Team 3Ashleigh Augustine

Kelsey BirdGenevieve Souza

Constructivism Learning Theory

Team 3:Ashleigh

KelseyGenevieve

Brooke

Key People Involved in Theory

Lev Vygotsky Jean Piaget

Significant Contributors

-Born November 17, 1896-Developed major theories:

- Zone of Proximal Development

- Social Development Theory

-Born August 9, 1896-Developed the Four Stages of Cognitive Development: -Sensorimotor -Preoperational -Concrete Operational -Formal Operational

John Dewey

-Born October 20, 1859-Leading proponent of pragmatism

- Emphasized the role of experience in education

Students learn by doing

The learner “constructs” what he or she learns and creates their own understanding

Students actively participate in the learning process by using critical thinking skills

New information is linked to prior knowledge

Teachers are facilitators

Students produce knowledge and form meaning based on their experiences

KEY POINTS“I hear and I forget. I see and I

remember.I do and I understand.” ~ Confucius

Classroom Implications:What the TEACHER does

It is important for teachers to create a rich learning environment for children to explore.

Piaget’s theory supports the use and integration of technology. This is because technology supplies opportunities to connect with diverse populations of learners. 

Teachers need to create student-centered activities that actively engage the students in the learning process.

Technologies such a Web Quests, scavenger and treasure hunts, and curriculum pages are great tools for Constructivist learning theory

Utilizing a computer to research, create, and process information on topics is a great way to integrate technology and the constructivist theory into a classroom

Teachers should try to encourage students to discover concepts by themselves. They should engage students by providing activities that guide students and create opportunities for discussing and questioning.

Students use active learning skills such as active engagement, interaction, problem-solving, and collaboration with others.

Students create or construct knowledge through interaction of what they already know based on ideas, events, activities which they have come in contact with.

Most of their learning comes from social interaction rather than from books.

Students can use technology to explore new information in creative and organized ways.

Knowledge is acquired through involvement rather than through imitation and repetition.

Classroom Implications:What the STUDENTS do

Students primarily work alone

Teachers seek the correct answers in order to validate student lessons.

Assessment of student learning is viewed as separate from teaching and is done primarily through testing.

Students are viewed as “blank slates” onto which information is etched by the teacher.

Curricular activities rely heavily on textbooks of data and manipulative materials.

Students primarily work in groups

Teachers seek the student’s point of view in order to understand student learning for use in subsequent lessons.

Assessment of student learning is interwoven with teaching and is done through observation of student performance and portfolios.

Students are viewed as thinkers with emerging theories about the world.

Curricular activities rely heavily on primary sources.

What’s the Difference?Traditional Classroom

Constructivist Classroom

What do we think?

Collectively, we all agree that the Learning Theory of Constructivism should be used in our classrooms to effectively

facilitate learning for our students.

As teachers, we will recognize that our students learn based on their own experiences, and each child may process information differently. It will be our job to facilitate the learning process, and provide our students with opportunities to interact with

sensory data and allow them to construct knowledge from the information presented to them.

With today’s growing technology, this learning theory would fit best for our classrooms because we would use our technological

resources to offers many strategies for constructivist learning experiences. In our opinion, this theory goes hand-in-hand with technology because they both promote exploration, curiosity,

and knowledge.

CREDITSInformation Graphics & Images

www.learning-theories.com/constructivism.html

www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/constructivism

www.exploratorium.edu/ifi/resources/constructivismlearning.html

http://www.piaget.org/aboutPiaget.html

www.sfsu.edu

http://bettergrads.org/files/2010/10/teach-for-america.png

http://arbeitsblaetter.stangl-taller.at/WISSENSCHAFTPSYCHOLOGIE/PSYCHOLOGEN/PIAGET/piaget2.gif

www.webpages.charter.net/schmolze1/vygotsky

www.buncombe.k12.nc.u

www.thelearningcommunity.us

www.arcticcompass.blogspot.com