Higher education students' attitudes to student-centred learning: beyond 'educational bulimia?

If education is to be truly student-centred, students should be consulted about the process of learning and teaching. Moreover, within the current higher education climate, it is imperative that institutions move from an 'inside out' approach, where those on the inside 'know' what is best, to an 'outside in' approach where customers' expectations are researched and serviced. The research reported here investigated higher education students' perceptions of and attitudes to student-centred learning. Two studies were conducted, employing the complementary methods of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The first study involved focus groups while the second involved an Internet questionnaire. Results showed that students generally held very positive views of student-centred learning. However, they were unsure as to whether current resources were adequate to support the effective implementation and maintenance of such an approach. Implications of these findings are discussed with respect to educational research and practice.