ENHANCING LEARNER OUTCOMES BY ADOPTING LEARNER CENTERED
PRINCIPLES IN TEACHING
Mrs.R.PORTIA.,
M.Sc(Chem).,M.Phil(Chem).,M.Ed.,NET(Edu).,M.Sc(Psy).,NET(Psy).,PGDPC.,M.Sc(C&P).,
Assistant Professor in Education,Alagappa University College of Education,
Alagappa University,Karaikudi.
INTRODUCTION
The educational institutions are struggling to enhance the academic achievement of
students. The revised or enriched curriculum also fails to help the teachers to achieve the set
goals of education. The reason for all of these negative happenings may be attributed to the
methods and strategies adopted by teachers for transacting the curriculum. In this aspect at the
global level several attempts have been made to smoothen the process of teaching with all
elements advantageous for the learner to imbibe and manifest higher level achievements of
learning.
The American Psychological Association (APA) appointed a special Task Force on
Psychology in Education to integrate research and theory from psychology and education in
order to surface general principles that have stood the test of time and can provide a framework
for school redesign and reform. The result was a document having 12 fundamental principles
about learners and learning (1APA, 1993). This document was revised in 1997 and now includes
14 principles that are essentially the same as the original 12 principles with the exception that
attention is now given to principles dealing with diversity and standards (2APA, 1997).
From an integrated and holistic look at the principles, the following definition emerges:
learner centered is the perspective that couples a focus on individual learners – their heredity,
experiences, perspectives, background, talents, interest, capacities, and needs – with a focus on
learning the best available knowledge and about learning how it occurs, and about teaching
practices that are most effective in promoting the highest level of motivation, learning, and
achievement for all learners (3Barbara L. McCombs, 2000a).
The 14 learner centered psychological principles are categorized under 4 factors:
Cognitive and Metacognitive factors, Affective and Motivational factors, Developmental and
Social factors, and Individual Difference factors.
COGNITIVE AND METACOGNITIVE FACTORS
Principle 1: Nature of the learning process:
The learning of complex subject matter is most effective when it is an intentional process of
constructing meaning from information and experience.
Principle 2: Goals of the learning process:
The successful learner, overtime and with support and instructional guidance, can create
meaningful, coherent representations of knowledge.
Principle 3: Construction of knowledge:
The successful learner can link new information with existing knowledge in meaningful ways.
Principle 4: Strategic thinking:
The successful learner can create and use a repertoire of thinking and reasoning strategies to
achieve complex learning goals.
Principle 5: Thinking about thinking:
Higher order strategies for selecting and monitoring mental operations facilitate creative and
critical thinking.
Principle 6: Context of learning:
Learning is influenced by environmental factors, including culture, technology, and instructional
practices.
AFFECTIVE AND MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS
Principle 7: Motivational and Emotional influences on learning:
What and how much learnt, is influenced by the learners’ motivation. Motivation to learn, in turn
is influenced by the individuals’ emotional states, beliefs, interest, goals and habits of thinking.
Principle 8: Intrinsic motivation to learn:
The learners’ creativity, higher order thinking, and natural curiosity all contribute to motivation
to learn.
Intrinsic motivation is stimulated by tasks of optimal novelty and difficulty, relevant to personal
interest, and providing for personal choice and control.
Principle 9: Effects of motivation on efforts:
Acquisition of complex knowledge and skills requires extended learner effort and guided
practice. Without learners’ motivation to learn, the willingness to exert this effort is unlikely
without coercion.
DEVELOPMENTAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS
Principle 10: Developmental influence on learning:
As individuals develop, they encounter different opportunities, different constraints of learning.
Learning is most effective when there is differential development within and across physical,
intellectual, emotional and social domains.
Principle 11: Social influences on learning:
Learning is influenced by social interactions, interpersonal relations and communication with
others.
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES FACTORS
Principle 12: Individual differences in learning:
Learners have different strategies, approaches, and capabilities for learning that are a function of
prior experience and heredity.
Principle 13: Learning and diversity:
Learning is most effective when differences in learners’ linguistic, cultural and social
backgrounds are taken into account.
Principle 14: Standards and assessments:
Setting appropriately high and challenging standards and assessing the learner and learning
progress – including diagnostic, process and outcome assessment – are integral parts of the
learning process (4Barbara L. McCombs, 2000b).
PROVISIONS FOR LEARNED CENTRERED PRINCIPLES AND EXPECTED
LEARNER OUITCOMES
On the basis of these learner centred principles the author has worked out required
provisions for suitable teaching-learning process to realize the higher goals of learning. When
these provisions are met she has anticipated a set of learning outcomes. In the table given below
she has furnished the provision to be established for all the four factors in class for implementing
an effective teaching – learning process and their corresponding learning outcomes.
Provisions for Teaching – Learning Process
1
Expected Learning Outcomes
Classes will be divided into small Ability to get prepared for an
groups to work independently as well intellectual work..
as cooperatively.
Cognitive and Metacognitive Factors
2
Individual members will make use of Ability
to
internalize
complex
all ICT facilities along with the human subject matters.
resources.
3
Classes will have friendly groups for Ability to guess and verify the
intimate interaction and classification. correctness of facts / information.
.
4
Individual members can speak freely Ability
and
read
and
write
to
make
use
of
the
without knowledge in new situations.
interferences.
5
Classes will provide opportunity to Ability to construct knowledge by
express to others what is learnt and individual efforts.
what is felt.
6
Each learner will act as directed / Ability to identify the true meaning
instructed.
of what is happening before his/her
eyes.
7
Learner will use teacher designed Ability to reason out his/her point
learning material as well as those from of view.
other sources with questions in mind.
8
Acts of sharing and guiding / leading Ability to adopt the process of
will prevail.
thinking according to the need of
the situations.
9
Intimate observation and imitation of Ability to plan strategies to achieve
thinking and acting initiated.
10
higher level learning goals.
Each one will work continuously with Ability to be creative by adopting
an
element
of
challenge
and higher level mental operation.
individuality.
11
Provisions will be made for collection Ability to be critical for thinking
and verification of genuineness of differently.
information process
12
Individuality in task performances Ability to think about the process of
reflect their thought process to others..
thinking adopted for achieving the
set goal.
1
Each one limits his / her work.
Ability to control and monitor the
Motivational and Affective Factors
work being done.
2
Each one will have the opportunity to Ability
to
exploit
his
/
her
control the extent of receiving or potentiality as well as of others.
extending help to others.
3
Learners
will
find
materials
interesting
the
as
learning Ability
to
derive
interest
in
they are learning.
prepared by the teacher.
4
Learners will be initiated into new Ability to develop interest in new
areas of learning by themselves.
5
areas of learning.
Each one will search for new links to Ability to think innovatively for
give his / her best answer.
being creative.
6
Each one learns to think differently as Ability to be creative by imitating
it is manifested in the groups.
7
the creative acts of team members.
Each one will find new interpretations Ability to give altogether new
as in the case of the more competent meaning for words and expressions.
ones.
8
Each one will be enabled to reason out Ability
to
guess
the
thinking
how one’s interpretation is novel and process of the person who gave a
unique.
9
The output of teammates attracts Ability to fix still higher level
others to make similar attempts.
10
performing difficult task.
The performance of one group ignites Ability to accomplish higher level
the desire of other groups to outshine.
1
work being performed.
Everyone will work to bring in novelty Ability to bring in creativity while
and accomplish more difficult task.
12
goals.
Each one will work to his / her Ability to sustain interest in the
capacity.
11
unique interpretation.
achievements.
Individual to individual, individual to Ability to get along with his / her
group and group to group interactions equals, individually as well as in
Developmental and Social Factors
will be possible.
2
Interactions with teachers and experts Ability to move gracefully with
will occur regularly.
3
superiors.
Each one will have provision to help Ability to build up a society with
the not so competent team members.
4
groups.
members of different productivity.
Each one will encourage and get Ability to build up an ideal group
encouraged and motivated with the behaviour
help of others.
5
among
the
group
members.
Communication within the group and Ability to converse and stress points
with other group will be made of views.
effective by providing activities.
6
Individual and team wise discussion of Ability to discuss problems with
the answers will be made possible.
7
Individual
and
group
others.
based Ability to explain and address the
explanations will be made possible.
1
audience.
Learning will be made possible by Ability to interpret the spoken
intent listening to the views of others.
2
Learning
will
be
possible
language.
by Ability to evaluate the views of
juxtaposing the views of others with others.
Individual Differences Factors
his / her own views.
3
Individuals will learn by deliberate Ability
deviations from others thinking.
4
to
exhibit
his
/
her
originality at any time.
Individual learning will be possible by Ability
to
cope
with
higher
imitating the thought processes of achievers.
others.
5
Learners will achieve oral skills for Ability to communicate effectively
successful presentation of their ideas.
6
with others.
Learners will develop necessary skills Ability to present ideas accurately
for
preparing
write
ups
with and impressively in writing.
appropriate words and expressions.
7
Learners will manipulate all social Ability to demonstrate adjustability
skills for leading a good social life.
in all situations for better social
cohesion.
CONCLUSION
Therefore, it may be the wish and will of those in teaching profession to adopt methods
incorporating learner centered principles for disseminating knowledge and developing subject
oriented higher order learning, higher level thinking with essential cognitive, social and
emotional abilities.
REFERENCES
1. APA Task Force on psychology in education (1993). Learner centered psychological
principles: Guidelines for school redesign and reform, Washington, D. C: American
Psychological Association and Midcontinent Regional Educational Laboratory.
2. APA Work Group of the Board of Educational affairs (1997). Learner centered
psychological principles: A framework for school reform and redesign, Washington,
D.C: American Psychological Association.
3. Barbara L. McCombs (2000a). Assessing the role of educational technology in the
teaching and learning process: A leaner centered perspectives, University of Denver
Research
Institute,
Secretary’s
Conference
on
Educational
Technology
<http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/techconfoo/mccombs paper.html>
4. Barbara L. McCombs (2000b). Assessing the role of educational technology in the
teaching and learning process; A learner centered perspectives, Sectatories’ Conference
on
Educational
Technology,
/techconf00/mccombs_paper.html>
<http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech