance of power.
A. Function of the content. Building a knowledge foundation, as well as how the instructor and students
use the content, are examples of content. It is where the instructor levels the students where to engage.
The instructor encourages students to change and think about most of the content to derive their own
meaning from it.
B. The role of instructor. The instructor assists their students to learn. The instructor uses different
strategies and learning methods from which their students will learn.
C. The responsibility for learning. It is the responsibility of the students to maximize their learning
during their class while being guided by their instructor who provides increasing opportunities for
students to assume responsibility for their own learning, leading to achievement of stated learning
objectives.
D. The Purposes and Processes of Assessment. The instructor will be using formative assessment and
constructive feedback in facilitating the students’ activity.
E. The Balance of Power. The teacher, being the facilitator of the classroom, will construct an agreement
but will be flexible to have a better agreement with their students.
4. Discuss the significance of cognitive and metacognitive factors by citing the following: a.) Nature of
the learning process; b.) Goals of the learning process; c.) Constructing of knowledge; d.) Strategic
thinking; e.) Context of thinking.
There are different factors that can be considered to make the learning of the students be more
effective by using learner-centered teaching strategies in different subject areas. One of those factors is
Cognitive and Metacognitive factors that includes nature of the learning process which means that the
learning of a difficult or complex subject is most effective when learned through combination of
information and experience. Another factor is goals of learning process which states that with a proper
support and instructional guidance, a learner can create representation of different knowledge. In learner-
centered teaching, learners are actively learning through experiential learning. A learner can be a
successful learner if they can link new information with existing knowledge in meaningful ways which is
under the construction of knowledge. In strategic thinking, the learner can create and use a collection
of thinking and reasoning strategies to achieve complex learning goals, which means that if learners are
learning complex subjects in a learner-centered classroom a learner can use their strategic thinking to
effectively understand and achieve learning goals. And lastly, learning can be influenced by many factors
that naturally occurs inside the classroom. The factor that should be considered to achieve learning goals
which are environmental factors that includes culture, technology, and instructional practices. These
factors is called context of learning.