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Students at the Center synthesizes and adapts for practice current research on key components of student-centered approaches to

learning. Our goal is to strengthen the ability of practitioners and policymakers to engage each student in acquiring the skills, knowledge,

and expertise needed for success in college and a career. The edited volume Anytime, Anywhere: Student Centered Learning for Schools

and Teachers will be available spring 2013 from Harvard Education Press. This Jobs for the Futureproject is supported generously by

funds from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

Copyright 2013 Jobs for the Future with Christina Hinton, EdD. All rights reserved.

Each student's brain is unique

The brain is shaped by a continuous interaction of geneticsand experience.

As a result, each students brain is organized in a unique way. Eachstudent has a complex and dynamic profile of strengths andlimitations, and a students ability in one area does not predict hisor her ability in another area.

Instructional strategies should meet the

different needsand interestsof students

Students can follow different learning pathways to master the same core skills.

Each individual learns mosteffectively through experiencestailored to his or her needs andinterests.

Traditional instruction, set pacingcalendars, and standardizedcurriculum make it extremelydifficult to accommodate forindividual differences.

maximize what we knowabout how students learn

Student-centered approaches to learning

Harness the full range of learning experiences at all times of the day, week, and year.

Emphasize motivation and engagement as central to learning.

Embrace the learners experience and research on teaching and learning as the

starting point of education.

Expand and reshape the role of the educator.

Determine progression based upon mastery.

Learning is happening all the time,

. . . and informalsettings

both in formal. . .

The brain doesnt stop learningwhen the school bell rings.Experiences outside of schoolcontinue to shape the brain and astudents abilities

Given this, education systemsshould formally recognize andcredit informal educationexperiences with nontraditionaleducators, as well as moretraditional school experiences.

Learning is most likely to occur

when experiences are active, not passive

The changes in the brainsneuronal connections thatunderlie learning occur whenstudents are actively engaged inlearning relevant information.Passive exposure to information,on the other hand, does notnecessarily lead to learning.

In educational terms, thissuggests that seat time in aclassroom will not necessarily

lead to learning.

The brain is highly adaptive,

continually changesand each student's brain

as he/she learns

Learning experiences are translated intoelectrical and chemical signals, whichcascade among neurons in many areas ofthe brain. Gradually, these signals modifyconnections among neurons in certainareas of the brain and those areas arereorganized.

The brain is made up of networks

of interconnecting nerve cells,called neurons, and supportiveglial cells.

Learning experiences shape thephysical architecture of the brain.

The brains adaptability meansthat each students abilities arecontinuously developing.

Brainy Approaches to Learning

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Student-centered Approaches to Learning