Constructivism

By Kiarra Clark&

Tina McFarlin

What is Constructivism ?• Has roots in philosophy, psychology, sociology, and education.

• Learners construct knowledge for themselves and build new knowledge upon the foundation of previous learning.

Constructivism…a History…

• Has its roots in classical antiquity, going back to Socrates's dialogues with his followers in which he asked directed questions that led his students to realize for themselves the weaknesses in their thinking. In this century, Jean Piaget

and John Dewey developed theories of childhood development and education, what we now call Progressive Education, that led to the evolution of constructivism.

Jean Piaget• Piaget believed

that humans learn through the construction of one logical structure after another.

John Dewey• Dewey called for

education to be grounded in real experience thus, inquiry is a key part of constructivist learning.

“The belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative.”- John Dewey

Traditional v. Constructivist

                                                                                                                   

Curriculum begins with the parts of the whole. Emphasizes basic skills.

Curriculum emphasizes big concepts, beginning with the whole and expanding to include the parts.

Strict adherence to fixed curriculum is highly valued. Pursuit of student questions and interests is valued.

Materials are primarily textbooks and workbooks. Materials include primary sources of material and manipulative materials.

Learning is based on repetition. Learning is interactive, building on what the student already knows.

Teachers disseminate information to students; students are recipients of knowledge.

Teachers have a dialogue with students, helping students construct their own knowledge.

Teacher's role is directive, rooted in authority. Teacher's role is interactive, rooted in negotiation.

Assessment is through testing, correct answers. Assessment includes student works, observations, and points of view, as well as tests. Process is as important as product.

Knowledge is seen as inert. Knowledge is seen as dynamic, ever changing with our experiences.

Students work primarily alone. Students work primarily in groups.

Two Notions Of Constructivism?

1. Learners construct new understandings using what they already know. -Individuals are born without built-in mental content and that their knowledge comes from experience and perception.

-When we encounter something new, we have to reconcile it with our previous ideas and experience, maybe changing what we believe, or maybe discarding the new information as irrelevant.

2. Learning is active rather than passive.-We are active creators of our own knowledge. To do this, we must ask questions, explore, and assess what we know.

-Learning is an active process in which the learner uses sensory input and constructs meaning out of it.

-The learner needs to do something.

-Learning is not the passive acceptance of knowledge which exists "out there" but that learning involves the learners engaging with the world.

Implications for Teaching…• Teaching cannot just be viewed as the

transmission of knowledge. • Constructivist teachers pose questions

and problems, then guide students to help them find their own answers.

• Learning is based on prior knowledge so children may need different experiences to advance to different levels of understanding.

• If new knowledge is actively built, then teachers must allot the time needed to build it.

Teachers must…• prompt students to

formulate their own questions (inquiry)

• allow multiple interpretations and expressions of learning (multiple intelligences)

• encourage group work and the use of peers as resources (collaborative learning)

Critics argue…

• Disadvantaged children, lacking outstanding teachers, committed parents, and rich home environments, benefit more from more explicit instruction.

• Social constructivism leads to "group think.“

• The collaborative aspects of constructivist classrooms tend to produce a "tyranny of the majority," in which a few students' voices or interpretations dominate the group's conclusions, and dissenting students are forced to conform to the emerging consensus.

• Constructivists, by rejecting evaluation through testing and other external criteria, have made themselves unaccountable for their students' progress.

Benefits of Constructivism…

• Children learn more, and enjoy learning more when they are actively involved, rather than passive listeners.

• Constructivism concentrates on learning how to think and understand.

• Constructivist learning is transferable. In constructivist classrooms, students create organizing principles that they can take with them to other learning settings.

• Constructivism gives students ownership of what they learn

• By grounding learning activities in an authentic, real-world context, constructivism stimulates and engages students.

• Constructivism promotes social and communication skills by creating a classroom environment that emphasizes collaboration and exchange of ideas.

What should education look like?

• You decide……

References…

• http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index_sub4.html

• http://www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/constructivistlearning.html

• http://www.sedl.org/pubs/sedletter/v09n03/practice.html

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58K_aikV0YQ&feature=related