Rethinking Learning in Higher Education
Type
fundamental research project
Start Date
August 1, 2009
End Date
May 31, 2013
Status
Completed
Keywords
Learning sciences
learning
teaching
learning model
higher education
Description
In the context of the Bologna Process European higher education institutions (HEIs) have started to engage in curricular and pedagogical renewal to increase not only the quantity but the quality of their graduates. A paradigm and culture shift from teacher-centred to student-centred learning and instruction is proposed among other measures in order for HEIs to successfully prepare their students for life and work in the knowledge society and economy of the 21st century. How can instructors design and bring to life powerful student-centred learning environments (SCLEs) that provide students with opportunities for deep learning? The scientific objective of this EU-funded research project is to develop a situative educational model to advance theory building and guide the design and implementation of powerful SCLEs in higher education classrooms.
A conceptual framework is developed based on an expansive literature review outlining well-founded common design principles and instructional quality dimensions and features of SCLEs that reflect a situative constructivist view of learning and instruction. The framework serves as a starting point and point of reference to structure the empirical research context.
The ethnographic case study research (empirical study) investigates three authentic university courses (seminars with 25 up to 38 students) for prospective teachers enrolled in a 1-year Master’s programme at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA. Exploring authentic classroom learning, teaching and interaction practices provides rare and detailed glimpses into student-centred classrooms in order to carve out and systematise characteristic course design elements, instructional strategies, and teaching and learning challenges these classrooms present for the instructors and/or the students.
For data collection and analysis purposes several instruments are used to access rich empirical data that allow for thick descriptions and interpretations in the context of single and cross case analyses: participant observations, half-standardised student evaluation surveys, semi-structured instructor and student interviews and class videotapes. The qualitative coding process is informed by categories and codes iteratively developed based on theory and data. Event sampling, a constant-comparison approach and interaction analysis are used to identify underlying patterns and practices that emerge consistently in the naturalistic classrooms under study.
The empirical case study findings informed the development of a situative educational model outlining the following core components of powerful SCLEs: (1) The learning environment embodies aligned curricular design elements and related quality features that allow the students to engage with relevant and challenging content (e.g., questions, tasks) and achieve high-level learning outcomes; (2) Students are positioned for active participation in knowledge construction and interactions – as accountable authors, active and vocal participants, and responsible co-designers; (3) Instructors apply adaptive instructional strategies to support students’ participatory processes of knowledge construction and to cultivate a productive and supportive classroom community of learners.
The study also discusses challenges to the implementation of student-centred learning and instruction and draws implications for higher education classrooms and institutions to foster high-quality education and ultimately high-quality graduates.
A conceptual framework is developed based on an expansive literature review outlining well-founded common design principles and instructional quality dimensions and features of SCLEs that reflect a situative constructivist view of learning and instruction. The framework serves as a starting point and point of reference to structure the empirical research context.
The ethnographic case study research (empirical study) investigates three authentic university courses (seminars with 25 up to 38 students) for prospective teachers enrolled in a 1-year Master’s programme at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA. Exploring authentic classroom learning, teaching and interaction practices provides rare and detailed glimpses into student-centred classrooms in order to carve out and systematise characteristic course design elements, instructional strategies, and teaching and learning challenges these classrooms present for the instructors and/or the students.
For data collection and analysis purposes several instruments are used to access rich empirical data that allow for thick descriptions and interpretations in the context of single and cross case analyses: participant observations, half-standardised student evaluation surveys, semi-structured instructor and student interviews and class videotapes. The qualitative coding process is informed by categories and codes iteratively developed based on theory and data. Event sampling, a constant-comparison approach and interaction analysis are used to identify underlying patterns and practices that emerge consistently in the naturalistic classrooms under study.
The empirical case study findings informed the development of a situative educational model outlining the following core components of powerful SCLEs: (1) The learning environment embodies aligned curricular design elements and related quality features that allow the students to engage with relevant and challenging content (e.g., questions, tasks) and achieve high-level learning outcomes; (2) Students are positioned for active participation in knowledge construction and interactions – as accountable authors, active and vocal participants, and responsible co-designers; (3) Instructors apply adaptive instructional strategies to support students’ participatory processes of knowledge construction and to cultivate a productive and supportive classroom community of learners.
The study also discusses challenges to the implementation of student-centred learning and instruction and draws implications for higher education classrooms and institutions to foster high-quality education and ultimately high-quality graduates.
Leader contributor(s)
Member contributor(s)
Funder
Topic(s)
Learning model
Case study research in higher education
Student-centered learning and teaching
Harvard University
Method(s)
Case study research
interviews
video analysis
participant observation
document analysis
Range
School
Range (De)
School
Division(s)
Eprints ID
61038
19 results
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Item type:Publication, Piaget in Action : Critical Exploration in the University ClassroomThis paper presents the results of a case study conducted in a university course at Harvard Graduate School of Education during Fall term 2009. The four credit course, "Teaching and Learning: 'The Having of Wonderful Ideas'," which was developed and conducted by professor Eleanor Duckworth, belongs to the core courses of the school's Learning and Teaching Ed.M. program. The course was designed to develop students' ability to engage different people's minds in thinking about subject matter and to learn how to make sense of how their learners are thinking about that material. Situations where teachers keep learners connected to the subject matter and listen while learners do the sense-making and explaining are continually enacted and explored. The aim of the case study was to gain first-hand knowledge of how an expert instructor in the field of education designs a learning environment that engages education students in this type of experience and exploration. Duckworth's pedagogical approach is based on a Freirean commitment to valuing the learners' experiences and insights and is rooted in the studies of Jean Piaget and Bärbel Inhelder and their clinical method. Duckworth often places her student teachers in the role of the student in the learning process. Rather than starting from pre-established meanings, students attempt to establish meanings that build upon their own understandings and so hold true for themselves. Sometimes this is an individual enterprise; often, it is a collective one. Duckworth believes that, in order to foster deep learning among an increasingly diverse student population, cognitive and socio-cultural aspects as well as the institutional context shaped by the socio-economic, technological and political environment need to be taken into account to design innovative and effective learning environments. Such a curriculum and pedagogy also allows for more democratic structures and processes that can mitigate socio-economic as well as cultural inequalities. This paper outlines the curricular and pedagogical implications for the design of exploratory learning environments investigated through participant observation/videotaping, interviews with students and the instructor, and document analysis (syllabus, classroom materials, course evaluations)Type:conference paper - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Designing Exploratory Learning EnvironmentsTo enhance the scientific knowledge on innovative pedagogies and accelerate new forms of learning and teaching this paper tackles the following research problems: (1) In order to refine the scientific knowledge on how students come to understand, cognition is studied in its physical, social and cultural context, conducting a literature review. (2) Explorative case study research on how expert instructors in the field of education design exploratory learning environments that engage students in deep learning have been conducted. Three selected courses at Harvard Graduate School of Education were investigated to inform the theory-building process of the study. Finally, characteristics of exploratory learning environments will be derived from learning sciences researchType:conference poster - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
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Item type:Publication, Always Wondering ... a Mélange of Eleanor Duckworth and Critical Exploration(Critical Exploration Press, 2013); - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Critical Exploration: The Creation of an Exploratory Learning Environment in Teacher Education(2010-06-29)The empirical study presented investigates learning and teaching as they happen in a higher education classroom (video-analysis) and outlines how an exploratory learning environment can look like based on a teaching/research approach called "critical exploration" which is applied in the university classroom to educate prospective teachers. The study briefly introduces the course schedule (organization, technology, goals, activities, time frame, feedback loops, assessment), points out types of assignments going on within and outside of the classroom and shows how learning takes place individually and in groups (activities and interaction). The study focuses on the role of the instructor and draws implications for the creation of an exploratory learning environment as well as for teacher education/supportType:conference paper - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Student-centred learning environments in higher education classrooms(2016-02-18)Higher education institutions have to engage in curricular and pedagogical renewal to increase not only the quantity but also the quality of higher education graduates. A paradigm and culture shift from teacher-centered to student-centered learning and instruction is crucial in order for higher education institutions to prepare their students for life and work in the knowledge society and economy of the 21st century. Based on an expansive literature review and multiple ethnographic case study research conducted at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (United States), the following research question will be explored: How can instructors design and bring to life powerful student-centered learning environments that provide students with opportunities for deep learning? A situative educational model will be presented to guide the design and implementation of powerful student-centered learning environments in higher education classrooms. The model aims to support instructors, curriculum developers, faculty developers, administrators and educational managers from all disciplines and across different educational settings in making informed instructional decisions regarding course design, classroom interaction and community building.Type:presentation - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Critical Exploration in the University Classroom: Implications for Teaching and TeachersThe paper introduces an educational approach developed by Eleanor R. Duckworth named Critical Exploration in the Classroom (section 1) and outlines the basic educational components central to this approach (section 2). After that selected findings of an in-depth case study conducted in Professor Duckworth's higher education classroom at Harvard Graduate School of Education in the United States will be presented. The empirical case study investigated how the learning environment in the classroom was designed to support deep exploratory learning exploring both, curriculum design and pedagogy (section 3). As a result, pedagogical implications on how educators can use their knowledge to help students learn will be outlined (section 4). Online:https://globaljournals.org/GJHSS_Volume14/5-Critical-Exploration-in-the-University-Classroom.pdfType:journal articleJournal:Global Journal of Human-Social ScienceVolume:14Issue:2-B - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, An Alternative Model of Learning: Implications of Learning Sciences Research for the Creation of Effective Technology-Enhanced Learning EnvironmentsThe European Commission stresses the importance of innovation, research, high-quality education and lifelong learning as Europe develops as a knowledge-based society and economy. In order to enhance the scientific knowledge on innovative pedagogies and accelerate new forms of learning and teaching, more interdisciplinary learning sciences research is required. This research can inspire to a faster and more progressive change in Europe's education and training systems. Consequently, the overall goal of this research project is to gain a refined knowledge on how students come to understand and how faculty can support learning with understanding, creating effective learning environments. The objectives tackled are as follows: (1) In order to refine the scientific knowledge on how students come to understand, cognition will be studied in its physical, social and cultural context, conducting an interdisciplinary literature review and outlining a sensitizing framework; (2) Explorative case study research on how expert instructors in the field of education design effective learning environments that engage students in deep learning will be conducted. In this respect, three selected courses at Harvard Graduate School of Education will be investigated to inform the theory-building process of the study; (3) Characteristics of effective learning environments will be derived from learning sciences research (see 1, 2) to guide the development of a new learning model; (4) Good practices as well as implications for curriculum development and learning and teaching in higher education will be drawn from the American context, with the purpose of transferring and implementing the insights gained there, to the European context.Type:working paper
