Constructivist Theories of Learning

What ideas and influences are associated with Brune?

1.     Construction

-          Paradigm if learning

-          Learners create their own knowledge

2.     Discovery learning (Originator)

-          Method of instruction

-          Learning is best achieved through a process of inquiry

Constructivist Approach of Teaching and Learning

What is constructivism?

Constructivist theory believes that knowledge is not something that individual gain from the outside: rather it is something they gain from their own active experiences.

·       A view of learning based on the belief that knowledge isn’t a thing that can simply be given by the teacher at the front of the room to students in their desk.

·       Students learn by fitting new information together with what they already know

·       Learners are the builders and creators of meaning and knowledge

·       Knowledge is constructed by learners through an active, mental process of development

Basic Tenets of constructivism

1.     Leaners construct their knowledge:

Constructivism is the belief that learners construct their own knowledge from their experiences.

2.     Learning in the socio-cultural context:

Constructivism involves the active creation and modification of thoughts, ideas and understanding as the result of experiences that occur within a socio-cultural context.

3.     Learner autonomy:

Learners are active participants in the learning process and ultimately responsible for their own learning.

4.     Holistic perspective:

The holistic perspective is  non-reductionist approach that emphazises learning in context.  It is viewed that knowledge is no passively accumulated but rather is the result of active cognizing by the learner.

·       Piaget believed learning occurs by an action construction of memory, rather than by receiving it passively.

·       He states, “When we, as learners, encounter an experience or situation that conflicts with our current way of thinking, a state of imbalance is created.

·       We must alter our thinking to restore equilibrium or balance.

-          To do this, we must associated it with what we already know

-          The developing child must build cognitive structures through the use of …

o   Mental maps

o   Concept maps

Concept maps help us begin with information we are familiar with and branch to build new ideas.

What Piaget did not talk about…..

The role of communication and adult support

Social Constructivism – Lev Vygostsky

  Social constructivism emphasized the importance of social interactive, culture and language in the construction of knowledge and learning.

·       According to him, knowledge is constructed when human beings interact with one another.

·       Learning or knowledge is a product that is society constructed

·       Learning is not simply the association and accommodation of new knowledge but acquired when learners interact with others and the environment.

·       Vygotsky strongly believed that language and culture play an important role in the intellectual development of human beings

·       Learning is a collaborative process that is influenced by language and culture, Vygotsky developed his concept of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which he describes learning that learners can do with support of others.

ZPD

All developing individuals have both an actual developmental level and a ZPD.  A difference exists between what a child can di on her own and what the child can do with help.  Vygotskian call this difference the zone of proximal development.

Scaffolding is the gradual transition from assisted to independent learning.  This process involve moving from using a great deal of assistance to slowly taking over until eventually no assistance is needed.

Why constructivism is important?

-          Fosters critical thinking

-          Creates active and motivated learners

-          Students are able to learn through constructing their own understanding

-          This approach frees teachers to make decisions which enhance and enrich student’s development

How does the constructivist teacher make this style work?

-          He/She is flexible

-          He/She constructively incorporates ongoing experiences with real-life situations

-          Students work in small groups

-          Students work individually

-          Interactive activities become main focus

What does student-centered mean?

-          The students are the center of attention, not the teacher

-          Children are placed in group, they work together to find meaning

-          Each student takes on a different objectives or part of the assignment or project.

-          They become “experts” in their subjects.

-          Students teach one another to become experts on their “piece of the puzzle”.

-          Together, as a whole, the group becomes experts from one another.

-          The teacher, facilitator, guide on the side NOT mentor in the middle.

What about the constructivist classroom?

Student should be presented with real life problems and then helped to discover information required to solve them.

-          As we know the environment is a student centered one.

-          Students are empowered by a teacher who operates as a “guide on the side” VS a “mentor in the center” or “sage on the stage”

-          Classrooms are structured so that learners are immersed in experiences with in which they may engage in meaningful…

Inquiry, action, imagination, invention, interaction, hypothesizing, personal relection

Important roles of the teacher

-          Working    -      Listening

-          Asking questions to learn about students

-          Having the ability to observe and listen to one’s students and their experiences in the classroom contributes to his other ability to use a constructivist approach

-          A constructivist approach contributes to one’s ability to observe and listen in the classroom.

What is Discovery Learning?

Teaching method

-          Inquiry based process

-          Focuses on learning through experience

-          Spiral construction of curriculum (revisits concepts)

-          Learner builds on post experience

-          Students interact with environment

-          Discover facts and relationships on own

-          Students create own construct of knowledge through narrative

Examples of Discovery Learning

1.     Learning with and through narratives

2.     Case-based learning

3.     Guided discovery

4.     Problem-based learning

5.     Simulation-based learning

6.     Incidental learning

Discovery Learning

Advantages	Criticisms
Active engagement	Too much information (cognitive overhead)
Promotes motivation	Often requires vast resources unavailable in traditional class rooms
Promotes ownership of learning	Lack of teacher’s control
The development of creativity on problem solving skills	Potential misconceptions
A tailored learning experience	Teacher may fail to recognize misconceptions