Matt Foster
Published: September 28, 2005
Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of several articles concerning learning-centered colleges and their impact on PJC and its students.
Jennifer O’Leary, a professor of speech and interpersonal communication, has been teaching using the learning centered method since she was hired a year ago. Since then she has taken an active role in pursuing the learning centered method and is an avid supporter of the learning centered curriculum. O’Leary agreed to take time out of her schedule to participate in a Corsair Q&A so that students can better understand what Learning Centered means.
When did you first begin using the Learning Centered approach?
I did not hear the terminology till a day before my interview (here). I started to think about how to cater to the learning needs of my students and optimize their potential.
Why did you choose this approach? Whose idea was it?
Well…if you realize “I’m not doing all I can,” concerning anything, how can you not try to go back? Learning Centered is a system. I’ve always been interested in systems. I’m psyched that I came into this institution at this time of change to take place in this opportunity.
How is your class learning centered? What activities are involved in it?
The whole course is based on the growth of the students learning. In my classes, I’m vague on purpose. “Just do it.” This way I can see where they are. Students get feedback from me and classmates before it gets back to the point of grading. I believe in “social constructivism.”
How do the students respond to the instruction?
Time in class is used for feedback and actively doing research or projects. It’s moved from being a lecture to actually, “doing.”
The quality of the students’ work is higher. A lot more people are saying “I’m proud of my accomplishments,” and I don’t think that a student can know that’s what I want to read and that’s what I want to see.
I’m trying to push responsibility, delegating responsibility to the students. I’m not going to come looking for you, you have to step up and come look for me. I’ve seen a lot more quality success in my students.
What challenges come with teaching in this manner?
For students, it’s having the courage to change and dealing with the interpersonal communication consequences as a result. When it comes to a faculty, a lot of people have expressed that it’s a change. Some people think that’s a better change than others.
Do you foresee this change to learning centered instruction as a hard one?
This is not a PJC dilemma. It’s not even an American dilemma. It’s an industrialized dilemma. Its pressures stemming from society’s changing. I feel that there’s a shift in our student population. Active and collaborative learning puts responsibility on the students to be active.
Most students think that we’re “teacher ATMs,” where you spit in money and get out information. This is for your (the student’s) benefit. It’s for the rest of your life.
How many instructors do you know that are using this approach? Do you know how they are doing?
It’s definitely a movement on campus that I’ve had an easy time working with and I see my course students taking a lot out of it.
Learning centered can be misconstrued as anti-lecture but that really depends on the course objectives. Really, it depends on the subject matter being taught, the faculty member teaching it, and how they teach it. I would never tell a colleague of mine how to teach. That’s counterproductive. No one’s ever told me how to teach. It’s something you have to discover for yourself.
Is there anything else that you’d like to add?
I think that learning takes place in all classrooms. Learning centered might be messier and it might be more painful. When I’m learning in a collaborative way, I’m getting info from everywhere. That’s what happening to my students. It’s much easier to get confused as a student. It’s not comfortable. Learning almost always has to start with confusion. When you’re not confused, you’ve learned something. Resistance is counter productive. If you don’t hunt down the right answer then it won’t work. Students have to bring it upon themselves to hunt down the right answer.