Learner-centred Education in International Perspective: Whose pedagogy for whose development?

Is learner-centred education appropriate for all societies and classrooms? This book explores debates around learner-centred education (LCE) as a strategy for the development of teachers#xE2;#xAC;" classroom practice. It examines LCE at a conceptual level, and draws upon empirical evidence to interrogate both the assumptions about its benefits, and the arguments against it, which are gaining currency. It focuses in particular on its use in non-#xE2;#xAC;#xDC;Western#xE2;#xAC;" contexts and in resource-poor classrooms. While LCE continues to be promoted in many agency, academic and policy circles, arguments on all sides are often underpinned by a lack of conceptual clarity or sound evidence. This book aims to address this gap by providing an authoritative and balanced investigation of the issues. It draws on a wide range of evidence, including studies conducted by the author in South Africa, Russia, and The Gambia, and on international students from developing countries studying in the UK. It also presents case studies from recent research literature to illustrate the issues and explore them from a culturally-nuanced perspective. The book will be useful for a range of audiences internationally, both in the North and the South, including academics, post-graduate students, and policy-makers in development agencies (including NGOs) and government ministries.