In three parts the presentation considers: What challenges are there in assessing the new European Standard and Guideline for Quality Assurance in Higher Education on Student Centred Learning? What indicators an be used to measured Student Centred Learning in Higher Education Institutions? What does an increased focus on student-centred learning mean for the Higher Education sector more generally? Presented at the PASCL Final Conference in Brussels on 27/05/2016

1. Challenges in
Peer-Reviewing Student-
Centred Learning
Anthony F. Camilleri . Knowledge Innovation Centre
PASCL Final Confernence, Brussels, May 2016.
pascl.eu

2. PASCL in numbers
6
european
organizations
7
institutions
reviewed
40
trained
experts
0.5 mil
budget
3
conferences
386
days of work
pascl.eu

3. Our definition
Student-Centred Learning represents both a
mindset and a culture within a given higher
education institution and is a learning approach which
is broadly related to, and supported by, constructivist
theories of learning.
It is characterised by innovative methods of
teaching which aim to promote learning in
communication with teachers and other learners and
which take students seriously as active participants
in their own learning, fostering transferable skills
such as problem solving, critical thinking and reflective
thinking
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4. ESG Standard
Institutions should ensure that the
programmes are delivered in a way that
encourages students to take an active role
in creating the learning process, and that
the assessment of students reflects this
approach.
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5. First Challenge
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SCL ≠
student satisfaction
responsiveness to
student requirements
high levels of student
representation

6. First Challenge
student-
centred
institution
institution
promoting student-
centred teaching
and learning
vs

7. Second Challenge
Who to review vis-à-vis
Student Centred
Learning?
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8. Shared responsibility for
Flexibility of Methods
Institutional
Level
• Staff development for Innovative Methods
• Quality Assurance Dept. detects feedback on applicability
of methods
Faculty
Level
• Outlines design approach for courses & programmes
• Allocates resources for various methods
Programme
Level
• Actual decision on which methods to use
• Direct feedback from students on the methods
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9. Third Challenge
How do we verify
that student centred learning
is taking place?
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10. ESG Guidelines
Student-centred learning and teaching plays an important role in stimulating
students’ motivation, self-reflection and engagement in the learning process. This
means careful consideration of the design and delivery of study programmes and
the assessment of outcomes.
The implementation of student-centered learning and teaching
• respects and attends to the diversity of students and their needs, enabling
flexible learning paths;
• considers and uses different modes of delivery, where appropriate;
• flexibly uses a variety of pedagogical methods;
• regularly evaluates and adjusts the modes of delivery and pedagogical
methods;
• encourages a sense of autonomy in the learner, while ensuring adequate
guidance and support from the teacher;
• promotes mutual respect within the learner-teacher relationship;
• has appropriate procedures for dealing with students’ complaints.
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11. Generic Process Model
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12. Elements of the ESG
Guideline on SCL
Requirements
• Respect to the diversity of students and their needs
• Encouragement of a sense of autonomy
• Promotion of mutual respect
Process
• Flexible learning pathways
• Flexible use of pedagogical methods & modes of delivery
• Appropriate Complaints system
Outputs
(Satisfaction)
• Students who are motivated, self-reflecting and engaged
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13. Requirements
(diversity / autonomy / respect)
Policies &
Strategies
Institutional
Metrics
Observational
Data
Open Door Policies
(teachers & facilities)
‘bring your own content’
data collection on social
dimension
Outline of respective
rights & responsibilities
Mobility Strategies
(Intra- and Extra-HEI)
diversity of
population reflects
society?
Degree of RPL
Degree of external
credits
Attendance
enthusiasm
manners
timelines
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14. Processes
(flexible pathways / modes / methods)
Policies &
Strategies
Institutional
Metrics
Observational
Data
Teaching Excellence
encompassing SCL
Resource Allocation for
Flexible pedagogy
(infrastructure, support,
expertise)
Personal Learning
Plans
Allowing students to
study when, where
and how they want
tracking of student
pathways and credit
choices
programme guides
QA data
in-class evaluation of
pathways / modes /
methods
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15. Outputs
(motivated, self-reflecting and engaged students)
Policies &
Strategies
Institutional
Metrics
Observational
Data
Incorporation of SCL
(Erasmus-style,
MOOCs, clubs &
associations)
Attendance
volume of complaints,
suggestions
Volume of questions
& contact hours
Participation in extra-
curricular activities
(clubs, competitions, events)
24h campus
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16. Student Centred
Learning
is
HARD
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17. What does this mean
for Universities?
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18. source angel.co
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19. Scenario 1:
Vertically Integrated Universities
vs
open-world of credit-providers
source: angel.co
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20. Scenario 2: Flexible Pedagogies
lead to new professions
We believe that future educators will blend insights from different
fields—education research, cognitive science, disciplinary knowledge,
social science, and so on—to offer each learner a carefully
orchestrated experience blending online and face-to-face learning.
The design and implementation of these experiences, based on
science, will in our view be best carried out by a new breed of
professional—the learning engineer.
(MIT report)
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21. Scenario 3: Quality Assurance
increasingly emphasises teaching
Assessment of teaching and learning strategies can be
sharpened through the interplay of internal and external
quality assurance.
External quality assurance carry useful potential for
contributing to quality-rich teaching and learning
environments with dynamic programme design/
implementation.
The more the learning and teaching process moves into the
limelight, the greater the stimulus to internal quality
assurance and internal systems which are dedicated to
achieving quality teaching.
Source: Improving the quality of teaching and learning in Europe’s higher education institutions
(http://ec.europa.eu/education/library/reports/modernisation_en.pdf)
pascl.eu

22. pascl.eu
PASCL ≠
student
satisfaction
responsiveness to
student
requirements
high levels of
student
representation

23. First Challenge
pascl.eu
PASCL =
a tool for
institutional
transformation
an enabler towards
a post-industrial
society

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Released under a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 4.0
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You are free:
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for any purpose, even commercially.
This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission. This publication reflects the
views only of the authors, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may
be made of the information contained therein.
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Presentation available from
http://www.slideshare.net/anthonycamilleri
anthony@knowledgeinnovation.eu
Thanks for your
attention