Using learner-centred learning (LCL) in undergraduate sociology courses

This paper describes a learner-centred learning (LCL) approach that we have used to teach undergraduate sociology subjects. We were motivated to use LCL for three reasons. First, we believe that whereas teacher-centred learning (TCL) tends to reproduce passive and dependent learning and only extracts surface knowledge, LCL affords greater opportunities for fostering active, independent, and deep learning (Ramsden 1992). Secondly, we deem it important that students develop skills for communicating in groups, especially for resolving group tensions. Such group communication skills are increasingly required in many of the work settings they are likely to encounter during their occupational careers. Finally, shrinking resources and increasing enrolments have limited our capacity to provide students with regular tutorial experiences. We now delineate how we have used LCL in our sociology courses.