Insights Learned from the article "Facilitating Learning: Issues on Learner-centered Teaching" by D. Pan

Facilitating Learning: Issues on Learner-Centered Teaching

by D. Pan (2008)*

This article substantiates my personal beliefs about learner-centered teaching. To my mind, I only have a limited idea about a learner-centric instruction; that is being able to consider the nature, background, interests and talents of the learners. 

After reading the article, I realized it even goes towards challenging the learners, and expanding and deepening their understanding of concepts which are necessary in applying them to real-life global context. Thus, learner-centered teaching includes enhancing study skills, improving instructional design, stimulating critical and independent thinking, promoting active learning and encouraging reflective learning.

With all these attributes, I realized I need to enhance my teaching practice so that it can fully be called “learner-centered”, particularly on stimulating critical and independent learning and promoting active learning. There might be challenges along the way of applying these principles. It can be time consuming. Parents and stakeholders might not cooperate. Learners might lose interest about it. But challenges are just normal. They must not make us hopeless and defeated in equipping learners with the learning they need in the 21^st century.

*cited in SEAMEO GURO21 Required Readings Module