Abstract

It is important to advance research that sheds light on surrounding influences impacting student learning, student motivation, and students’ self-beliefs as learners. Research indicates that students’ individual capacities could be better realized by providing active, problem-based, and integrated curricula that supports their healthy mindsets as learners. Student-led inquiry is necessary for fostering mindsets as creators, not just consumers. This article explores a research study conducted in undergraduate, “Art and Society” liberal studies courses at a large university redesigned to be more problem-centered and learner-centered. It was hypothesized that more active learning environments would enhance students’ perceptions about their learning and thinking abilities, toward supporting their motivation and deep learning. Learner-centered classrooms were those designed to include experiential and reflective learning within the constructs of connection-making, inquiry, and self-direction. Active learning strategies involving problem-based and design-based learning were employed. A survey measure was used to understand students’ self-perceptions in relation to their application of knowledge and understanding in more and less learner-centered classrooms. This work extends previous research that suggested that intelligence is influenced by the thinking and learning culture and that those students in more learner-centered environments may also be better at thinking in balanced ways.