Student-Centered Learning

Abstract

Higher education was characterized by the lecture form during many decades. But, we are witnesses that with the intensive development of information technologies circumstances in this setting have been also intensively changed. The knowledge has changed. The students have also changed. They prefer instant information, they want to see their knowledge applied. Therefore system had to be changed through last 15-20 years - from teaching to educational system. This Education Reform involves: - A shift from the lecture form to a student-centered approach to learning. - A shift in the paradigm from measuring educational attainment to measuring of competencies. - A change in emphasis from focus on content in curriculum to a problem solving in new situation. In this communication we present our results done in this setting in cooperation with our colleagues and students from the University of Belgrade and the State University of Novi Pazar. More precisely, we analyze the role of Electronic teaching accessories, computers and software in the development of some competencies (spatial abilities, problem solving, critical way of thinking, etc.) as well as some soft skills within Geometry courses. Some of these results have obtained through international projects: - Multimedia Technology for Mathematics and Computer Science Education, financially supported by DAAD, http://poincare.matf.bg.ac.rs/~daad/ - Geometry Education for Future Architects, financially supported by DAAD,http://www.math.tu-dresden.de/~lordick - Bokan, N., Ljucovic, M. and Vukmirovic, S., Computer-aided teaching of descriptive geometry, J. Geom. Graph. 13, No.2, 221-229, 2009. - Bokan, N., Sukilovic, T. and Vukmirovic, S., On modeling of competencies in a Descriptive Geometry Course, Pollack Periodica, An International Journalfor Engineering and Information Science, DOI: 10.1556/Polack.7.2012.S.17,Vol.7, Suppl. (2012) 173-183.