Manyu Chen

Learner-centered education (LCE) has become a prominent reform orientation worldwide, emphasizing learner agency, autonomy-supportive pedagogy, formative assessment, and collaborative learning communities. Yet, LCE is often implemented as a set of techniques rather than a coherent theory-informed design, leading to superficial adoption and uneven outcomes. This paper offers (a) a theoretical reflection that clarifies LCE’s conceptual foundations through self-determination theory, self-regulated learning, and evidence on active learning, and (b) a practical exploration using a mixed-methods illustrative dataset comparing a learner-centered intervention with lecture-centered instruction in an undergraduate context. Quantitative results (synthetic example data provided for demonstration) suggest higher learning gains and engagement under the learner-centered condition; qualitative themes highlight the importance of task authenticity, feedback loops, and classroom relational trust for sustaining learner agency. The paper proposes an integrative framework linking design principles to measurable outcomes and offers implementable guidance for educators seeking theoretically grounded, context-sensitive LCE.

learner-centered education; learner agency; self-determination theory; self-regulated learning; formative assessment; active learning; mixed methods

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