Chapter 2

Learner-centered
Classrooms

Recesso/Orrill, Integrating
Technology into Teaching
 What Is a Learning Environment?
• How would you define a “learning environment”?
– “spaces where a person or group of people
interact with tools, materials, and resources in
their development of knowledge and skills.”
(Jonassen, 2000)
• How might/does an environment affect student
learning?
– The context in which learning is established
and supported
– It affects they manner with which a learning
unit is designed
– Must consider limitations and potential value of
available tools
• How have learning environments changed?
– Historically, classrooms = instructivist approach
– Recent movements towards learner-centered
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 Learner-centered
Psychological Principles

1. Construction of knowledge
1. Metacognition (“Thinking about thinking”)
2. Role of prior knowledge
2. Motivational and emotional influences on
learning
3. Other influences on learning
(developmental, social, individual, etc)
4. Nature of the teaching & learning process
– Engaging, Interactive, Facilitative, Instructionally
Appropriate, and authentic
– Role of immersive and non-immersive
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 Resources

• Hand-held Computers in Education

– http://m.fasfind.com/wwwtools/m/2737.cfm?x=0&rid=2737
• Handhelds in the Classroom
– http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech083.shtml
• Learner-Centered Psychological Principles
– http://www.apa.org/ed/lcp2/lcp14.html
• NetOp School
– http://www.netop.com/netop-8.htm
• Power in the Palm of Your Hand
– http://kathyschrock.net/power

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