[quoting Norman, 1 Apr 96] What do you think of the initiative toward a learner-centered education, one that involves the students in a constructive activity more than is today traditional in the lecture-centered curriculum. Note that I am not asking whether this is a new idea: the question is whether it is a good idea.
Can we look at this from a construct other than good or bad? It seems to me that the evolution to learning-centered education follows the move from the Industrial Age to the Information Age. The skills needed in the Industrial Age were "assembly-line" skills. Most workers needed to follow orders and most organizations were top-down in structure. Information Age organizations are web-structured and need individuals who are more creative and self-motivated. There's more leeway in how you do your job and less direction. Is the shift towards learner-centered education just a reaction to the new skills required in today's economy?