Learning, according to Ambrose and her colleagues (2010), is a process that leads to the transformation of knowledge, skills, beliefs and behaviours of each learner, and this change takes place over time and affects the way students think and act. Teaching is considered to be the sum total of the actions of each teacher in order to cultivate appropriate learning conditions for students.

The basic principles by which the student-centred approach is defined by McDonough (2012) are as follows:

• The student-centred approach is based on teaching that actively involves students in the learning process
• It encourages students to reflect on what they are learning and how they are learning it in order to achieve self-regulation and autonomy
• Students are involved in decisions about how they learn and how they are assessed
  Students are treated as equal partners in the learning process
• All students’ (diverse) backgrounds, interests, competences and experiences are valued and respected.