Teacher’s perception about student-centered learning in the government primary schools

Abstract

Student-centered learning represents a pedagogical approach that places students at the center of the educational process, emphasizing their active participation and individual needs. This approach has gained significant attention in Bangladesh's educational reform guided by the National Curriculum Framework 2021. In this regard, the aim of this qualitative study was to explore teachers' perceptions of student-centered learning in government primary schools in Bangladesh. The research site and participants were selected with purposive sampling. This research explored current practices and perceptions according to ten assistant teachers from four government primary schools through in-depth interviews and classroom observations. The qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis following Creswell's six-step approach, with transcribed interviews coded and grouped into themes validated through member checking. As a result, this study found common practices including group work, peer learning, interactive activities, and teachers' role as facilitators. Teachers held positive attitudes toward student-centered learning and recognized its benefits for enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes. Though, teachers faced substantial systemic barriers including large class sizes of 40-60 students, infrastructure limitations, time constraints, and limited parental understanding that hindered effective implementation. However, teachers demonstrated openness to the approach and made efforts to introduce student-centered elements while managing these constraints.