Digital Learning Environments: New Possibilities and Opportunities, Article Review Example

Introduction

The following is a review of the article ‘A journey toward Learner-centered curriculum’ by

Claudia Emes and Martha Cleveland –Innes (2003). The contention is that there is a shift in educators’ approach in the teaching learning experience towards a learner-centered focus. Transparency in curriculum planning was emphasized in accommodating this evolutionary learning technique (Peters, 2000).

Summary

It was emphasized that universities in the early 1990’s were pressured into devising modern techniques to address learner education. These two experts found the learner –centered education very useful. The learner –centered curriculum topic was fully addressed in the article. An insightful explanation of curriculum characteristics’ was discussed, which I believe is most valuable to educators (Emes & Cleveland –Innes, 2003).

The extent to which reliability and validity is established  was demonstrated in the relevant supportive evidence offered through a number of quality references used in the article. Transparency in curriculum designing was most interesting to me. In exploring this concept it was discovered that it could be applied to my curriculum design placing students’ needs above mine in the quest of being receptive to their learning (Massouleh, 2012).

Response

The approach to learner-centered instruction offered in this article is very effective for modern education implementation strategies. The focus being on students rather than teacher’s role fulfillment in the educational process has significantly improved learning in many subject areas. Curriculum planning was utilized to ensure that students and teachers roles were achieved. Often teacher roles superseded students’ goals, but emphasizing learners’ needs as the focus of instruction benefits the system as well as learners (Pace & Hemmings, 2008).

Application

The learner-centered approach to instruction can be applied to several settings. For example, classroom instructions could incorporate a problem solving approach to the learner-centered curriculum model. Students in any subject area such as science, social studies and math can identify a problem and use techniques as individually or as a group to resolve the issue using their ideas (Sadker & Zittleman, 2006).

References

Emes, C & Cleveland –Innes, M. (2003). A Journey toward Learner-Centered Curriculum. The Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 33(3); 47 – 70

Massouleh, N. (2012). Learner-Centered Instruction: A Critical Perspective. Journal of Education and Practice.3(6); 2222-1735

Peters, 0. (2000). Digital learning environments: New possibilities and opportunities. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 1, 1-19.

Pace, L., & Hemmings, A. (2008). Understanding classroom authority as a social construction.  New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

Sadker,  M., & Zittleman, K. (2006). Teachers, schools and society: A brief introduction to education. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education