Student-Centered Education: Making Learning Exciting and Long Lasting

Description

Concept by Ilaria Barbieri

The evolution of the educational system has changed from a teacher-centered to a student-centered paradigm.

It is beneficial for teachers to understand the student’s needs and expectations in order to create an environment where the students are excited about the learning process thus, feel more involved and in control of their own learning.

In student-centered approaches, teachers mentor students to acquire knowledge actively. That knowledge will not be lost after taking a test or leaving school.

In student-centered classrooms, learners are provided with significant opportunities to develop knowledge, as well as practical skills for the 21st century, that will accompany them throughout life.

In this course, attendees will be guided to identify practical solutions that encourage pupils’ curiosity, imagination, and problem-solving skills.

They will explore how to design collaborative tasks, flipped lessons, and project-based learning activities, and how to connect what happens inside and outside of the school.

By the end of the course, participants will feel more confident to boost students’ autonomy, collaboration, and motivation, as well as enthusiastic to manage learning activities that aim at developing students’ long-lasting knowledge and key competencies.

Learning outcomes

The course will help participants to:  

• Broaden their comprehension of the switch in education from the teacher-centered to the student-centered paradigm;
• Adapt their lessons according to the student’s learning needs and modalities;
• Improve autonomy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills;
• Identify strategies to have students develop key competencies for nowadays’ challenges;
• Use tasks, audio-visual tools, and projects in education to boost students’ curiosity and creativity;
• Discover the principles of flipped classrooms;
• Develop engaging projects and lesson plans.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Student-centered learning and effective teaching

• Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
• Icebreaker activities;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools;
• Student-centered methods: its components and its advantages.

Day 2 – Motivation and Collaboration

• Motivation in learning;
• When are activities meaningful for students?
• Collaborative and cooperative activities.

Day 3 – The Flipped Classroom

• Learning inside and outside of the classroom;
• Flipped Classroom: what is it? What are its advantages?
• Creating and using videos effectively.

Day 4 – Project-based learning

• Project-based learning: its identity;
• Project-based learning: its structure;
• Designing PBL.

Day 5 – Sharing insights

• Scaffolding new knowledge;
• Assessment;
• Presentations and feedback.

Day 6 – Course closure & cultural activities

• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.