Nowadays, we are heavily reliant on technology. Wherever we go and whatever we do, every task and role seems to require the use of devices and networks powered by the most hi-tech systems. In learning, it tends to be the same. E-learning is now evolving into a more sophisticated platform where the learner has access to software, videos, and any imaginable resource to aid in allowing him to learn a concept or grasp a theory. But is all these technology really needed?

Larry Cuban, in his book “Teachers and Machines,” describes that throughout history, educational technology has miserably failed in becoming an effective tool to help students. He explains that since the  1920’s, technological advances such as educational radio, motion pictures and even educational television have been unsuccessful in pushing learners to their highest potentials.

Why so? When instructors focus too much on technology, they expect the learners to adapt to the new system, thus failing to see that the new technology may not be designed around how the student can learn. Using the newest technological systems in e-learning can seem to make the program and the curriculum very sophisticated, but does it really help the learner? Oftentimes, the focus is solely on the role of technology that the position of the learner is underestimated or altogether ignored.

This is why a learner-centered approach is more valuable than ever. Using technology to enhance learning is not an entirely bad thing, but it should be utilized in a way that it adapts itself to the student, and not the other way around.

A learner-centered approach is described as focusing on the quality of learning by understanding the learner more. Additionally, in e-learning, it is providing support to the learner until he has grasped the concepts or skills you want him to learn. Now what makes up a learner-centered approach? Below are five essentials of this approach:

1. Collaboration is encouraged – Learner-centered theories postulate time and again that learning is not meant to be done alone. Learning is actualized and enhanced by interaction and communication within and among groups. Classrooms, whether online or actual, are seen as communities where students learn from each other’s experiences and opinions. Learner-centered programs allow students to actively interact with others, seek out information, share perspectives, and respect different points of view.

2. Materials and activities are engaging – Engagement is the real measure of the learning process. When a person is engaged, the brain actively functions to process ideas and reflects on concepts. Students are encouraged to reflect on what they have learned by incorporating brief pauses to internalize concepts and voicing out how the content relates to them. Case-based scenarios and situational analyses also help students examine what they have learned.

3. Learners are given control of the learning process – Active learning entails that the student has some control over what they learn and the pace at which they learn. Studies have shown that students are more empowered, more effective and more motivated when they have some sense of control, compared to when they are merely instructed on what to do. Trusting the learner with responsibilities and asking for input can make them feel more motivated and can enhance the learning process.

4. Methods are personalized and relevant – Discovering how a student learns helps in delivering methods that will make learning much easier. Materials focused on a learner-centered approach are best presented in multiple formats to fit the needs and styles of each learner. Also, material has to be both meaningful and useful to students. A learner-centered approach aims to address the gap between what a student should know and how he can apply newly-learned concepts to the real world.

5. Material is challenging and stimulating – When learners encounter challenges, the brain is forced to put together previous and new knowledge to come to a decision. These challenging situations expose learners to critical thinking, allowing them to evaluate and efficiently apply what they have learned, thus reaching higher levels of the learning process.

The learner-centered approach is efficient in that it adapts methods and materials around the student. This enhances learning and ensures that the learner is definitely equipped with the knowledge and skills he has learned during the course.