Does changing from a teacher-centered to a learner-centered context promote self-regulated learning: a qualitative study in a Japanese undergraduate setting
2019
Previous studies indicate that a teacher-centered context could hinder undergraduates from
self-regulated learning(SRL), whereas a learner-centered context could promote SRL. However, SRL development between a teacher-centered and a learner-centered context has not directly compared in undergraduate settings. Also, it is still unclear how a contextual change toward learner-centered learning could influence SRL in students, who are strongly accustomed to teacher-centered learning. We conducted three focus groups that examined 13 Japanese medical students who left a traditional curriculum composed of didactic lectures and frequent summative tests and entered a seven-month elective course (Free Course Student Doctor or FCSD). The FCSD emphasizes student-designed individualized learning with support and formative feedback from mentors chosen by students’ preference. We also conducted two focus groups that examined 7 students who remained in the teacher-centered curriculum during the same period. Students were asked to discuss their 1) motivation, 2) learning strategies, and 3)
self-reflectionon self-study before and during the period. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and code comparison between the two cohorts. The non-FCSD participants described their motivational status as being one among a crowd set by the teacher’s
yardstick. Their reflection focused on minimizing the gap between themselves and the teacher-set
yardstickwith strategies considered monotonous and homogeneous (e.g. memorization). FCSD participants described losing the teacher-set
yardstickand constructing their future
self-imageas an alternative
yardstick. They compared gaps between their present status and future
self-imageby
self-reflection. To fill these gaps, they actively employed learning strategies used by doctors or mentors, leading to diversification of their learning strategies. A contextual change toward learner-centered learning could promote SRL even in students strongly accustomed to teacher-centered learning. In the learner-centered context, students began to construct their
self-image, conduct
self-reflection, and seek diverse learning strategies by referring to future ‘
self’
models.
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