Student-Centered Learning in the 21st Century

What is student centered learning? (Student Centered Learning: Why, How, & What, 2018)

Student based learning is an instructional approach with a focus on student and not the teacher. The mission is to create independent and responsible learners for the future. By using student based learning teachers encourage students to share in decisions, believing in their capacity to lead, and remembering how it feels to learn. (McCarthy, 2015)

Student-centered classrooms include students in planning, implementation, and assessments. Involving the learners in these decisions will place more work on them, which can be a good thing. Teachers must become comfortable with changing their leadership style from directive to consultative -- from "Do as I say" to "Based on your needs, let's co-develop and implement a plan of action." (McCarthy, 2015)

Benefits of student based learning (Student Centered Learning: Why, How, & What, 2018)

1. Research has shown that students learn how to express themselves and articulate their individual ideas, thus working on their communication skills.
2. Students are more engaged in their work and tend to stay on task, students are constantly working. Students utilize higher order thinking to the inquiry based learning and problem solving activities. Students also get to work at their own pace, as students drive the lesson and not the teacher.
3. Students learn skills that are transferable and will help them adapt to a life in the 21st Century workplace.