What is A Student-Centered Elearning Solution? Why Opt For It?

September 08, 2021

Student-centered eLearning courseware has gained popularity in the recent years, refocusing attention away from the instructor and onto the learners. It enables self-directed, active learning. 

What is a "Learner-Centered Design" approach?

The learner-centered eLearning solution places a high importance on the effectiveness of student learning. It is based on the idea that each learner has unique learning traits, which should be used to improve both teaching and learning.
After all, each learner is unique in his or her circumstance, personality, and set of experiences. These individual characteristics have a major impact on how learners remember information, communicate with one another, solve problems, and apply knowledge.

A look at various issues related to teacher-centered eLearning courses:-

In teacher-centered education, which is most likely how the bulk of today's teachers were trained, the instructor is the most engaged member of the class. Students often receive knowledge passively and seldom have the opportunity to take control of their own learning. This has a detrimental effect on both the ambition and personal development of pupils.

A quick overview of student-centric eLearning solution:

Student-centered learning (SCL), sometimes known as learner-centered education, is a contemporary approach to education. It attempts to place the students first, rather than the instructors. Student-centered teaching fosters a "can do" attitude in pupils and promotes independent and active learning.

The Four Principles of a Learner-Centered Approach:

According to Jonassen et al. (1995), successful eLearning courseware has four unique characteristics:

  •   Context: Learning activities should have genuine applicability that enables learners to make a personal connection to the material being studied.
  •  Connecting experience with learning: Learners should be able to connect their own experiences and previous knowledge to new information.
  •  Collaborative effort: A problem-solving scenario enables students to create, test. It helps evaluate their ideas while also exposing them to the perspectives of others. After cooperation is complete, each student will reach an independent decision.
  •  Interaction: Effective eLearning courses need communication with and among learners. Learners would spend time conversing with one another as they prepare and make sense of new knowledge.

Why should we place high importance on student-centered interaction?

To ensure a successful online student-centered approach, we must offer chances for students to engage in active learning.
To enhance student engagement, the material must appeal to students on both an intellectual and emotional level.
We may use a framework to classify learning objectives, from the simplest to the most complex. The framework would include the following: recall, comprehend, implement, evaluate, assess, and create.

How can you ensure that your courses are more learner-centered and learner-driven?
1) Obstacle

Without a doubt, difficulties challenge the brain. They require the learner to consider prior knowledge, analyze new information, reflect, and finally make a choice. Learners who are confronted with appropriately difficult choices must use their information, not simply remember it.

2) Customization
Students have a variety of different learning styles and come from a variety of different backgrounds. It makes more sense to adjust your content to their requirements than to expect them to adapt to your course. Such flexibility must be included into the design. Package your information in a variety of forms to aid in learning - movies, infographics, charts, quizzes, and activities, for example. 

4) Command

All of the components stated before will be ineffective unless you instill a feeling of control and responsibility in pupils. You must empower students. Learners who are able to choose their own pace.

September 08, 2021