Teachers' Evaluation of Student-Centered Learning Environments

Problem Statement: The student-centered teaching is the arrangement of the teaching experience focusing on the students' responsibilities and activities in the learning process which takes into consideration the students' interests, demands and needs. According to this approach, while teaching experiences are planned, different learning strategies and styles of students are taken into account. A student who can reach information is more valuable than the one who memorizes it.The Aim of Study: The aim of this study is to determine teachers' evaluations of their own classes in terms of the student-centered learning environment dimensions of time, place and infrastructure, psyco-social aspect.Methods: The research is descriptive in design. In this study, a data collection instrument was used that lends itself for teachers to evaluate their classes in terms of the dimensions of student-centered learning; namely time, place, infrastructure and psycho-social.Findings: Teachers' evaluations of student-centered learning environments in relation to different variables highlight that teaching area is an effective factor putting elementary school teaching at an advantage in terms of scores. Teachers, when asked to evaluate the dimensions of student-centered learning environments, have given the highest score to psycho-social dimension, followed by time, equipment and place dimensions.Conclusions and Discussion: Basen on the results of the study, the following suggestions are made. Teachers, while determining on educational models and approaches in their teaching-learning process, should ensure that it allows students to learn on their own. Within the school and class context, teachers should allocate time for activities that increase student-centered learning, individual and social activities like extra-curricular activites, student club activities. Teachers should be offered chances of in-service training so that they can improve their skills and gain knowledge about student-centered learning with respect to their teaching areas.