William R. DavieWilliam R. DavieUniversity of Louisiana, LafayetteUniversity of Louisiana, Lafayette

The Paradigm Shift from Teaching DirectedThe Paradigm Shift from Teaching Directedto Learning-Centered Educationto Learning-Centered Education

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The Paradigm Shift from Teaching Directed to Learning-Centered Education

by William R. Davie, Ph.D.

Key Pedagogical Issues:• Applied Skills Student Learning• Cognate Quantitative Student Learning? • Cognate Qualitative Student Learning?• Problems and Possibilities?• Future Directions

Traditional Teaching Centered Model Used for the Learning Process

Teacher translates ideas into symbols (words, drawings, gestures, etc.) Sends the message through a channel (classroom lecture) Student receiver translates the message into a mental image and notes Noise (internal/external distraction) often distorts message and memory Feedback student verbal, visual, and tactile responses New Paradigm shifts to network loops – student directed

The Paradigm Shift from Teaching Directed to Learning-Centered Education

1. Online media has opened a flood of information channels.

2. Future of communication in general and education in specific is now being shaped by digital natives.

3. Teaching is no longer just one-way, two-way, or even three-way process, but has multiple paths of learning.

4. Online teaching including hybrid classes and MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses) are clear indicators.

Learner-centered teaching places emphasis on the following elements

The digital approach has made students more sophisticated learners -- they know when they do and do not understand.

Students serve as teachers and learners as audiences for each other.

Shared governance and teamwork in class. Content becomes vehicle to create learning skil ls . Interaction of content, students and instructors is fluid

and dynamic.

Learner-centered teaching places new emphasis on the Student Experience

Things that students learn Ways that students learn Condit ions under which students learn Retention and application of what students learn Continuity of present learning to future learning

Five areas of change in Learning-Centered Model

Migration from Teacher-centric to Learning-centered model of education also means

New balance of power New functions of content New role of teacher New responsibil i t ies in learning New means of evaluation

Learner-Centered Education Examples

Evolution of Learning-Centered elements Teams: Successful teaching models require working in

teams. Innovations: Higher education programs use new media. Collaborations with community: Academic lessons

must show relevance to “real-world” experiences. “Teaching Hospital” approach: Louisiana Focus

program. Broadcast newswriting for National Public Radio

station

Learning-Centered Model for Applied Skills Classes

Learning-Centered elements Students create news stories and compete for prizes. Students use online media, KRVS.org, and traditional

broadcast. Students interview community leaders, law

enforcement officers, teachers, professors, and the like.

Louisiana Focus program calls attention to problems raising awareness in the community.

Applied Skills Example:Louisiana Focus Show

Process: Students are involved in their teaching/learning process directly and not indirectly.

Feedback: Students listen to the stories and give their critiques after the professor has suggested improvements.

Evaluations: Students vote for the best story of the week. Grading: Professor gives official grade, but awards prize

based on winning story selected by class vote. Reward: Awards – National and regional contests

Learning-Centered Model for Quantitative Cognate Education: The Louisiana Farm Bureau Online and On-the-Air Project

Students create research analysis each year to accomplish three goals:

• Uncover basic research method techniques

• Uncover media client problems, goals and objectives

• Offer viable solutions for implementation

1. What portions of the program were most appealing?

2. What personalities on the program were most engaging?

3. What difference was there in the response of viewers to the show based on their media of choice – social media, online or traditional broadcast channel?

The Louisiana Farm Bureau Online and On-the-Air Quantitative Problem:

New and Old Media content:  Social media (Facebook and Twitter) and This Week in Louisiana Agriculture (TWILA-TV)

Two community focus groups led by students focused on audience responses to television show and online media.

Focus group participants responded to presentations of broadcast television show, Facebook pages, and Twitter posts (tweets). 

Service LearningProject Challenge

Online instrument constructed by studentscovering questions of interest to the Louisiana Farm Bureau.

Strategic sample polled including the Farm Bureau leadership plus viewers of its social media; online advertising invited responses with an incentive to enhance response. 

Survey site active for ten days yielded survey responses to address client’s research questions.

Survey Methodology

Survey Results of TV Personalities

Popularity of Personality by Program Segment

Learning-Centered Model -- Content Connects to Context of Experience

Goal is not to cover a specif ic amount of content but to uncover the content as much as possible.

Content should be used to enhance learning skil ls.

Content should be used to promote self-awareness of learning (statistics and surveys).

Content was used to promote learning .

Learning-Centered Approach for Qualitative Cognate Education

Example of Law & Ethics class With Five Learning Objectives

Legal History Logic and Reasoning Systems of Jurisprudence Landmark Cases Rules and Statutes

Learning-Centered Review

There is a shift of the balance of power in the classroom. The functions of the course content are evolving rapidly. The role of the teacher has been re-invented. Both responsibil i ty and content of learning is more

student oriented. Evaluation process has been altered in this new paradigm.

Educational ImpactLearning-Centered Review

Students design the curriculum Students select content Lead class discussions Evaluate personal performances

Native American Proverb for Learning-Centered Future

“Tell me and I wil l forget. Show me and I may not remember. Involve me and I wil l understand. ”