Student-centered learning: principles, benefits, challenges, levels of implementation Pusa Nastase, CEU, Budapest Matyas Szabo, CEU, Budapest PASCL Training of Peer Assessment Teams in Student Centered Learning, Budapest, February 2015 pascl.eu

Definition of SCL » represents both a mindset and a culture within a given higher education institution and is a learning approach which is broadly related to, and supported by, constructivist theories of learning. It is characterised by innovative methods of teaching which aim to promote learning in communication with teachers and other learners and which take students seriously as active participants in their own learning, fostering transferable skills such as problem solving, critical thinking and reflective thinking.« pascl.eu

Approaches/principles active rather than passive learning deep rather than surface (or strategic) learning learner: increased responsibility, accountability, autonomy interdependence and mutual respect within teacher-learner relationship reflexivity in both learning and teaching pascl.eu

What does SCL mean to you? Please indicate a few instances of SCL at any level... pascl.eu

Challenges Academic reward structure Academic rules for hiring and promotion The infrastructure The diluted mission of the university The institutional culture National context Financial considerations

Benefits Quality enhancement Higher student retention rates Recruitment: attractiveness for students Creates other opportunities (adult education)

Opportunities Increased credibility in relation with employers Potential positive differentiation against other universities SCR of universities

SCL in course design 1. Course is designed for specific students based on their … interests, motivation, needs previous knowledge in the subject values, stereotypes, prejudices career plans level of intellectual development learning styles access to resources pascl.eu

SCL in course design 2. Students’ involvement in course design discuss their wishes, choices, interests share with them course plans (draft syllabus) leave room to cover topics of common interest help student connect course to curriculum develop students' interest in course topics explain course alignment ask for their feedback, course evaluation pascl.eu

SCL in course design 3. Student-centered content links theory with practice, illustrates connection research-informed, up-to-date relevant to future studies/careers develop students' interest in course topics allows and encourages students to develop further in the topics of their own individual interest pascl.eu

SCL in course design 4.A Student-centered teaching approach pascl.eu

SCL in course design 4.B Student-centered teaching approach allows students to construct knowledge interactive encourages cooperation develops skills required by the discipline as well as transferable skills adapts to individual learning styles pascl.eu

SCL in course design 5. Student-centered assessment measures learning and individual progress formative rather than summative assessment “as” and “for” learning, not only “of” learning provides ongoing, regular feedback to students develops "real" skills motivating, challenging pascl.eu

From policy to processes to implementation Change comes through a combination of bottom up pressure and top down support The principle of SCL needs to be internalized at all levels Incremental changes and constant self- evaluation from the part of the institution

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