- Creates substantive cfhange in individual learners.
- Engages learners as full partners in the learning process, with learners assuming primary responsibility for their own choices.
- Creates and offers as many options for learning as possible.
- Assists learners to form and participate in collaborative learning activities.
- Defines the roles of learning facilitators by the needs of the learners.
- Succeeds only when improved and expanded learning can be documented for its learners.
O'Banion's vision is mostly for community colleges. Not having that much experience with community colleges, I wonder if most would classify themselves as "learning colleges."
I went to a large public university -- the University of Colorado -- and I do not believe that CU is a "learning college." It is primarily a research institution. I felt like nothing more than a student number. When I returned to school to earn my teaching degree, I attended a small liberal arts school -- St. Mary's College -- in California. My experience there was much different. At CSU, my experience in the AET program has been largely positive; it's when I venture outside the AET program to other departments that I feel a bit like a "second class citizen" because I'm a "continuing education" student.
I suppose my question to the class is this: What has your experience been? Did you attend a college or university that put the learner at the center of its focus?
Hi Kristina,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your introductory summary of the book. Although doing all of the points you summarized may be overwhelming, I am trying to add more experiences each quarter to the courses I am teaching, so I will look forward to reading more of your posts.
I too graduated from a large University (CSU) and had a similar experience to you in my early prerequisites.(chemistry, anatomy, biology ect) By the time I reached the courses in my major my courses were much smaller, perhaps I was lucky. We had about 30 students or less per class. We did more projects and hands on experience in those classes. Although the instruction was very autocratic in nature. Not much room for choice. I am not sure I ever felt I was the center of the focus.
Deb
Ever since reading "The Courage to Teach" by Palmer, I've really loved his "subject centered" approach. It's not necessarily about the teacher or the student in the center, it's about the subject in the center and everyone interacting with it. As an instructor I feel like I can create this kind of environment. Although in my classes I really work hard to show the students that my primary goal is to help them in mastering and succeeding. From their evals, it does seem like they feel like I care about them and want to make sure they really understand the material. I guess that's the beauty of small classes in a community college (I have had 2 physics classes that were 3 and 4 students respectively - VERY student focused!)
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