Research has shown that high student achievement is most strongly linked to high quality teachers. The question, though, is what makes a high quality teacher? Analyzing educators’ choice of teaching methodology is critical to answering this question.

Do teachers use teacher-centered methods, where teachers transmit knowledge and information to their students, or do they use student-centered methods, where teachers act as facilitators so that students can discover knowledge for themselves? What does the empirical evidence show as to which method more effectively improves student achievement? What methods are favored by the California State University (CSU) schools of education? This study answers these and other questions and makes recommendations as to what are the best courses of action for improving teacher training and teacher quality.

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