Facilitating 21st Century Learning

Issues on Learner-Centered Teaching

by LEILANI C. AVILA

SST III

TALOMO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

TALOMO, DAVAO CITY

What is 21st Century Education?The world of teachers and students is expected to continue to change dramatically where a paradigm shift in the way teaching and learning is delivered.

Critical Attributes of the 21st Century Education

Source: 21st Century Schools (2011)• Integrated and Interdisciplinary• Technologies and Multimedia• Global Classrooms• Creating/Adapting to Constant Personal and

Social Change, and Lifelong Learning• Student-Centered• 21st Century Skills• Project-Based and Research Driven• Relevant, Rigorous and Real World

New Parameters for Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century

The changes and developments in the 21st Century Education fall into the following key categories

(Zhou, 2006):1. New environment of learning

-innovative and modern ways of teaching and learning using technology as teaching tool.

2. New content of learning

Traditional Learning Content

21st Century Learning Content

• teacher-centered • learner-centered

• emphasis on subject knowledge • focus on intellectual abilities

• supply driven • demand-driven

• individual learning • cooperative learning

• mastery of itemized information or factual knowledge

• focus on acquisition of learning tools

• heavy emphasis on core subjects • balance

• technical and vocational learning relegated to the background

• balance on general vs vocational components

3.New Process of LearningIn the 21st century, there are other ways to

gain knowledge aside from formal academic settings such as schools and universities.

4. New Types of Learners Teaching in the 21st century has to evolve and

adapt to the changing needs of our new generation of learners

5. New Spaces/Dimensions of Learning The 21st century also allows the exploration of

learning outside the four walls of the classroom. While most traditional classes are held in the confines of the classroom, modern-day classes are now also being held in such places as parks, school yards, museums, workplaces, homes, and other venues to enhance the real life experience of learners.

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The 21st Century Teacher as a

Facilitator of LearningCurriculum reforms are

in the offing for the 21st century schools as we depart from the traditional teacher-centered, chalk-and –talk schooling of the past.

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Schools are slowly transforming into “nerve centers” where teachers students, & the community are interconnected with one another and the rest of the world via the World Wide Web.

What is Facilitative Teaching?

Facilitative teaching is teaching that guides, instigates, and motivates students to learn.

Facilitative teaching uses learner-centered, teaching-learning practices, instead of teacher-centered.

As a teacher , you are a facilitator rather than the sole source of learning that uses appropriate instructional strategies and creates positive learning environment.

Characteristics Facilitative Teachers

oAttentiveoGenuine

oUnderstandingoRespectful

oKnowledgeableoCommunicative

Teaching Style Categories

Let us tryAnswer all nine questions found in the

Teaching Style Self Evaluation by Jennifer Stein in 5 minutes.

What is your dominant teaching style?

Count the number of times you circled each letter and write the frequency counts on the table below the questions. For example if you answered “A” in for of the nine questions in the list, write four. Do the same procedure to the rest of your answers.

Formal Authority- tend to focus on content

and is generally teacher-centered style.

Demonstrator or Personal Model

- tend to act as model, then as a coach/guide in helping students develop and apply their skills.

Facilitator- tend to focus on activities, and

there is much more responsibility placed on students to take the initiative for meeting the demands of various learning tasks.

Delegator- tend to place much control and

responsibility for learning on learners, which often give students the choice in designing and implementing their own complex learning projects.

The 21st Century Teacher as a Classroom Manager

Who is a classroom manager?The classroom manager is responsible

for providing a conducive learning environment for 21st century teaching and learning.

Classroom management is the primary task of a teacher, and very difficult one, too.

Traditional View of Classroom ManagementManagement is focus on creating and

implementing classroom rules and procedures to control students’ behavior.

New Perspective of Classroom Management

Emphasis is on students’ engagement in learning through active participation and teamwork in learning task and activities. These are known as collaborative learning and active learning.

Let’s Think About ThisYou must have realized that in the first

two classrooms, you have to work independently in order to meet the criteria for a free ticket. Let us analyze.

If you are a weak student in Mr. Suresh’s class, you stand a very slim chance in securing one of the 4 tickets.

If you are an average student in Ms. Edith’s class, you might double up your effort to be rewarded with the ticket.

If you are in Mrs. Adilah’s class, your going to the concert is largely concerted effort, and that if you work hard individually and collectively your group might get the tickets.

Which of the following situations promote collaborative learning?

Classroom Management Skills

1. Verbal Skills-speak at their level of comprehension- emphasize key words- check for understanding- vary your voice tone

2. Listening Skills- maintain good eye contact- paraphrase- synthesize your students statement- give feedback- observe, listen more than you speak

3. Non-verbal Communication Skills- facial expression- silence- touch

Let us review the four classroom scenarios.1. Which of the 4 classrooms are quiet and orderly?2. Which of the 4 classrooms are active and noisy?3. Who among the teachers is the best classroom manager?

Let us analyzeYes Mr. Argus’s and Mr. Kulwant’s classrooms belong to the first

categories, while Mrs. Solomon’s and Ms. Chan’s are in the second

category.However, activity and noise levels are not good indicators for

quantifying students’ learning.Obviously, Mr. Argu’s students are learning in his quiet and

orderly classroom, and so are Ms. Chan’s in her seemingly “unruly”

classroom.Unfortunately , none of Mrs. Solomon’s students are learning in the chaotic battleground of her classroom, or Mr. Kulwant’s in the

apparent harmonious but dictatorial atmosphere of his classroom.

Let us reflectTo whom can you relate?

Classroom Management: Promotes a Conducive Learning Environment

Classroom Management can be understood as creating and maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and achievement.

The first and most important step in designing your personalized classroom management plan is to construct a framework upon which to develop it.

Classroom Management Plan FrameworkComponent Leading Questions

Rules and Procedures • What rules and procedures will my students and I jointly create and agree upon?• Will the agreed rules and procedures be verbally told or posted?

Physical Arrangement of Classroom

• Where are my students and I placed in the classroom?• When will the seating position and physical arrangement of the class be revised?

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Misbehaviour Intervensions

•What are some constructive intervension for managing misbehavior in the classroom?• How can I be creative with my interventions?• How can I maximize teachable moments with positive interventions to distract off-task behavior?

Classroom Safety • Why is classroom safety important?• Who should take responsibility for classroom safety?• How will I handle emergencies in the classroom?• Do I have to contact numbers to calll, in the event of an emergency?

Student Celebration

• How will I give recognition to my students?

Philosophical Statement

• What are my beliefs about managing my life and etc.?• Do I have the will and courage to design comprehensive and practical plan?• How should my students behave in my classroom?• How will I handle and inform student misbehavior or off-task behavior in my classroom?

“There are two kinds of teachers: the kind that fill you with so much quail shot that you can't move, and the kind that just gives you a little prod behind and you jump to the skies.”  Robert Frost