Learner-Centered
Effective teachers work to design courses and course materials that cultivate learner growth. They intentionally foster a welcoming and inclusive learning environment where all students have access to learning materials, activities, and experiences, and feel valued and supported in their learning1234. Learner-centered practices promote a growth mindset and resilience in students, as well as engage students’ emotions to increase motivation and sense of value in learning56.
| Recommended Elements of Effective Practice* |
|---|
| Cultivates a classroom environment in which students are actively engaged with the course content, the instructor, and each other. |
| Employs learning activities that are consistently purposeful, engaging, and varied. |
| Creates learning experiences that encourage intellectual development and appropriately challenge students. |
| Uses course materials that are responsive to students and situational factors. |
| Regularly uses formative assessment strategies such as low-stakes assignments/quizzes to gauge student understanding, modify future lessons, and make in-the-moment instructional adjustments. |
| Course experiences foster students’ ability to reflect on their learning and adjust their learning strategies. |
| Provides timely, clear, and actionable feedback. |
| Sets professional boundaries and clearly communicates reasonable availability outside of class time, such as regular office hours or instructions for making appointments. |
| Implements course policies and teaching practices that account for characteristics of the learners (e.g., students’ learning goals, prior knowledge and experiences, and responsibilities outside of class). Clearly communicates policies and provides appropriate accommodations. |
| Uses teaching practices that support a classroom climate that promotes a sense of belonging, values diverse contributions, respects individual differences, and encourages motivation, cooperation, and engagement. |
Potential evidence for self-reflection and formative assessment
- Syllabus
- Examples of inclusive teaching practices
- Examples of course materials
- Examples of summative assessments
- Feedback from peer teaching observation
- Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPoTs)
- Student letters
- Mid-term assessments or other student feedback
Potential evidence for summative or formal evaluation
- See formative assessment – these documents would ideally be annotated to indicate how they support an element to aid with formal evaluation
- FAR responses that describe how teaching practices are learner-centered
- Teaching statement that includes a description of learnercentered teaching practices
References
1Alton-Lee, A. Quality Teaching for Diverse Students in Schooling: Best Evidence Synthesis. (Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand, 2003).
2Cornelius-White, J. Learner-centered teacher-student relationships are effective: a meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research 77, 113–143 (2007).
3Ambruster, P., Patel, M., Johnson, E. & Weiss, M. Active learning and student-centered pedagogy improve student attitudes and performance in introductory biology. CBE—Life Sciences Education 8, 203–213 (2009).
4del Carmen Salazar, M., Norton, A. & Tuitt, F. Weaving promising practices for inclusive excellence into the higher education classroom. To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development (2010) doi:10.3998/tia.17063888.0028.016.
5Cavanagh, S. R. The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom with the Science of Emotion. (West Virginia University Press, Morganstown, West Virginia, 2016).
6Elmi, C. Integrating social emotional learning strategies in higher education. Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 10, 848–858 (2020).