In a student-centered learning environment, I had the most success with making the switch from an authority-base conception of learning to a self-regulated conception of learning. Prior to taking this course, I had the perception that my learning and understanding of course material is solely the responsibility of the professor; I refused to take proper accountability for my learning apart from doing the work that was assigned to me. In other words, I only did what the professor said to do, and if that was not enough to get me to the point of full understanding and achievement of the goals and expectations of the course, then I would not take accountability for that and instead looked for a flaw in the professor’s style of teaching. This course has taught me that though the role of the professor is very important, my role inside and outside of the classroom is equally important and essential to my success in the course.
One such example of this was made evident as I worked through a few of the slips crafted for us to practice and prepare for the comprehensive final exam. I decided to work on these problems with closed notes to test whether or not I was able to think critically to arrive at a solution and not just memorize a process. I carefully read through every word of the problem and began to dissect everything that was given. I found that there was a word in the problem that I did not fully understand so I decided to use a search engine to grasp the meaning a little bit better. Once I found the definition of the term in its geotechnical context, it was as if a light switch was turned on and I was instantly able to work through the problem and propose a justifiable solution. It was in these moments that I realized that I truly had succeeded at making the switch to self-regulated conception learning.
On the other hand, the area that I found the most challenging in this learning approach was being willing to express an opinion or hazard a guess. Time after time in class lectures, I discovered that I seldom spoke up or loud enough for my opinion to be heard and considered. I am learning to trust that what I have to say is valuable even if it is wrong. I typically have never been the student to ask questions or raise my hand too much in class because of fear of not being perceived as intelligent. I have come to understand that asking questions are not a sign of weakness but strength and that hazarding a guess is an act of courage. I am grateful for this awareness as it is the first step to making the internal and behavioral changes that confidence demands.
Conclusively, the student-centered learning approach was a very rewarding one. Students were able to take more accountability for their education and leave the class as critical thinkers and not masters of memorizing equations. I am very grateful for Dr. Fleming and how she so gracefully implemented this style of learning into the classroom environment. It was truly beneficial and helped the students work more effectively as peers and will ultimately help us to be more effective as career professionals.
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