ConstructivismPresented by Ernie Vela

What is Constructivism?

Bredo 1997: thinking takes place in

situations and that cognitions are

largely constructed by individuals as a

function of their experiences in these

situations.

Learning and development highlight

the contributions of individuals to what

is learned.

What is Constructivism?

What do social constructivists say?

◦ They further emphasize the importance of

social interactions in acquisition of skills

and knowledge.

What is Constructivism?

It is not a theory but rather an epistemology, or philosophical explanation about the nature of learning (Hyslop-Margison & Strobel, 2008; Simpson, 2002).

Learners create their own learning.

Constructivism makes general predictions that can be tested.

What is Constructivism?

Rather than viewing knowledge as a

truth, constructivists construe it as a

working hypothesis.

A person’s constructions are true to

that person but not necessarily to

anyone else.

What is Constructivism?

All knowledge, then, is subjective and

personal and a product of our

cognitions.

Learning is situated in contexts.

Constructivism Assumptions

It shares with social cognitive theory

the assumption that persons,

behaviors, and environments interact

in reciprocal fashion. (Bandura, 1986,

1997)

A key assumption of constructivism is

that people are active learners and

develop knowledge for themselves

(Geary, 1995).

Constructivism Assumptions

Its basic premise is that learners

construct understandings underlies

many learning principles.

It underlies the emphasis on the

integrated curriculum in which

students study a topic from multiple

perspectives.

So how do you teach in a

constructivist setting? Teachers should not teach in the

traditional sense of delivering instruction to a group of students.

They should structure situations such that learners become actively involved with content through manipulation of materials and social interaction.

Activities include observing phenomena, collecting data, generating and testing hypothesis, and working collaboratively with others.

Perspectives on

ConstructivismPerspective Premises

Exogenous The acquisition of knowledge

represents a reconstruction of the

external world. The world influences

beliefs through experiences, exposure

to models, and teaching. Knowledge is

accurate to the extent it reflects

external reality.

Endogenous Knowledge derives from previously

acquired knowledge and not directly

from environmental interactions.

Knowledge is not a mirror of the

external world; rather, it develops

through cognitive abstraction.

Dialectical Knowledge derives from interactions

between persons and their

environments. Constructions are not

invariably tied to the external world nor

wholly the workings of the mind.

Rather, knowledge reflects the

outcomes of mental contradictions that

Exogenous Constructivism

Refers to the idea that the acquisition of knowledge represents reconstruction of structures that exist in the external world.

When is it useful?◦ When we are interested in determining

how accurately learners perceive the structure of knowledge within a domain.

Endogenous Constructivism

Mental structures are created from earlier structures, not directly from environmental information.

Knowledge develops through the cognitive activity of abstraction and follows a generally predictable sequence.

When is it useful?◦ It is relevant to explore how learners develop

from novices through greater levels of competence.

Dialectical constructivism

Knowledge derives form interactions between persons and their environments.

When is it useful?◦ It is should be implemented when designing

interventions to challenge children’s thinking and for research aimed at exploring the effectiveness of social influences such as exposure to models and peer collaboration.

Situated Cognition

A core premise of constructivism is

that cognitive processes (including

thinking and learning) are situated

(located) in physical and social

contexts.

Situated Cognition involves relations

between a person and a situation;

cognitive processes do not reside

solely in one’s mind.

Situated Cognition

Relevant to motivation.

◦ Depends on cognitive activity in

interaction with sociocultural and

instructional factors, which include

language and forms of assistance such as

scaffolding.

◦ Addresses the intuitive notion that many

processes interact to produce learning.

Situated Cognition

Instructional Implication

◦ Teaching methods should reflect the

outcomes we desire in our learners.

If we are trying to teach them inquiry skills, the

instruction must incorporate inquiry activities.

The method and the content must be properly

situated.

Contributions and

Applications Rather recent

Difficult to determine contributions because it’s approach is not a unified one that offers specific hypotheses to be tested.

Social cognitive theory emphasizes the roles of expectations and goals; these beliefs and cognitions do not arise from nowhere but, rather are constructed from learners.

Contributions and

Applications

Drawbacks:

◦ Emphasis on relativism

◦ Nature may constrain our thinking more

than we wish to admit.

◦ May downplay the importance of human

cognitive structures.

Contributions and

Applications Important implication for instruction

and curriculum design:

◦ Involve students actively in their learning

and to provide experiences that challenge

their thinking and force them to rearrange

their beliefs.

Constructivism and Teaching

Emphasis on integrated curricula and

having teachers use materials in such

a way that learners become actively

involved.

Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive

Development

Cognitive Development depends on four factors:

◦ biological maturation

◦ experience with the physical environment

◦ Experience with the social environment

◦ Equilibration : refers to a biological drive to produce an optimal state of equilibrium (or adaptation) between cognitive structures and the environment.

Equilibration

It coordinates the actions of the other

three factors and makes internal

mental structures and external

environmental reality consistent with

each other.

Equilibration

Assimilation

◦ Fitting external reality to the existing

cognitive structure.

Accommodation

◦ Changing internal structures to provide

consistency with external reality.

Mechanisms of Learning

Equilibration is an internal process.

◦ Cognitive development can occur only

when disequilibrium or cognitive conflict

exists.

◦ Piaget felt that development would

proceed naturally through regular

interactions with the physical and social

environments.

Mechanisms of Learning

Learning will be optimal when

cognitive conflict is small and

especially when children are in

transition between stages.

Information must be partially

understood (assimilated) before it can

promote structural change

(accommodation).

Implication of Piaget’s theory for

education

Understand cognitive development

Keep students active

Create incongruity

Provide social interaction

Piaget’s Theory

It is constructivist because it assumes

that children impose their concepts on

the world to make sense of it

(Byrnes,1996).

Vygotsky’s Sociocultural

Theory

More emphasis on the social

environment as a facilitator of

development and learning.

Vygotsky

Humans have the capacity to alter the

environment for their own purposes.

His theory stresses the interaction of

(social), cultural-historical, and

individual factors as the key to human

development.

Key points in Vygotsky’s

Theory Social interactions are critical; knowledge is

coconstructed between two or more people.

Self-regulation is developed through internalization of actions and mental operations that occur in social interactions.

Human development occurs though the cultural transmission of tools(language, symbols).

Language is the most critical tool. Language develops from social speech, to private speech, to covert (inner) speech.

The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the difference between what children can do on their own and what they can do with assistance from others. Interactions with adults and peers in the ZPD promote

Vygotsky’s Theory

One’s interactions with the

environment assist learning.

The experiences one brings to a

learning situation can greatly influence

the outcome.