STUDENT-oriented teaching has emerged as a widely advocated approach in higher education. It emphasizes tailoring teaching methods, content, and assessment to meet the needs, interests, and learning styles of students. Central to this approach are key inherent characteristics of adult learners, including self-regulation, motivation, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
Compared with the traditional teacher-centred approach, this method shifts the onus of responsibility for learning onto students. This approach offers numerous advantages over traditional teaching methods; nevertheless, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution to every problem in higher education, particularly in the Pakistani context, where the educational system is still evolving.
The learning of students is influenced by many factors; however, under the student-centred approach, learners are responsible for their learning, as they are assumed to be inherently responsible and motivated adults. This assumption does not hold true for all students entering higher education. Our students are primarily trained to obtain grades, and little attention is paid to uncovering their individual abilities and strengths during their education. Such students are familiar with lectures and find it highly overwhelming when exposed to new methodologies, where they are required to work on their own without the teacher.
While student-centered approaches have been adopted by universities in documents, their implementation faces several drawbacks due to multiple contextual challenges. Public-sector universities in Pakistan rely on large-group teaching through lectures, where students are passive recipients of information. In contrast, the student-centered approach requires small-group teaching, with 7 to 8 students engaged in collaborative activities.
Successful implementation requires not only student orientation but also a change in infrastructure, including flexible spaces for collaborative learning, technological integration, and additional faculty for small-group teaching. Trained faculty is another prerequisite for conducting such sessions, where they can identify the needs of students and provide mentoring and personalized, structured feedback for improvement. The financial burden faced by universities in Pakistan significantly hampers the implementation of modern practices. Public universities rely heavily on government funding, which is often insufficient to cover operational costs, let alone support innovative teaching methods, faculty hiring, and training. Universities prioritize survival by cutting costs, reducing staff, or freezing development projects, leaving little room for adopting progressive, student-centered practices.
In summary, while the student-centered approach offers significant benefits, its implementation in Pakistan is hindered by systemic barriers, resource constraints, and cultural attitudes, requiring substantial investment and policy reform to overcome these challenges.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
