Michelle Colquitt

October 26, 2015

Student-Centered Learning
Student-Centered Learning allows the student to take control of their learning
goals. Instead of a teacher standing in front of the classroom at a podium and lecturing
in a boring manner, students are given ownership and a voice during the education
process For example, in the Ted Talk The Power of Student Driven Learning, Shelly
Wright, a teacher in rural Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan related how that her students took
ownership of their education and decided to raise money for students in Uganda. She
related how excited that her students were during this process, setting the lofty goal of
raising $10,000 and then increasing it to $20,000. She related that each student
appeared to have a distinct role during this process to include the student least likely to
put himself out there ending up speaking with local business owners to pitch becoming
Change for Change sites. I relate this to impart that during the Student-Centered
Learning process, students can become very excited about their learning, continuing to
be active engaged participants who take ownership of their learning rather than passive
learners who only listen to a lecture.
Teachers who promote Student-Centered Learning are actually attempting to
increase collaboration within their classroom. Wright indicated that she reconfigured her
classroom where there was an open space in the middle so that she and her students
could sit on the floor to have discussions. In the article 5 Ways to Make Your Classroom
Student-Centered Marcia Powell relates that teachers need to be able to give up
absolute control and become(s) a participant and co-learner in discussion, asking
questions and perhaps correcting misconceptions, but not telling learners what they
need to know (2013 para 4). Student-Centered Learning seems to be an area that
emphasizes making mistakes, learning from everyone, and also embraces the
uncertainties in life. Theoretically, it could be very difficult to embrace Student-Centered
Learning in classes with more concrete concepts, such as United States History,
Geometry, or even American Government. However, there can be magic and learning in
uncertain times.

In the article How to Spark Curiosity in Children Through Embracing Uncertainty,

Linda Flanagan states if students can be made to feel comfortable with uncertaintyif
theyre learning in an environment where ambiguity is welcome and they are
encouraged to question factsthey are more apt to be curious and innovative in their
thinking. Approaching knowledge this way is difficult for students and teachers,
however, because ambiguity spurs unpleasant feelings. Indeed, studies show that the
typical response to uncertainty is a rush for resolution, often prematurely, and
heightened emotions (2015, para. 7-8).
Learning about the concept of Student-Centered Learning was eye opening for
me as a non-educator. My educational experiences (with the exception of classes very
few and far between in High School and College) was mainly driven by the theory of the
teacher as the conductor of the class. I believe that Student-Centered Learning can
work, but the teacher would need to facilitate learning and the classroom as a friendly
space where uncertainty can lead to future learning. I also believe that the teacher
would have to know and trust that their students were able to maturely accept the
Student-Centered Learning process. I most appreciate and remember those classes
where teachers encouraged inquiry and also were not necessarily certain of answers,
but helped me to work through problems.