Towards the Development and Implementation of Learner-centered Education in Kosovo

Abstract

This article presents a study that examined how teachers understand student-centred teaching and learning among a sample of in-service teachers in Kosovo, as it emerges as an independent state. In this study, 36 practicing teachers responded to a survey exploring how teachers understand and use contemporary and traditional teaching methodologies. Using a largely qualitative analytic framework, findings revealed that teachers currently appear to understand the philosophy of learner-centred teaching but also possessed a rather superficial view of how these approaches can be implemented in classroom settings. The authors concluded that to broaden the use of these kinds of practices, deliberate emphasis needs to be placed on expanding teacher understanding from theory to practice. The authors recommended that to be most effective, such development will need to be driven by educational policy, embedded in teacher preparation, and supported by opportunities for ongoing collaborations among practicing teachers.