Learner-Centered Classroom Practices and Assessments: Maximizing Student Motivation, Learning, and Achievement

"I loved the connections that were made between the suggested practices to improve teaching and real-life uses of those practices!"
―Brigitte Tennis, Head Teacher, Stella Schola Middle School, Redmond, WA

"One of the most well–written books on educational theory. Goes to the heart of teaching―the students."
―Betty Brandenburg Yundt, Fifth–Grade Teacher, Walker Intermediate School, Fort Knox, KY

"Offers practical suggestions for how to create a learner–centered environment."
―Judi Elman, English Teacher, Highland Park High School, IL

Create a learner–centered environment that promotes individual student achievement!

Using core principles of educational psychology, this research–based resource provides instructional strategies and assessment tools that emphasize learning partnerships between teachers and students as they rally support from parents, community, administrators, school staff, and other teachers. The sound psychological foundation of the learner–centered model supports student growth, development, and achievement by focusing on such key factors as cognition, metacognition, motivation, affect, and individual differences. This teacher–friendly guide also features:

• Interactive training exercises
• Self–assessments and reflection tools
• Real–life success stories and models
• Extensive reproducibles and illustrations
• A comprehensive glossary and research resources

Appropriate for preservice and inservice use, Learner–Centered Classroom Practices and Assessments provides teachers with essential and practical tools for maximizing learning collaborations among teachers, students, and parents.

Barbara L. McCombs directs the Human Motivation, Learning, and Development Center at the University of Denver. The center focuses on the professional development of educators, personal and organizational change, systemic educational reform, and school violence prevention.

McCombs’ current research is directed at new leadership models for redesigning outdated views of schooling and learning. This research has led to her international and national recognition in areas that include transformational teacher development approaches, motivating hard-to-reach students, and the use of technology as a primary tool for empowering youth and facilitating relevant learning.

The author has begun a series of books published by Corwin Press. Learner-Centered Classroom Practices and Assessments: Maximizing Student Motivation, Learning, and Achievement (2006) was co-authored with Lynda Miller and written for teachers. Her second book in the series, written for school administrators and other school leaders, was also co-authored with Lynda Miller and is titled A School Leader’s Guide to Creating Learner-Centered Education: From Complexity to Simplicity (2008).

McCombs is the primary author of Learner-Centered Psychological Principles (LCPs): Guidelines for School Redesign and Reform. She has developed research-validated learner-centered models of teaching and learning based on the LCPs.

Through collaborations with colleagues at the University of Bristol in England, she developed an online version of her Assessment of Learner-Centered Practices (ALCP) teacher and student surveys. These surveys have been validated with over 35,000 students and their teachers in Grades K-3, 4-8, 9-12, and college level. The ALCP surveys are being used in numerous national and international K-12 schools as well as colleges.

Lynda Miller began her professional career as a junior high school English teacher in Westminster, Colorado. Her interest in language and cognitive development led her to graduate studies, which culminated in a PhD in language development and disorders and learning disabilities. She has held teaching positions at the University of Colorado, the University of Montana, and the University of Texas at Austin, where she pursued her research on cognition, learning styles, and intelligence. Her research and teaching focused on identifying and describing students’ learning strengths and abilities, and on translating that information into instructional strategies designed to support students’ developing skills as motivated, self-responsible learners. Miller is the author of numerous publications on a variety of topics, the majority of which focus on the learner and learning as the essential features of successful instruction.