sábado, 22 de abril de 2017

10. RESPONDING TO RESISTANCE

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Sometimes happens that we as teachers are very motivated about starting our classes and apply a learner-centered approach but students usually don't show the same enthusiasm and are not very motivated to accomplish the tasks. Students show resistance to this approach because they got accustomed to be just sat in the chair and expect that the teacher speaks most of the time. So now this approach seems to scare them because they have to work more and sometimes they don't feel capable of doing that. Moreover, students like traditional teaching methods because some of them are not ready for learner-centered approaches being that it represents more responsibility for them. In addition, a way to show resistance is when students ask questions that are too obvious or when they comment that they haven't done tasks like that before. Additionally, there are three types of resistance passive nonverbal resistance, partial compliance and open resistance.

Passive nonverbal resistance refers to the students' actions that show objection to do something without saying any word. For example, when the teacher asks to form groups and do an activity students can show discourage, others might speak of another thing instead of doing the task that was assigned, etc. Partial compliance is when students do something but incompletely because they don't want to make too much effort. For example, students do they homework but poorly, they know about something but they avoid speaking too much. On the other hand, open resistance is when students express freely their objection to something. For example, students can say that another teacher doesn't work with them like that or they resist to give answers, etc.

On the other hand, faculty can present resistance too it is because some teachers don't feel prepared or they don't have the necessary skills  to have a learner-centered class being that it involves a lot of teacher's preparation, organization, etc.


Finally, to overcome resistance and teach a learner-centered class I would communicate with my students in an open way and get them familiarized with the topics to be studied because according to Armstrong (2011) it is good to engage and encourage students to do their best, give their own feedback and have the opportunity to reflect on their work. Additionally, according to Filax (1997) teachers have to resist students' resistance because sometimes learners are trying to see if they can discourage a teacher and make him change his methods but the teacher needs to be sure about the approach that is using and talk with students too. 

Additional information about students' resistance:



References:
Armstrong, A. (2011). 4 Key strategies to help educators to overcome resistance. Learningforward.com Retrieved from: https://learningforward.org/docs/tools-for-learning-schools/tools1-11.pdf

Filax, G. (2011). Resisting Resistors: Resistance in Critical Pedagogy Classrooms on JSTOR . (2017). Jstor.org. Retrieved 22 April 2017, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/23767343?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Borrego, M. Understanding Student Resistance to Active Learning. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 22 April 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlXYslBV6Cc

9. RESEARCH: EVIDENCE THAT LEARNER-CENTERED APPROACHES WORK

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The benefits of  learner-centered approach found out in the following researches will convince most skeptic teachers that this approach is effective. For instance, the experiment was conducted when Marlon & Sajlo (1976) made students read an academic text and then they had to explain what they understood about it. Some students could understand all the facts and support them while others could say just few details. Thus, when students tried to memorize facts and couldn't differentiate evidence, we are talking about "surface learning". On the other hand, when students reflected on what they read, related their knowledge with the text and had a deep understanding of it, we are talknig about "deep learning". This research is related to language-centered approach because it promotes deep learning.

Another research was conducted on faculty orientations to teaching. In this way,  Greeson (1998) showed that there was a relationship between teacher-centered approach and student-centered approach and the learning experiences on students. Moreover, when using teacher-centered approach students were just listening and didn't participate a lot, so they didn't have opportunities to express their ideas or produce the language. On the other hand, when the teacher applied student-centered approach students conveyed their ideas, interacted with each other, asked questions and had a more meaningful learning.

Moreover, Zimmerman (2002) said that independent learning involves the motivation, the awareness of a person to implement their own knowledge properly. Therefore, independent or self-directed learning is part of learner-centered approach because students are required to take responsibility of their own learning, work collaboratively and reach a deep understanding of the material to be studied.

Finally, to teach my students using learner-centered approach I would used a PBL (Problem-Based Learning) method that according to Weimer (2009) has many benefits for students because as they have to find a solution for a problem, they have to work in groups and participate actively which help them to acquire more understanding of the topic. Another option is to use a Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry that according to Richard (2017) in this approach students are guided to work out concepts taught in class by working in groups and discuss their understanding collaboratively. Therefore, students develop critical thinking skills, information processing, problem solving and teamwork.



Additional information about learner-centered approach:



References:
Maryellen Weimer, P. (2009). Problem-Based Learning: Benefits and Risks - Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & LearningFaculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning. Retrieved 22 April 2017, from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/problem-based-learning-benefits-and-risks/

Richard, S. (2017). Journals.iupui.edu. Retrieved 22 April 2017, from https://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/muj/article/viewFile/20287/19880

Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) | dB-SERC. (2017). Dbserc.pitt.edu. Retrieved 22 April 2017, from http://dbserc.pitt.edu/Resources/Process-Oriented-Guided-Inquiry-Learning-POGIL

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching. Somerset: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uta-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1119448

Alexander, A. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching Methods: An Overview. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 22 April 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlcJqnwvKZo


10. RESPONDING TO RESISTANCE

Sometimes happens that we as teachers are very motivated about starting our classes and apply a learner-centered approach but stude...