PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMET PROGRAMME 14 April 2011

1. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMET PROGRAMME 14 April 2011

2. An Introduction to Student-Centered Learning Ahmed Ameez Morning Session In charge

3. Which Strategy??????

4. Student- Centered Instructional Strategies • Using the proper approach for the situation at hand is essential in teaching. • Teacher-centered instruction – Mini-lecture • Student-centered instruction – Group activities • Teachers must accept the idea that learning is an active process – not only acquisition of information • Use a variety of techniques to maximize the learning process

5. Student- Centered Instructional Strategies • A number of skills must be taught: - critical thinking - independent inquiry - problem solving - active group participation • Group activity is a part of life - workplace - round table discussions - religious and club activities • Group skills are learned, not natural.

6. Student- Centered Instructional Strategies • Learning activities must be appropriate for the information being taught • Writing – not learned by recognizing grammatical constructions of sentences • Playing soccer – not learned from a lecture • Keep the following things in mind when selecting instruction: • Mode of instruction determines what is learned • Students must be actively involved in learning • Have high expectations for all students • Students need constant feedback about learning • Students need independent study and cooperative learning • Regardless of your content area, you are also a teacher of reading, writing, thinking and study skills • Learning must be meaningful – use direct experiences often

7. Teacher-Centered Learning vs. Student Centered Learning Teacher-centered: Strengths: • Lot of content can be covered in a short amount of time • Teacher is in control of what is covered • Student achievement is predictable Weaknesses: • Student motivation is extrinsic • Students have little control over pace of learning • Students make few decisions about their learning • No opportunity for creativity Student-Centered: Strenghts: • Students learn content, and in more depth • Students develop a sense of personal self worth • Source of motivation is most likely intrinsic Weaknesses: • Content coverage may be more limited • Strategies are time consuming • Teacher has less control over content and time • Specific results are less predictable

8. Selecting Learning Activities • When students are involved in direct experiences, they use more sensory channels • Results in more integrated and effective learning that is meaningful and long lasting • Learning by doing creates authentic learning Example: Teaching about tide pools Student-Centered/Direct Experience Examples: (Use many sensory channels) • Visiting and experiencing a tide pool (see, hear, touch, smell) • Building a classroom model of a tide pool • Watching a video or program on tide pools Teacher-Centered Examples: (Use only one sensory channel) • Teacher lectures about tide pools (see only) • Use of charts, diagrams, pictures, etc. of tide pools *The most effective and longest-lasting learning is that which engages the most senses and direct/hand-on activities

9. Involvement with Student-Centered Activities How many of the following activities have you experiences during learning? • How did you like the activities? • Do you feel they were more effective than lecture?

10. Paired Learning Inquiry Teaching (Good for teaching thinking skills) • Think-Pair-Share • Paired Team Learning • The Learning Center • Peer tutoring • Problem Solving • Inquiry & Discovery Project-Centered Learning Learning in Small Groups • Students select topic for project • Include writing as part of project • Can be in groups or individual • Complete activities • Summarize, question, predict • Cooperative learning groups – small groups from mixed backgrounds Methods of Interactive Student Participation

11. Writing Across the Curriculum – You too, are a teacher of writing! Writing should be encouraged in all areas of curriculum Types of Writing: • Analysis – Speculates cause and effect • Autobiographical Incident – narrates event in their life • Evaluation – judges worth of item, such as a film • Eyewitness account – describes event writer knows well • Problem solving – analyze problem and argue solution • Report of info – collects data and chooses material that best represents a concept • Story – uses dialogue to show conflict between character and environment

12. Educational games include a variety of learning activities: Purposes of Educational Games: • Mind games • Board games • Computer games • Sporting games • Add variety & change of pace to instruction • Assess student learning • Motivate students • Offer break from usual modes of learning • Provide learning through real life simulations • Review subject matter learning Learning by Educational Games *Experiences tend to involve many senses, therefore creating valuable learning experiences for the pupils

13. We Are Almost Done • Combine instructional strategies for an effective teaching and learning experience • Activities that engage many senses enhance the learning experience • Student-centered instruction may be hard to implement – it requires careful preparation • However - it is worth the time! • Don’t be that beginning teacher who only uses the traditional teacher-centered approaches.

14. MILLIONS OF THANKS