Lesson 2 The Learner-Centered Psychological Principles(LCP)

What to Expect

Objectives: At the end of the lesson the students can:

 identify and explain the 14 learner-centered psychological principles;
 advocate the use of these principles in the teaching-learning process;
and
 discuss the factors affecting the teaching-learning process.
Lesson Outline
The learner is considered as the center of instruction and the world of
instruction is said to revolve around them. By "Learner centered" we mean the
perspective that couples a focus on individual learners - their heredity,
experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, talents, interests, capacities, and
needs - with a focus on learning - the best available knowledge about learning
and how it occurs and about teaching practices that are most effective in
promoting the highest levels of motivation, learning, and achievement for all
learners. This definition of learner-centered is thus based on an understanding
of the Learner-Centered Psychological Principles as a representation of the
current knowledge base on learners and learning. The principles apply to all
learners, in and outside of school, young and old.
Learner-centered is also related to the beliefs, characteristics,
dispositions, and practices of teachers - practices primarily created by the
teacher. When teachers and their practices function from an understanding of
the knowledge base delineated in the principles, they (a) include learners in
decisions about how and what they learn and how that learning is assessed;
(b) value each learner's unique perspectives; (c) respect and accommodate
individual differences in learners' backgrounds, interests, abilities, and
experiences; and (d) treat learners as co-creators and partners in the teaching
and learning process. The 14 LCPs were put together by the American
Psychological Association and pertain to the learner and the teaching-learning
process. It is focused on the psychological factors that are internal to and under
the control of the learner rather than conditioned habits or psychological factors.
However, the principles also attempt to acknowledge external environment or
contextual factors that interact with these internal factors. The
principles are intended to deal holistically with learners in the context of the
real world learning situations. Thus, they are best understood as an organized
set of principles; no principle must be viewed in isolation. The 14 learner-
centered principles are categorized into four domains namely the:
 Cognitive and Metacognitive Factors
 Motivational and Affective Factors
 Developmental and Social Factors
 Individual Difference Factors

COGNITIVE AND METACOGNITIVE FACTORS

1. Nature of Learning Process

The learning of complex subject matter is most effective when it is an
intentional process of constructing meaning from information and experience.
2. Goals of the Learning Process
The successful learner, over time and with support and instructional
guidance, can create meaningful, coherent representations of knowledge.
3. Construction of Knowledge
The successful learner can link new information with existing knowledge
in meaningful ways. Knowledge widens and deepens as students continue to
build links between new information and experiences and their existing
knowledge base.
4. Strategic Thinking
The successful learner can create and use a repertoire of thinking and
reasoning strategies to achieve complex learning goals. Successful learners
use in their approach to learning reasoning, problem solving, and concept
learning.
5. Thinking about thinking
Successful learners can reflect on how they think and learn, set
reasonable learning or performances goals, select potentially appropriate
learning strategies or methods, and monitor their progress towards these goals.
6. Context of Learning
Learning is influenced by environmental factors, including culture,
technology and instructional practices.

MOTIVATIONAL AND AFFECTIVE FACTOR

7. Motivational and emotional influences on learning

The rich internal world of thoughts, beliefs, goals, and expectation for
success or failure can enhance or interfere with the learner‘s quality of thinking
and information processing.
8. Intrinsic motivation to learn
Intrinsic motivation is stimulated by tasks of optimal novelty and difficulty,
relevant to personal interests, and providing for personal choice and control.
9. Effects of motivation on effort
Effort is another major indicator of motivation to learn. The acquisition of
complex knowledge and skills demands the investment of considerable learner
energy and strategic effort, along with persistence over time.

DEVELOPMENTAL AND SOCIAL FACTOR

10. Developmental influences on learning

Learning is most effective when differential developmental within and
across physical, intellectual, emotional, and social domains is taken into
account. Individuals learn best when material is appropriate to their
developmental level and is presented in an enjoyable and interesting way.

11. Social influences on learning

Learning can be enhanced when the learner has an opportunity to
interact and to collaborate with others on instructional tasks.

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES FACTOR

12. Individual differences in learning

Individuals are born with and develop their own capabilities and talents.
Educators need to help students examine their learning preferences and
expand or modify them, if necessary.
13. Learning and diversity
The same basic principles of learning, motivation, and effective
instruction apply to all learners.
14. Standards and assessment
Assessment provides important information to both the learner and
teacher at all stages of the learning process. Alexander and Murphy gave a
summary of the 14 principles and distilled them into five areas:
1. The knowledge base - One‘s knowledge serves as the foundation of all
future learning.
2. Strategic processing and control - Learners can develop skills to reflect and
regulate their thoughts and behaviors in order to learn more effectively.
3. Motivation and effect - Factors such as intrinsic motivation, reasons for
wanting to learn, personal goals and enjoyment of learning tasks all have a
crucial role in the learning process.
4. Development and Individual Differences - Learning is a unique journey for
each person because each learner has his own unique combination of genetic
and environmental factors that influence him.
5. Situation or context - Learning happens in the context of a society as well as
within an individual.

IMPORTANT FACTORS AFFECTING THE TEACHING-LEARNING

PROCESS

It has been found out that the pupil‘s difficulty in learning may be due to
many factors within the child himself. Among these factors to consider are the:
1. Intellectual Factor
The term refers to the individual mental level. Success in school is
generally closely related to level of the intellect. Pupils with low intelligence
often encounter serious difficulty in mastering schoolwork. Sometimes pupils
do not learn because of special intellectual disabilities. A low score in one
subject and his scores in other subjects indicate the possible presence of a
special deficiency. Psychology reveals to use that an individual possess
different kinds to intelligence. Knowledge of the nature of the pupil‘s intellect is
of considerable value in the guidance and the diagnosis of disability.
The native capacity of the individual is of prime importance in determining the
effectiveness of the learning process. It has been found out that the pupil‘s
difficulty in learning maybe due to many factors within the child himself.
2. Learning Factors
Factors owing to lack of mastery of what has been taught, faulty methods
of work or study, and narrowness of experimental background may affect the
learning process of any pupil. If the school proceeds too rapidly and does not
constantly check up on the extent to which the pupil is mastering what is being
taught, the pupil accumulates a number of deficiencies that interfere with
successful progress. In arithmetic, for instance, knowledge of basic addition is
essential to successful work in multiplication. Weakness in addition will
contribute directly to the deficiency in multiplication. Likewise, failure in history
may be due to low reading ability or weakness in English. Similarly, because of
faulty instruction, the pupil may have learned inefficient methods of study. Many
other kinds of difficulty which are directly related to learning factors may
interfere with progress.
3. Physical Factors
Under this group are included such factors as health, physical
development, nutrition, visual and physical defects, and glandular abnormality.
It is generally recognized that ill health retards physical and motor
develop•ment, and malnutrition interferes with learning and physical growth.
Children suffering from visual, auditory, and other physical defects are seriously
handicapped in developing skills such as reading and spelling. It has been
demonstrated that various glands of internal secretion, such as the thyroid and
pituitary glands, affect behavior. The health of the learner will likely affect his
ability to learn and his power to concentrate.
4. Mental Factors
Attitude falls under mental factors attitudes are made up of organic and
kinesthetic elements. They are not to be confused with emotions that are
character•ized by internal visceral disturbances. Attitudes are more or less of
definite sort. They play a large part in the mental organization and general
behavior of the individual. Attitudes are also important in the development of
personality. Among these attitudes are interest, cheerfulness, affection,
prejudice, -open mindedness, and loyalty. Attitudes exercise a stimulating
effect upon the rate of learning and teaching and upon the progress in school.
The efficiency of the work from day to day and the rapidity with which it is
achieved are influenced by the attitude of the learner. A favorable mental
attitude facilitates learning. The factor of interest is very closely related in nature
to that of symbolic drive and reward.
5. Emotional and Social Factors
Personal factors, such as instincts and emotions, and social factors,
such as cooperation and rivalry, are directly related to a complex psychology of
motivation. It is a recognized fact that the various responses of the individual to
various kinds of stimuli are determined by a wide variety of tendencies. Some
of these innate tendencies are constructive and others are harmful. For some
reason a pupil may have developed a dislike for some subject because he may
fail to see its value, or may lack foundation. This dislike results in a bad
emotional state. Some pupils are in a continuing state of unhappiness because
of their fear of being victims of the disapproval of their teachers and classmates.
This is an unwholesome attitude and affects the learning process to a
considerable degree. This is often•times the result of bad training. Social
discontent springs from the knowledge or delusion that one is below others in
welfare.
6. Teacher’s Personality
The teacher as an individual personality is an important element in the
learning environment or in the failures and success of the learner. The way in
which his personality interacts with the personalities of the pupils being taught
helps to determine the kind of behavior which emerges from the learning
situation. The supreme value of a teacher is not in the regular performance of
routine duties, but in his power to lead and to inspire his pupils through the
influence of his moral personality and example. Strictly speaking, personality is
made up of all the factors that make the individual what he is, the complex
pattern of characteristics that distinguishes him from the others of his kind.
Personality is the product of many integrating forces. In other words, an
individual‘s personality is a composite of his physical appearance, his mental
capacity, his emotional behavior, and his attitudes towards others. Effective
teaching and learning are the results of an inte•grated personality of the
teacher. Generally speaking, pupils do not like a grouchy teacher who cannot
control his temper before the class. It is impossible for a teacher with a temper
to create enthusiasm and to radiate light and sunshine to those about him.
Pupils love a happy, sympathetic, enthusiastic, and cheerful teacher. Effective
teaching and learning are the results of love for the pupils, sympathy for their
interests, tolerance, and a definite capacity for understanding. The teacher
must therefore recognize that in all his activities in the classroom he is directly
affecting the behavior of the growing and learning organism.
7. Environmental Factor
Physical conditions needed for learning is under environmental factor.
One of the factors that affect the efficiency of learning is the condition in which
learn•ing takes place. This includes the classrooms, textbooks, equip•ment,
school supplies, and other instructional materials. In the school and at the
home, the conditions for learning must be favorable and adequate if teaching is
to produce the desired results. It cannot be denied that the type and quality of
instructional materials and equipment play an important part in the instructional
efficiency of the school. It is difficult to do a good job of teaching in a poor type
of building and without adequate equipment and instructional materials. A
school building or a classroom has no merit when built without due regard to its
educational objectives and functions.

Summary
Finally, the principles are intended to apply to all learners ranging from
children to teachers, to administrators, to parents, and to the community
members involved in the educational system. Learning in schools emphasizes
the use of intentional processes that students can use to construct meaning
from information, experiences, and their own thoughts and beliefs. Successful
learners are active, goal-directed, self-regulating, and assume personal
responsibility for contributing to their own learning.
Educators can assist learners in creating meaningful learning goals that
are consistent with both personal and educational aspirations and interests.
They can assist learners in acquiring and integrating knowledge by a number
of strategies that have been shown to be effective with learners of varying
abilities such as concept mapping and thematic organization or categorizing.
They can also encourage and support learner‘s natural curiosity
and motivation to learn by attending to individual differences in learner‘s
perceptions of optimal novelty and difficulty, relevance, and personal choice
and control. Educators should also help students to examine their learning
preferences and expand or modify them, if necessary. They need to be
sensitive to individual differences, in general; to attend to learners‘ perceptions
of the degree to which these differences are accepted and adapted to by
varying instructional methods and materials. When learners perceive that their
individual differences in abilities, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences are
valued, respected, and accommodated in learning tasks and contexts, levels of
motivation and achievement are enhanced.
It is believed that successful learners use strategic thinking in their
approach to learning, reasoning, problem-solving, and concept learning. They
can reflect on how they think and learn, set reasonable learning or performance
goals, select potentially appropriate learning strategies or methods, and monitor
their progress toward these goals. In addition, they know what to do if a problem
occurs or they are not making sufficient or timely progress toward a goal. They
can generate alternative methods to reach their goal or reassess the
appropriateness and utility of the goal.
Instructional methods that focus on the learners develop metacognitive
strategies that can enhance student learning and personal responsibility for
learning. Effective strategies include purposeful learning activities, guided by
practices that enhance a positive emotions and intrinsic motivation to learn, and
methods that increase learner‘s perceptions that a task is interesting and
personally relevant. Technologies and instructional practices must be
appropriate for learner‘s level of prior knowledge, cognitive abilities, and their
learning and thinking strategies. It is believed that effective learning takes place
when learners feel challenged to work towards appropriately high goals;
therefore appraisal of the learners‘ cognitive strengths and weaknesses, as well
as current knowledge and skills is important for the selection of instructional
materials of an optimal degree of difficulty.
Self-assessments of learning progress can also improve students‘ self-
appraisal skills and enhance motivation and self-directed learning. Alexander
and Murphy gave a summary of the 14 principles and distilled them into five
areas namely:
 1. The knowledge base
2. Strategic processing and control
3. Motivation and effect
4. Development and individual differences
5. Situation or context

Assessment
Activity 1 In not less than 200 words, discuss the summary of the fourteen

principles presented by Alexander and Murphy. Submit your work

in a short size bond paper. Avoid comparing your outputs with your
classmates.
Activity 2 Read a research or study related to the Learner-Centered
Psychological Principles (LCP).
Fill out the matrix given below.
Indicate the Title and Source in complete APA bibliographical entry
format.

PROBLEM METHODOLOGY
FINDINGS CONCLUSIONS/
RECOMMENDATIONS
 Activity 3 Summarize and align your learnings and insights. Fill in the
given matrix. One sample is done for you.
COLUMN A COLUMN B COLUMN C
The 14 Learner-Centered Strategies to apply My Learning/ Insights
Principles when I teach align to my life
experiences
COGNITIVE AND
META-COGNITIVE
FACTORS
1. Nature and learning
Process. The learning of
a complex subject matter
is most effective when it
is an intentional process
of constructing meaning
from information and
experiences

2.

3.

MOTIVATIONAL AND
AFFECTIVE FACTORS

Note: (not encoded below)

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