WHAT IS OUR GLOBAL AGENDA ? A Look at Learner-Centered Teaching and Learning

1. WHAT IS OUR GLOBAL AGENDA?A Look at Learner-Centered Teaching and Learning Barbara L. McCombs, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist University of Denver Research Institute Email: bmmcombs@du.edu

2. Purpose of Presentation • To describe my own journey in identifying global issues in learning and teaching • To describe what I’ve learned about practices that improve motivation and achievement in several international studies • To identify some of what I think are the most important global educational issues in any learning context (on- or off-line) • To challenge participants to become involved in participating in a transformational redesign of educational systems

3. How the Journey Began • My family beginnings • Trying to understand natural love of learning • Researching different models of motivation • Finding research validated principles • Exploring how these principles translate into practice in the US and other countries • Seeing what’s needed in new educational paradigms, including those using online learning technologies

4. Understanding Motivation • Learning as a natural process • Curiosity as a natural process • Motivation to learn as a natural process • What happens in schools? • Students can’t follow their natural interests – to inspire students they need to see relevance and meaning • Students can’t make choices and be autonomous – to engage students they need to have a say in what they learn and how they learn it

5. What Does the Research Say? • What is the evidence? • Where does it come from? • Is there any global confirmation? • How does the evidence translate into practice?

6. THE LEARNER-CENTERED PRINCIPLES AS A FRAMEWORK FOR ENHANCED LEARNING AND MOTIVATION • Based on published research on learning, individual differences, and needs of learners • Include strategies responsive to and respectful of diverse needs of students as learners • Imply that programs and practices must include strategies consistent with the research-validated learner-centered psychological principles • Strategies focus on creating positive relationships, providing choice and control, and implementing approaches to building caring learning communities • Represent a paradigm shift or transformed and balanced view of cognitive, social, and emotional issues that focuses on learning and learners

7. WHY IS THIS FOUNDATION IMPORTANT? • A compelling rationale is needed to balance a focus on learners and learning. • There is an increased global recognition that educational systems must prepare students for life, productive careers, and to be learners for life. • There is growing research support that academic standards and content expertise are not sufficient to assist students in developing into knowledgeable, responsible, caring, and academically competent lifelong learners. • One of the primary benefits of basing practices on research-validated Principles that span over a century of research is that they are theoretically, empirically, and experientially grounded based on feedback from teachers and other educators.

8. BACKGROUND ON DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNER-CENTERED PRINCIPLES (LCPs) • The original document was developed in 1991-92 and disseminated in 1993 in response to changes in national educational policy that ignored knowledge base on learning and learners. • The LCPs emerged from an intensive review of a century of research on learning, motivation, development, and individual differences in learning. • This document was revised in late 1997 as new knowledge became available and new concerns with national educational policy surfaced. • As current research has continued to define evidence-based practices, a new APA Task Force is creating a set of tools for communicating evidence based practices that are developmentally appropriate for pre-K-12 students.

9. APA LEARNER-CENTERED PSCYHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES • 14 principles divided into 4 domains or factors influencing learning and achievement • Imply a holistic look at learners, their needs, and the contexts/practices that best meet these needs across the age span • See separate handout of Table 1 for a listing of all 14 principles • Can also download full version at: http://www.apa.org/ed/cpse/LCPP.pdf

10. METACOGNITIVE AND COGNITIVE FACTORS • Learning is a natural process • Learning is personal constructions of meaning • Learning is relating personal meanings to shared knowledge • Learning is facilitated by higher-order thinking processes • Learning is facilitated by environmental factors, including culture, technology, and instructional practices

11. MOTIVATIONAL AND AFFECTIVE FACTORS • Motivation is a function of internal beliefs, values, interests, expectations, emotions, states of mind • Motivation to learn is a natural process when beliefs and emotions are positive and when external context is supportive • Motivation-enhancing tasks facilitate higher-order thinking and learning processes as a function of perceived relevance and meaningfulness as well as optimal difficulty and novelty

12. DEVELOPMENTAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS • Learning is influenced by unique genetic and environmental factors • Learning is facilitated by developmentally appropriate experiences and materials • Developmental differences encompass physical, intellectual, emotional, and social areas • Learning is influenced by social interactions, interpersonal relations, and communication with others

13. INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES FACTORS • The same basic principles of learning apply to all individuals • Learners differ in learned and genetic “preferences” for how they learn • Individual’s unique perceptions, learned beliefs, and prior learning experiences provide a “filter” for learning new information and interpreting “reality” • Setting appropriately high and challenging standards and assessing the learner and learning progress are integral parts of the learning process

14. WHAT DOES THE LEARNER-CENTERED FRAMEWORK ADDRESS? • The Learner - perceptions, needs, motivation • Learning Opportunities - types of teaching and learning experiences that can meet learner needs for success, belonging, autonomy • Learning Outcomes - including affective, cognitive, social, and performance domains • Learning Context - climate for learning, including expectations, teacher and technology support, time structures, adaptability to student needs, and a focus on fostering positive learning communities

15. Learner-Centered Model: A Holistic Perspective Learner Learning Knowledge Learner Learning Integration of Factors Impacting Learners and Learning Learning • Cognitive and Metacognitive • Motivational and Affective • Developmental and Social • Individual Differences

16. Translating the Learner-Centered Principles into Practice • Selecting a theoretical framework that captures the LCPs • Person-centered • Phenomenological • Identifying evidence-based practices consistent with the LCPs • Measuring the efficacy of person and practice variables in predicting important learner outcomes

17. Evidence Based Characteristics of Learner-Centered Teachers • acknowledge and attend to each student’s uniqueness • understand learning and motivation to learn • create a positive climate that feels safe and secure • assume that all students want to learn and succeed • are knowledgeable of subject matter • provide choice and personal responsibility for learning • have confidence in their ability to teach and reach different students • provide high quality explanations while encouraging students to think critically and independently • provide opportunities for active learning and student engagement in learning • see themselves as co-learners and partners with students in sharing responsibility for learning

18. Evidence Based Characteristics of Learner-Centered Practices • The emphasis is on methods that address the whole learner and his or her academic and non-academic needs and students are partners in co-creating learning experiences, climate, and community. • Practices at the classroom and school levels begin with strategies for getting to know each learner and forming a safe, inclusive learning community before academic learning begins. • Teachers see themselves as learners and co-learners with students and each other, and as facilitators rather than directors of student learning. • Success is measured by academic and non academic outcomes and by sustaining attitudes of ongoing learning, change, and improvement.

19. Learner-Centered Professional Development Tools • Help teachers engage in their own self-assessment process • Encourage teachers to reflect and think critically about their beliefs and practices • Allow teachers to examine educational theories and practices in light of their beliefs and experiences

20. THE ASSESSMENT OF LEARNER-CENTERED PRACTICES (ALCP): Tools for Creating Learner-Centered Classrooms • TEACHER SURVEYS - for increasing awareness of impact on students • Teacher Beliefs and Assumptions about learners, learning, and teaching • Teacher Characteristics related to effective teaching • Teacher Assessment of Classroom Practices in areas most related to student motivation and achievement • STUDENT SURVEYS - for identifying students not being reached • Student Assessment of Classroom Practices in same areas as instructor assessments • Student Motivation, Interests, Learning Strategies

21. Characteristics of Learner-Centered Tools • What they are • Non-threatening • Tools for learning and change • Opportunities to share expertise • What they are not • Evaluations of competence • One-size-fits-all strategies • “Cookbook” teaching procedures

22. RESEARCH-VALIDATED DEFINITION OF “LEARNER-CENTERED” • Reflection of the learner-centered Principles in the programs, practices, policies, and people that support learning for all learners • Balances the concern with learning achievement and the concern with diverse learner needs • Is a complex interaction of qualities of the teacher in combination with characteristics of instructional practices – as perceived by individual learners • Meaningfully predicts learner motivation and levels of learning and achievement at different developmental levels (grades K-3, 4-8, 9-12)

23. CHOICE RESPONSIBILITY RELEVANCE CHALLENGE CONTROL CONNECTION COMPETENCE RESPECT COOPERATION RELATIONSHIPS LEARNER-CENTERED CONCEPTS

24. DOMAINS OF LEARNER-CENTERED CLASSROOM PRACTICES FOR GRADES K-3 Facilitates Thinking and Learning Skills Provides Motivational Support Creates Positive Relationships

25. DOMAINS OF LEARNER-CENTERED CLASSROOM PRACTICES FOR GRADES 4-8 AND 9-12 Adapts to Individuals Encourages Higher-Order Thinking Honors Student Voice Creates Positive Relationships

26. DOMAINS OF LEARNER-CENTEREDCLASSROOM PRACTICES:COLLEGE LEVEL Provides for Social Needs Encourages Personal Challenge/Responsibility Facilitates the Learning Process Adapts to Class Learning Needs Creates Positive Relationships

27. STUDENT MOTIVATIONAL OUTCOMES FOUND WITH LEARNER CENTERED PRACTICES • take responsibility for their own learning • engage in learning for understanding vs. grades • achieve high academic and personal standards • engage in independent learning activities • seek out further information about topics of interest • persist in the face of learning challenges • continue to refine their skills in chosen areas • go beyond minimal assignments

28. STUDENT ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIORAL OUTCOMES FOUND WITH LEARNER-CENTERED PRACTICES • High levels of classroom achievement on indicator such as grades and test scores • High levels of classroom and school attendance and engagement • High levels of social and emotional skills • High levels of lifelong learning skills • Low levels of disruptive classroom behaviors

29. What Defines Learner-Centered Classrooms and Schools? • “Learner-Centered” is in “the eye of the beholder” • Won’t look the same from day to day, class to class, school to school • Depends on needs of individual learners, the culture of the school, and characteristics of the community

30. A Universal Systemic Framework • An ecological framework for learning – one that defines the complex factors affecting learning from inside and outside the learner • A living systems framework – one that defines the domains of system functioning

31. Conceptual Framework: Domains of Living Systems TECHNICAL ORGANIZATIONAL PERSONAL

32. Findings from International Studies • England – Looked at relationships between learner-centeredness as assessed by the ALCP surveys for upper elementary and secondary students and students’ lifelong learning skills. Found that students in more learner-centered classrooms had higher lifelong learning skills on 6 of the 8 dimensions measured. • Ireland – Looked at elementary students development of self-regulated learning and motivation skills as a function of how learner-centered the teachers practices were using the ALCP surveys and measures of self-regulated learning. Found significant relationships between learner-centeredness and students self-regulated learning and motivation. • Philippines – Looked at the practices of college instructors with the ALCP surveys. Found that the more learner-centered instructors had students with the highest motivation, attendance, and learning outcomes. • Spain – Looked at practices of high school teachers in learner-centered vs. non-learner centered classrooms as assessed by the ALCP surveys. Found that student s in more learner-centered classrooms had higher self-regulated learning skills.

33. What I’ve Learned • Research-validated principles apply to a number of cultures and both on-line and off-line learning environments • It is productive to look at what unites versus separates us as a global culture • Learner-centered practices enhance a range of desired student outcomes • Schools that align themselves with learner-centered principles create new communities and cultures of learners

34. What Does this Imply for a Global Agenda? • We need to identify those common issues for teachers and students that contribute to optimum levels of learning and engagement • We need to identify areas of collaboration that can cross-validate common issues and solutions • We need to study how common issues play out differently in different cultures and groups • We need to understand the role of different values, purposes of education, and philosophies • We need to identify online and offline learning designs that prepare students to be innovators (creative lifelong learners and collaborators) • We need to work on new policy implications that have global perspectives

35. Conclusions • We have many exciting challenges and opportunities to build research validated principles into the design of new educational systems • We have much to gain by collaboration • We can set the course for a transformed global educational system • We can inspire students at all levels to become involved