A Learn model for aligning learner-centred education with national assessment systems
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22436966 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Edmond Ahovi (University of Education, Winneba, corresponding author), Frank Quansah (0000-0002-4580-0939, University of Education, Winneba) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-11 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Discover Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2731-5525 • E-ISSN: 2731-5525 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s44217-026-01311-5 |
| OpenAlex | W7134984592 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 29 |
This study addresses the critical misalignment between learner-centred education (LCE) pedagogies and national assessment systems, particularly predominant in developing countries, where traditional standardised tests persist despite curricular shifts toward competency-based, inclusive learning and education. Drawing on constructivism philosophy, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and authentic assessment theory, the paper proposes the LEARN model, a conceptual framework designed to bridge this policy-practice gap by redefining national assessments as tools that reflect and support learner-centred principles. The model’s five components (i.e., Learner-Centred Design, Evidence of Competence, Adaptive to Context, Reflective and Feedback-Oriented, and Nationally Relevant and Scalable), prioritise performance-based tasks, contextual flexibility, formative feedback, and equity. Through a conceptual review of the literature, the paper highlights the systemic contradictions undermining LCE reforms, exemplified by cases particularly from Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, where high-stakes examinations perpetuate rote learning, despite policy endorsements of learner-centred pedagogies. The LEARN model offers actionable pathways for policymakers, curriculum designers, and educators to align national assessments with LCE goals, ensuring equitable evaluation of higher-order and relevant skills. Implications for teacher training, inclusive education, and national monitoring systems are discussed, positioning the model as a transformative tool for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4’s vision of quality education. The study concludes with a call for empirical validation of the LEARN conceptual model across diverse contexts to advance global assessment reform.
Educational Assessment and Pedagogy · Intelligent Tutoring Systems and Adaptive Learning · Student Assessment and Feedback
Learner-centred Education in International Perspective
Reimagining our futures together
Beyond Academic Learning
Developing the theory of formative assessment
Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems
A typology of reviews
Revisiting education reform in Kenya
Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development
The outcomes of learner-centred pedagogy
Teacher confidence to implement the principles, guidelines, and checkpoints of universal design for learning
Learner-centred education in developing country contexts
The Power of Feedback
Formative assessment and self-regulated learning
Building a Conceptual Framework
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |