The path to student-centered teaching in gerontology and geriatrics

Student- or learner-centered teaching has an historical context--it is old and new. This article traces the path that has brought us full circle to once again concentrating on student learning instead of teacher teaching--from the era of learning being restricted to the wealthy and privileged, to today where learning institutions are inclusive. Three pressures are identified and discussed that have been the catalysts for reevaluating teaching methods in higher education: assessment of teaching and learning at the institutional level, generational differences between instructor and student, and a better understanding of how students learn. The rubric is examined as a method of assessing student progress in a student-centered environment. These are then related to the teaching of gerontology and geriatrics where students and teachers alike have a distinct edge over other content areas where the practicum experience is not part of the educational fabric.