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Constructivist Theory of Constructivist Theory of teachingteaching
Presentation by
Daniel McCloud
Tara LeQuire
Leslie Mitchum
Nate Prior
Leslie Murillo
Overview of TheoryOverview of Theory• Concerned with Individual Cognitive Development
• Hands-on instruction• Student centered• Lets students show what they have learned in different ways
• Knowledge is constructed, not transmitted• Student do activities that help them generate their own
knowledge
• The constructivist theory of learning is congruent with both concept attainment and concept development.
• People have different views of situations.• Shaped by experience
• personal experience, culture, past learning, and worldview.• Knowledge to the constructivist means how does the learner
construct meaning?
The Major TheoristsThe Major TheoristsJerome Bruner
John Dewey
Jean Piaget Lev Vygotsky
John Dewey John Dewey (1859 – 1952)(1859 – 1952)
• Believed that children needed to learn via practice and application to real-world events
• Education should be experienced and made applicable to the students current “world”
• Students learn best by natural curiosity
• Education is child centered
Chomsky on Dewey Video
Lev Vygotsky Lev Vygotsky (1896 - 1934)(1896 - 1934)
• For learning to occur:1. Child will use cognitive tools:
• Culture• History• Social context• Traditions• Language• Religion
2. Child interacts with social environment on an interpersonal level
1. Child internalizes experience
2. Child synthesizes environment and new experience and then develops new ideas/knowledge
Jean PiagetJean Piaget(1896 - 1980)(1896 - 1980)
• Major developer in this theory
• Explains the learning process by:1. Schemes- the organization of
information on how things work
2. Assimilation- the placing of new information into schemes
3. Accommodation- transforming existing schemes or creating new ones
4. Finding equilibrium- aligning learning with rest of life
http://www.fountainmagazine.com/Issue/detail/CONSTRUCTIVISM-in-Piaget-and-Vygotsky
Jerome BrunerJerome Bruner(1915 - )(1915 - )
Lessons should be guided in 4 steps:
1.Teaching in way that the student is able to comprehend
2.Structure knowledge so that it can be most readily grasped by the learner
3.Use the most effective sequences when presenting material
4.Provide incentive for learning (Behaviorist)
http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/constructivist.html
TermsTerms• Assimilation-complex but familiar external objects are simplified to
fit pre-existent categories in your head.
• Accommodation-changing the ideas in your head to fit the realities of external objects.
• Consonant – new information matches up with previous knowledge.
• Dissonant – new information doesn't match previous knowledge. The student will need to change their previous understanding to match the information.
Role of the teacher
• Facilitate, coach, moderate and suggest
• Teach and model strategies
• Co-constructor (co-participant)
• Encourage the learning and reflective process
• Provide problem solving and inquiry based activities
• Challenge students
• Guide students to accurate understandings
What does teaching look like?
• Teacher changes role from “Gatekeeper” of all knowledge to “facilitator” or learning
• Learners are no longer passive receivers of information, but active constructers of their own understanding/meaning/learning.
• Instead of teacher “out in front” of learners, teacher is “alongside” guiding or “behind” prodding.
• Less emphasis on directly teaching specific skills
• More emphasis on learning in a meaningful way
• Not dispense knowledge but provide students with opportunities and incentives to build it up
Role of the student
• Active thinker and participant through the learning process
• Reflect on their own understanding and how it relates to the new information (consonat, dissonant, ignore)
• Draw conclusions
• Construct own knowledge
• Build knowledge through experience
• Actively involved with the teacher to create new meanings
• Assimilate what the teacher presents
Lesson TypesLesson Types The following teaching The following teaching methods exemplify methods exemplify constructivism:constructivism:
• Reciprocal TeachingReciprocal Teaching
• Peer Collaboration Peer Collaboration (Think-Pair-Share)(Think-Pair-Share)
• Cognitive Cognitive ApprenticeshipApprenticeship
• Problem-based Problem-based LearningLearning
• WebQuestWebQuest
• Socratic SeminarSocratic Seminar
How does How does constructivism constructivism
look in the classroom?look in the classroom?
How does How does constructivism constructivism
look in the classroom?look in the classroom?
Lesson typesLesson types
• General Features of a Constructivist Lesson General Features of a Constructivist Lesson (Confrey, 1990)(Confrey, 1990)• Teachers provide opportunities for students to Teachers provide opportunities for students to use active use active
techniques techniques such as experimentation and such as experimentation and real-world real-world problem solving problem solving to create knowledge.to create knowledge.
• Teachers must Teachers must understand students’ preexisting understand students’ preexisting conceptionsconceptions, and address them by , and address them by guiding the classroom guiding the classroom activitiesactivities. .
• Teachers continuously Teachers continuously encourage students to assessencourage students to assess how how the activity is helping them gain understanding. the activity is helping them gain understanding.
• As students As students question themselves and their strategiesquestion themselves and their strategies, , they develop new skills, thus providing them with effective they develop new skills, thus providing them with effective tools to keep learningtools to keep learning. .
Source:http://pslade.webs.com/lessonstructure.htm
Lesson typesLesson types
• Reciprocal TeachingReciprocal Teaching• Small/whole group Small/whole group
readingreading
• Students become Students become teacherteacher
• Focus on:Focus on:
• SummarizingSummarizing
• QuestioningQuestioning
• ClarifyingClarifying
• PredictingPredicting
• Role of the teacher• Guide – model how to
generate & lead discussion
• Facilitator – students assume responsibility for learning
• Why it works• Encourages
metacognition & self-monitoring
• Teaches students how to ask questions
• Builds comprehensionVideo of Reciprocal Teaching in the classroom
Source: www.readingrockets.org
Lesson typesLesson types
• Peer Collaboration (T-P-Peer Collaboration (T-P-S)S)• Think: students Think: students think think about about
a higher-level question a higher-level question related to the contentrelated to the content
• Pair: students are arranged Pair: students are arranged in in pairspairs to share ideas to share ideas and/or solve problemsand/or solve problems
• Share: each pair will Share: each pair will shareshare their ideas with the class, their ideas with the class, resulting in a whole-group resulting in a whole-group discussiondiscussion
• Differentiation strategyDifferentiation strategy
• Useful assessment toolUseful assessment tool
• Role of the teacher• Facilitator – students
learn by thinking, articulating & listening
• Why it works• Builds conceptual
understanding of a topic
• Develops skill of identifying main points & drawing conclusions
• Encourages students to consider alternative perspectives
Video explaining Think-Pair-Share Source: www.readwritethink.org
Lesson typesLesson types
• Cognitive Cognitive ApprenticeshipApprenticeship• Teacher leads:Teacher leads:
• ModelingModeling
• CoachingCoaching
• ScaffoldingScaffolding
• Students lead:Students lead:
• ArticulationArticulation
• ReflectionReflection
• ExplorationExploration
• Role of the teacher• Model – demonstrates
thinking & procedures• Coach – provides
feedback to novice students
• Guide – scaffolds for support
• Why it works• Enables metacognition &
self-monitoring• Facilitates knowledge
discovery• Develops reflective &
problem-solving skillsVideo explaining Cognitive
ApprenticeshipSource: www.learning-theories.com
Lesson typesLesson types
• Problem-based Learning• Student-centered inquiry
& problem-solving• Hands-on, authentic
tasks• Critical thinking &
analysis• Self- and peer-
assessment• Small group cooperation• WebQuests optional
• Role of the teacher• Facilitator – students
assume responsibility for learning
• Coach – provides feedback, encouragement & resources
• Co-participant – teacher may learn from students
• Why it works• Builds upon prior
knowledge• Places learning in real-
world context• Supports learning through
collaborationVideo showing Problem-based Learning
Source: www.samford.edu
Lesson typesLesson types
• WebQuestWebQuest• Type of problem-based Type of problem-based
learninglearning
• Hands-on, authentic Hands-on, authentic tasks & processestasks & processes
• Critical thinking & Critical thinking & analysisanalysis
• Teacher-created, Teacher-created, student-directedstudent-directed
• Role of the teacher• Facilitator – students
assume responsibility for learning
• Guide – help students locate & use resources if necessary
• Tutor – teacher can answer technical questions
• Why it works• Makes use of available
web resources• Provides real-world
experience
Video explaining WebQuestsSources: webquest.org, www.teacherweb.com
Lesson typesLesson types
• Socratic SeminarSocratic Seminar• Formal, text-based Formal, text-based
discussiondiscussion
• Open-ended questionsOpen-ended questions
• Critical thinking & Critical thinking & readingreading
• Requires articulationRequires articulation
• Allows for reflective Allows for reflective writingwriting
• Role of the teacher• Facilitator – leads
discussion initially; may occasionally redirect later
• Why it works• Builds cooperative &
listening skills
• Encourages sharing of multiple perspectives
• Links content to real-life experience
Video showing a Socratic SeminarSource: www.readwritethink.org
Classroom activitiesClassroom activities
• Experimentation• Research projects• Field trips• Films• Class discussions• Information Banks• Construction Kits/ Simulation
Assessment practicesAssessment practices
•Journal writing•The scoring rubric•Portfolios•Observation checklists
AssessmentsAssessments
• Authentic Assessments• Reports of issue/concepts
• Research on Internet resources
• Problem solving assessments
• Testing should be integrated with the tasks and not be a separate activity.
• Assessments include;• Student work
• Observations
• Points of view (discussions)
• Authentic Assessments• Reports of issue/concepts
• Research on Internet resources
• Problem solving assessments
• Testing should be integrated with the tasks and not be a separate activity.
• Assessments include;• Student work
• Observations
• Points of view (discussions)
Connections to big ideas
• Big Idea 1: Ensuring students Learn• Constructivists encourage active techniques and
self questioning In order for students to be “expert learners”. Students are required to be active participants in the learning process
• Big Idea 2: Culture of Collaboration• Constructivists classrooms are interactive,
consist of dialogue, focus on the process and consist of group work (Constructivist social).
Constructivism in relation to “The new Constructivism in relation to “The new sciences of learning” articlesciences of learning” article
• Students learn best:Students learn best:• They actively participate in their own learningThey actively participate in their own learning• Are submerged in learning environmentsAre submerged in learning environments• Teachers build on students prior knowledgeTeachers build on students prior knowledge• Students reflect and verbalize what they have Students reflect and verbalize what they have
learnedlearned
• Students must be able to relate what is learned to Students must be able to relate what is learned to real world settingsreal world settings
• Professionals learn when they are driven by a Professionals learn when they are driven by a question that must be answeredquestion that must be answered
• Lessons must be learned in a way that is Lessons must be learned in a way that is developmentally appropriatedevelopmentally appropriate
Link to P21 StandardsLink to P21 Standards
21st CENTURY INTERDISCIPLINARY THEMES
•Global Awareness • Using 21st century skills to understand and
address global issues
•Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy
• Knowing how to make appropriate personal
economic choices
Link to P21 StandardsLink to P21 Standards
CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
•Think Creatively • Use a wide range of idea creation techniques
(such as brainstorming)
•Work Creatively with Others • Develop, implement and communicate new
ideas to others effectively
Link to P21 StandardsLink to P21 Standards
CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
•Reason Effectively • Use various types of reasoning (inductive,
deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation
•Use Systems Thinking • Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each
other to produce overall outcomes in complex systems
Link to P21 StandardsLink to P21 Standards
CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
•Make Judgments and Decisions • Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence,
arguments, claims and beliefs • Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of
view• Synthesize and make connections between
information and arguments • Interpret information and draw conclusions based on
the best analysis • Reflect critically on learning experiences and
processes
Link to P21 StandardsLink to P21 Standards
CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
•Solve Problems • Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both
conventional and innovative ways • Identify and ask significant questions that clarify
various points of view and lead to better solutions
•Collaborate with Others • Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully
with diverse teams
•Be Self-directed Learners • Go beyond basic mastery of skills and/or curriculum to
explore and expand one’s own learning and opportunities to gain expertise
