Student Support
There are many considerations facing professors as they design effective classes, not in the least being the characteristics of the learner.[1] In any discipline where there is a target audience, success hinges on knowing and fulfilling the needs of that audience.
Higher education is no exception. As the learner-centered classroom becomes more predominant throughout the industry, the differing characteristics of the learner have become a central consideration in course design.
Implicit in this trend is the accommodation of diverse learners. The challenges presented are a result of differing prior knowledge, learning styles, sociocultural, and economic backgrounds of the learner. Understanding these differences and including strategies in the course designed to accommodate them is the focus of this section.
Source Information
1. Frye, R., Mckinney, G. R., & Trimble, J. E. (2006). Tools and Techniques for Program Improvement: Handbook for Course Review and Assessment of Student Learning. Western Washington University: Bellingham, WA.