A Longitudinal Study on Learner-centered Courses in Graduate Research
Abstract: This 15-year longitudinal study examined the effectiveness of a learner-centered approach that challenged graduate students to design their research interests around what was important in their TK-12 classrooms. The methodology utilized both inferential and descriptive research with a systematic categorization of 1274 topic selections, collected from action research projects and thesis papers. Three sets of data were separated according to the instructional approach. The data patterns revealed that the same number of categories held constant for all three data sets, with new ones added (or discarded) in an almost equal amount every five years. The core concepts taught in teacher education programs remained of interest to graduate research students. However, each data set reflected the pressures current at that time for TK-12 teachers: compliance with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act; integrating inclusion models in classrooms; and mandated professional development for teaching special education children totally online.