Exploring a Structured Definition for Learner-Centered Design

As computers become more powerful and prevalent, more researchers are exploring computer tools to help novices gain an understanding into new work domains. The development of such tools involves what has been termed a “learner-centered design” process. But while there is an intuitive notion of what is meant by learner-centered design, there is no formal definition. Here we present our definition of learner-centered design, a definition formed by extending the definition for the traditional “user-centered design” approach. Specifically, we define “learnercentered design” in terms of its target audience, the problems it addresses, and the underlying approach for addressing those problems. From a software development viewpoint, by presenting a more formal definition, we hope to not only better describe what we mean by learner-centered software, but also provide a base by which we can explore more structured design methods for developing and implementing effective learner-centered software.