Lesson 13: Information Technology in Support of Support of Student-Centered Learning

Learning will become meaningful and effective if our priorities are centered on the students. Our students’ needs and interests are our main concern. As teachers and as second mothers to our students we are responsible for their development and learning. The kind of students we produce reflects on the kind of teaching be employ to them. The idea of student-centered learning is not a recent idea. In fact, as early as the 20^th century, educational educators such as John Dewey argued for highly active and individualized pedagogical methods which place the student at the center of the teaching-learning process.

As educators, we must therefore be concern and considerate with our students because we are the ones who can make our students a productive individuals of the society. We must implement student-centered approaches in the classroom. We must as well, get out from the shell of traditional teaching wherein teachers were the only source and the center of teaching-learning process.

The traditional classroom

In this type of classroom, teachers are the ones who talk and give information, students will just listen, take down notes, will be sitting during the whole period and wait for the bell to ring. These are the usual scenarios that we can observe in a traditional classroom or teacher-centered classroom. In traditional classrooms, chairs are arranged with neat columns and rows while the teacher stands in front or sit behind his/her desk. This is done to control classroom activities and to discipline student’s misbehaviors.

In this classroom, students rarely interact with their classmates. This is to discipline students. Students are also learns independently with the end of making them critical and creative thinkers. Traditional classroom is not that bad at all it just that it does not promote student’s active participation and social interaction.

The SCL classroom

            John Dewey has described traditional learning as a process in which the teacher pours information to student learners, much like pouring water from a jug into cups. This is based on the long accepted belief that the teacher must perform his role of teaching so that learning can occur. This learning approach is generally known as direct instruction, and it has worked well for obtaining many kinds of learning outcomes.

The world changes so do education, technology had already become part of education. With our generation today, learners are more likely to learn effectively with technology. And our economy needs globally competitive individuals, equipped with the skill and competence that would let them do business with the foreign countries. Desiring to gain effectiveness, efficiency and economy in administration and instruction, schools in these developed economies have also adopted the support of ICTs. Their students have now become active not passive learners, who can interact with other learners, demonstrating independence and self-awareness in the learning process.

In a student-centered classroom it is characterized by individual or group activities:

·         Performing computer word processing for texts or graph presentations

·         Preparing power-point presentation

·         Searching for information on the internet

·         Brainstorming on ideas, problems and project plans as needed, the teacher facilitating instruction, also gives individualized instruction to serve individual needs.

This is how SCL classroom works; students are actively engaged in the teaching-learning process.

With the presentation of the topic, the reporters have delivered it well. They have set a classroom environment that was not traditional but a SCL one; this was achieved when they have prepared creative activities like the charade and oral questioning where all have participated. They also have employed the use of power-point presentation which helped in the delivery of the topic. As a result, we have understood the report and it did develop our communication skill and brainstorming ability. In addition, they have also presented a very good study that further explained the topic.

This topic had strengthened the idea that student must be the center of the teaching-learning process. They are the top priority and that we are responsible for their learning. It is also important that we engaged our students to different activities that would develop not only their logical and creative thinking but as well as their social and communication skills. This must be realized to prepare and make them globally competitive and productive individuals in the society. And we must remember that technology can help us with this challenge. The computer can serve as our tool in achieving our goals and objectives successfully.

As teachers, it is very important that we let our students be actively engage (hands-on learning) in the teaching-learning process because with this kind of learning environment they are more motivated to learn. Another is that, teachers must employ activities that connect to real-life events so that learning will be meaningful to them. And as the world change, so do our students. Today, we are now on the 21^st teaching-learning wherein students are likely to learn with technology. We cannot run from this fact, so as flexible teachers we must go with the flow. Therefore, it is also important that we also utilize technology in our instruction so that learners will no longer become passive learners but active learners. Technology plus student-centered environment equals meaningful and fruitful learning.