The Effect of Student-Centered Instruction on the Academic Achievement of First Grade Students

Abstract

The study attempted to determine the impact of student-centered learning on student achievement among first grade students. Three classes of first grade students participated in the study. The study used a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest control group design. Two classes continued to receive the science instruction as provided by the county, while one class received science instruction tailored to be student-centered. Students in the student-centered class asked questions that drove the instruction, where students in the traditional classroom were taught based on a pre-determined curriculum. Before and after the sound unit in the science curriculum, each student was given a five-question survey to indicate their feelings about science instruction and given an assessment to evaluate mastery of the sound unit content. In this study, the change from pre-to-post unit test scores was statistically significant in favor of the student-centered approach. Further research should continue in this area to determine specific strategies that are most effective in encouraging student autonomy, as well as expanding the sample size to include a wider range of age levels.