COLLEGE STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF LEARNER-CENTEREDNESS IN THEIR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

ABSTRACT This study investigated college students’ perceptions of leaner-centeredness in their undergraduate courses. The goal of this study was to examine what those perceptions were in order to inform future instructional practices that better serve the needs of college students. A demographic questionnaire and the Learner-centered Battery Student Survey (LCBSS) consisting of Total Score, 2 subscale and 11 subscale scores, were used to examine 196 students’ perceptions of learner-centered instructional practice. Descriptive statistics were presented, and data were analyzed using t tests, repeated measures ANOVAs, and one-way ANOVAs to examine the relationship and extent to which students perceived their instructors’ practices to be learner-centered. Qualitative data was also collected to more closely examine students’ understanding of learner-centeredness. From the one way ANOVAs, in eight demographic variables, statistical significance was found between the LCBSS subscale scores of ethnicity and epistemic curiosity, and age and mastery oriented goals. From the repeated measures ANOVAs, statistical significance was found in total scale scores, and many subscales scores. Qualitative data also contributed important information that enhanced the results of the quantitative part of this study. Results of this study provided a broad descriptive picture of the participants, and the outcomes of this study provided information that can assist in facilitating learner-centered instructional practice at the college level in the future.Educational PsychologyDoctoralUniversity of New Mexico. Division of Individual, Family and Community EducationFlowerday, TerriParkes, JayArmstrong, JanAtencio, DavidFlowerday, Terr