Learner-Centered Teaching: Putting the Research on Learning into Practice

by Terry Doyle, Todd Zakrajsek (Foreword)

This book presents the research-based case that Learner Centered Teaching (LCT) offers the best means to optimize student learning in college, and offers examples and ideas for putting it into practice, as well the underlying rationale. It also starts from the premise that many faculty are much closer to being learner centered teachers than they think, but don t have the full conceptual understanding of the process to achieve its full impact. There is sometimes a gap between what we would like to achieve in our teaching and the knowledge and strategies needed to make it happen.LCT keeps all of the good features of a teacher-centered approach and applies them in ways that are in better harmony with how our brains learn. It, for instance, embraces the teacher as expert as well as the appropriate use of lecture, while also offering new, effective ways to replace practices that don t optimizing student learning. Neuroscience, biology and cognitive science research have made it clear that it is the one who does the work who does the learning. Many faculty do too much of the work for their students, which results in diminished student learning. To enable faculty to navigate this shift, Terry Doyle presents an LCT-based approach to course design that draws on current brain research on cognition and learning; on addressing the affective concerns of students; on proven approaches to improve student s comprehension and recall; on transitioning from teller of knowledge to a facilitator of learning; on the design of authentic assessment strategies such as engaging students in learning experiences that model the real world work they will be asked to do when they graduate; and on successful communication techniques.The presentation is informed by the questions and concerns raised by faculty from over sixty colleges with whom Terry Doyle has worked; and on the response from an equal number of regional, national and international conferences at which he has presented on topics related to LCT.

Genres: Teaching, Education

222 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2011

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just not a whole lot to say about this book. Lots of good points and interesting ideas, not poorly written, overall just what you'd expect from a book by a professor written to other professors about how to teach better. Nothing that's going to blow you away, but it does the job.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This text works okay as an introduction or overview for these concepts, but it lacks depth and detail. I recommend instead Weimer's Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice.

[Cade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read, and certainly a bit more practical than the last book I read for this reading group (What the Best College Teachers Do by Ken Bain). But as a doc student, I can't really implement most of the ideas here. Would probably be much more helpful for someone with more control over their course development.

[Bill Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book. I'm still trying to figure out how to incorporate some of his recommendation in to my course.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our faculty chose this as the book for our spring 2015 faculty reading group on college teaching, and discussions are going well so far. What I like about Doyle's approach is how fast it is - he jumps right into all of his ideas, and covers many in a short amount of time. He brings to his topic the perspective and mentality of a teaching center director - someone who is working with college faculty to apply these concepts in actual college classes. Short sections with direct section headers; to-the-point prose; concrete examples; and examples drawn from his work with faculty -- all tip this book very quickly from a focus on theory to a focus on practice. That really changes both the tone and the structure of the book. For the most part, it seems to be working for us, but if you're more curious about the underlying science he's appropriating, rather than how to apply it to college teaching, you may be disappointed.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty much finished the final chapter and flipped right back to the introduction. So many sound, practical ideas about how to keep the college classroom focused on student learning, summed up in the book's mantra "The one who does the work does the learning." I'd say I was a convert to learner-centered teaching if I didn't think that the dialogue-based give-and-take of the Latin/Greek classroom didn't already have much in common with these methods. (Specifically, that is, these classrooms already tend not to be lecture-based.) Still, so much room for improvement, refinement, experimentation, etc. and this book provides a plan for putting research-backed approaches into immediate action. Definitely recommended.

[Wade Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to read this again. It has many great ideas based on the latest research on teaching and learning. It would be an excellent book for someone just getting into teaching.