Keynote Speaker

Student-centered learning and "other-centered" accountability: Must they be mutually exclusive?   By Dr. Michael J. Hannafin, Director, Learning & Performance Support Laboratory, Professor, Department of Educational Psychology & Instructional Technology, Wheatley-Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Technology-Enhanced Learning, USA

Abstract

Despite developments in the computer technologies that support student-centered learning, formal education practices continue to be dominated external expectations and requirements. Critics suggest that student-centered approaches typically fail to differentiate between what is truly important to learn, so-called critical knowledge and skill, and the largely unique and idiosyncratic interests of individual learners.
Further, they cite numerous studies indicating limited metacognitive abilities, excessively high extraneous cognitive load, and making ineffective decisions. Yet, researchers and practitioners have developed and validated strategies to minimize these concerns, reporting impressive gains in the learning toward both external standards and individual goals and interests. This presentation will review and present research findings related to these issues, identify unresolved issues, and propose a framework for balancing student-centered learning within accountability-based settings.
 

Bio

Michael Hannafin is Wheatley-Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Technology-Enhanced Learning and Professor of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology where he directs the Learning and Performance Support Laboratory at the University of Georgia. Previously, he held faculty positions at University of Colorado, Penn State University and Florida State University. His research focuses on applying technology to assess performance and developing and testing frameworks for the design of student-centered learning environments.
 

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