Faculty Members Efficiency in Learner-Centered Approach: Perspectives From the Social Sciences Faculties

Problem Statement: Learner-centred approach is considered to be more effective than the teacher-centred approach. But there are some studies which reveal that learner-centred approach has not been applied sufficiently in institutions of higher education. Also, according to the findings of serveral studies, there are a number of variables that seem to have effects on learner-centred approach. Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to investigate the faculty members' opinions and the students' opinions about faculty members' efficiency in learner-centered approach and whether some variables affect their opinions. Method: The data this survey study were collected from 97 faculty members and 2235 students. They filled out a 48-item scale with parallel form which were based on the learner-centred principles. T-test and ANOVA (One way Analysis of Variance) were used for the analysis of the data. Findings and Results: When the opinions of the faculty members are considered, the level of efficiency in learner-centered approach is found out be significantly higher than the level of efficiency declared in students opinions. The independent variable that are investigated in terms of their effects on faculty member's application of learner-centred approach are observed to be significantly ineffective in faculty members' opinions. When the oinions of the students are considered, it is seen that the opinions of female students are more positive than the opinions of male students about the faculty members' efficiency in learner-centred approach. Additionally, students have considered the faculty members with teaching experience of five year or less, more learner-centred compared to the faculty members with teaching experience of six-10 years. Conclusions and Recommendation: The study shows that faculty members' opinions are significantly different from the students' opinions about faculty members' efficiency in learner-centred approach. However, the results related to the faculty members' and students' characteristics confirm some previous studies. Characteristics of the faculty members and their students generally do not have effects on applying learner-centred approach. So, if the institutions of higher education implicate principles of learner-centred approach in faculty members' training programs and make the faculty members participate in studies about their teaching fields, the faculty members will apply learner-centered approach more properly on a larger scale.