The learner-centered approach has been considered a great way to educate students and teach good learning practices that help retain the information for the long term. This methodology shifts the focus from the teacher to the student (learner). While it has proven to be helpful, this method also has some drawbacks. Let’s dive deep into it and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the learner-centered teaching approach.
Advantages and Disadvantages
| S.no. | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| 1. | The learner can grasp the concepts in a better way. | This heavily depends on the teacher, how fun they can make the learning process, how much they can engage the students, and more. |
| 2. | Active learning is promoted. This way, learners can retain information and be alert during classes or university lectures. | The teacher needs to be skilled, and they need to engage the students in the learning process. This approach will not be effective if the teacher is not well-skilled and cannot make the classes interactive and interesting. |
| 3. | There is a bridge created between the coursework and the learner. The bridge is strong, and the student can grasp the concepts that are taught. | It can be challenging for teachers to strike a reasonable balance between learners’ conflicting needs and interests. |
| 4. | This helps promote engagement and makes the learner mindful of the environment and their education. Mindfulness can also help them with their other areas of life. | It cannot entirely be student-focused because a student must also learn and understand the concepts, and they need to listen to teachers or professors. A balance is needed between the learner-centered approach and the educator-centered approach. |
| 5. | The learner learns the importance of persistence and consistency. The relationship between rights and responsibilities is learned. | In young learners, this might create chaos. The teacher must handle the situation effectively and keep the class under control in a healthy way. |
| 6. | This way, students who are having trouble understanding concepts can get the attention they need. | This can be an issue with students with social anxiety or other mental disabilities. This approach might backfire if the teacher does not understand a child’s situation. |
| 7. | It can be a fun way to learn something, especially for very young students (elementary school level). | According to some researchers, despite a teacher’s best efforts, certain students do not relate well to student-centered learning. Although it can happen in classrooms at the upper levels, it is more common at the lower levels. |
Conclusion
To conclude, the learner-centered approach has pros as well as cons. It can be proven to be a boon for some while bane for some. Overall, it can be helpful to increase traction. In today’s world, where social media and technology are dominant, many students are losing focus, and their attention span is reducing. If implemented with good research and skilled teachers, the learner-centered approach can help students grow academically and enhance their overall personality.
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