Chapter 12: Getting Others to Embrace Learner-Centered Teaching
"SMART" Learning Objectives:
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
1) Analyze why students, colleagues, and administrators may resist a learner-centered teaching approach.
2) Justify the use of learner-centered teaching to reluctant students and colleagues.
1) Analyze why students, colleagues, and administrators may resist a learner-centered teaching approach.
2) Justify the use of learner-centered teaching to reluctant students and colleagues.
Chapter Summary:
Why might we encounter resistance when incorporating learner-centered teaching in our classes?
Change can be difficult to accept, and our traditional pedagogical approaches have been in place much longer than learner-centered teaching. Students, colleagues and administrators may all resist the idea of changing to a new pedagogical approach because they do not understand the evidence supporting this change. Students may dislike the additional responsibility and work that comes with learner-centered teaching and not understand how this will help them learn (Doyle, 2011).
Change can be difficult to accept, and our traditional pedagogical approaches have been in place much longer than learner-centered teaching. Students, colleagues and administrators may all resist the idea of changing to a new pedagogical approach because they do not understand the evidence supporting this change. Students may dislike the additional responsibility and work that comes with learner-centered teaching and not understand how this will help them learn (Doyle, 2011).
What are some strategies we can employ to decrease resistance to learner-centered teaching from administrators and colleagues?
Sharing the research findings both from this book, and from literature specific to our fields is important when convincing colleagues about the value of learner-centered teaching (Doyle, 2011). Developing a teaching portfolio explaining our teaching philosophy, supportive research findings, and a detailed learning plan can help administrators to assess our educational work and encourage their cooperation to this pedagogical approach (Doyle, 2011). Discussions with colleagues can give us an opportunity to understand their reasons for resistance, and to explain our reasons for adopting this teaching approach (Doyle, 2011). Finally providing additional training about this strategy to adminstrators may help them understand and better evaluate our teaching methods (Doyle, 2011).
Sharing the research findings both from this book, and from literature specific to our fields is important when convincing colleagues about the value of learner-centered teaching (Doyle, 2011). Developing a teaching portfolio explaining our teaching philosophy, supportive research findings, and a detailed learning plan can help administrators to assess our educational work and encourage their cooperation to this pedagogical approach (Doyle, 2011). Discussions with colleagues can give us an opportunity to understand their reasons for resistance, and to explain our reasons for adopting this teaching approach (Doyle, 2011). Finally providing additional training about this strategy to adminstrators may help them understand and better evaluate our teaching methods (Doyle, 2011).
How do we convince our students that learner-centered teaching will help them?
We should share the research findings with our students supporting learner-centered teaching for long-term knowledge retention and development of life-long learning skills (Doyle, 2011). Educators should explain to students that this learning strategy will help them develop communication, team-work, and critical thinking skills which are crucial to their success in their future careers. Students should know this approach will help them to develop into independent life-long learners so they can be successful in their lives (Doyle, 2011).
We should share the research findings with our students supporting learner-centered teaching for long-term knowledge retention and development of life-long learning skills (Doyle, 2011). Educators should explain to students that this learning strategy will help them develop communication, team-work, and critical thinking skills which are crucial to their success in their future careers. Students should know this approach will help them to develop into independent life-long learners so they can be successful in their lives (Doyle, 2011).
What are the key take-home points from this chapter?
When can decrease resistance to a new pedagogical approach from administrators, colleagues, or students by explaining why learner-centered teaching is beneficial for long-term learning and knowledge retention.
When can decrease resistance to a new pedagogical approach from administrators, colleagues, or students by explaining why learner-centered teaching is beneficial for long-term learning and knowledge retention.
References:
Doyle, T. (2011). Learner centered teaching: Putting the research on learning into practice. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
Connections to Medical Education:
Medical professionals tend to adapt slowly to most new technologies, medications, and pedagogical approaches. This is usually because gathering sufficient supportive evidence for any new approach requires time, and early incorporation may result in serious patient injury. However, in the case of learner-centered teaching, there is a lot of supportive research published in major academic journals. Although we are fortunate at the Boonshoft School of Medicine to have administrators and faculty who are extremely supportive of new pedagogical approaches, I still find it valuable to discuss the research findings justifying a new teaching approach with my colleagues. I have found that these discussions give me a better perspective and often generate new ideas I would not have thought of on my own.
Medical professionals tend to adapt slowly to most new technologies, medications, and pedagogical approaches. This is usually because gathering sufficient supportive evidence for any new approach requires time, and early incorporation may result in serious patient injury. However, in the case of learner-centered teaching, there is a lot of supportive research published in major academic journals. Although we are fortunate at the Boonshoft School of Medicine to have administrators and faculty who are extremely supportive of new pedagogical approaches, I still find it valuable to discuss the research findings justifying a new teaching approach with my colleagues. I have found that these discussions give me a better perspective and often generate new ideas I would not have thought of on my own.
Suggestions for Implementation:
Here are some ways I have attempted to encourage my students and colleagues to enjoy learner-centered teaching:
During our first combined pathophysiology and pharmacology for second year medical students, we encountered significant student resistance to the absence of in-class lectures and the requirement for independent learning. All classroom time was spent in active learning activities where students practiced the information they learned outside of class. Some of the students felt that the faculty were not really teaching them with this approach and they were worried that they were not learning enough to pass their board exams. We attempted to allay their fears by having a one-hour orientation at the beginning of the course sharing some of the research findings supporting the use of learner-centered teaching. We also discussed the importance of developing their team-work and communication skills for their future careers in medicine. By the end of the 7 week course, students felt more positive about this teaching strategy and some of them expressed how much they enjoyed learning during this course.
During our first combined pathophysiology and pharmacology for second year medical students, we encountered significant student resistance to the absence of in-class lectures and the requirement for independent learning. All classroom time was spent in active learning activities where students practiced the information they learned outside of class. Some of the students felt that the faculty were not really teaching them with this approach and they were worried that they were not learning enough to pass their board exams. We attempted to allay their fears by having a one-hour orientation at the beginning of the course sharing some of the research findings supporting the use of learner-centered teaching. We also discussed the importance of developing their team-work and communication skills for their future careers in medicine. By the end of the 7 week course, students felt more positive about this teaching strategy and some of them expressed how much they enjoyed learning during this course.