Constructivism

Content

•Forms of constructivism
•Key principles of constructivism
• Constructivism in the classroom context
Constructivism
• Constructivism is ‘an approach to learning
that holds that people actively construct or
make their own knowledge and that reality
is determined by the experiences of the
learner’ (Elliott et al., 2000, p. 256).
Psychological constructivism
• It focuses on individual learners and how they
construct their own knowledge, beliefs and
identity during the learning process.
• Social environment is important in learning but
the role of individual learner in constructing the
learning environment as central.
Social constructivism
• It emphasizes the role of social and cultural
factors in shaping learning.
• Social interaction shapes cognitive development.
Key principles of constructivism
• Learners are active participants in their learning.
Learning by doing is central to constructivism in
practice.
• Learners are self-regulated. They construct and
monitor their own learning, and metacognition plays
an important role in facilitating this self-regulation.
Key principles of constructivism
• Social interaction is necessary for effective.
• Constructivism encourages individuals to make sense
of information for themselves. Knowledge may be
relative and may different for each other.
Components of constructivist
teaching
• Elicit prior knowledge
• Create cognitive dissonance
• Apply knowledge with feedback
• Reflect on learning
Examples of constructivist
classroom activities
• Reciprocal teaching and learning
• Inquiry-based learning (IBL)
• Problem-based learning PBL)
• Cooperative learning
Learning is constructed.
• Students are not blank slates upon which
knowledge is etched.
• They come to learning situations with already
formulated knowledge, ideas, and
understandings.
• This previous knowledge is the raw material for
the new knowledge they will create.
Example
• An elementary school teacher presents a class problem
to measure the length of the "Mayflower.“
• Rather than starting the problem by introducing the
ruler, the teacher allows students to reflect and to
construct their own methods of measurement.
• One student offers the knowledge that a doctor said he
is four feet tall. Another says she knows horses are
measured in "hands." The students discuss these and
other methods they have heard about, and decide on
one to apply to the problem.
Learning is active.
• The student is the person who creates new
understanding for him/herself. The teacher coaches,
moderates, suggests, but allows the students room to
experiment, ask questions, try things that don't work.
• Learning activities require the students' full participation
(like hands-on experiments).
• An important part of the learning process is that
students reflect on, and talk about, their activities.
Students also help set their own goals and means of
assessment.
Example
• A middle-school language arts teacher sets aside time each week for a
writing lab. The emphasis is on content and getting ideas down rather than
memorizing grammatical rules, though one of the teacher's concerns is the
ability of his students to express themselves well through written language.
• The teacher provides opportunities for students to examine the finished
and earlier drafts of various authors.
• He allows students to select and create projects within the general
requirement of building a portfolio 1. Students serve as peer editors who
value originality and uniqueness rather than the best way to fulfill an
assignment.
Learning is reflective.
• Students control their own learning process, and they
lead the way by reflecting on their experiences. This
process makes them experts of their own learning.
• The teacher helps create situations where the students
feel safe questioning and reflecting on their own
processes, either privately or in group discussions.
• The teacher should also create activities that lead the
student to reflect on his or her prior knowledge and
experiences. Talking about what was learned and how it
was learned is really important
Example
• Students keep journals in a writing class where they
record how they felt about the class projects, the visual
and verbal reactions of others to the project, and how
they felt their own writing had changed.
• Periodically the teacher reads these journals and holds a
conference with the student where the two assess
• (1) what new knowledge the student has created,
• (2) how the student learns best, and
• (3) the learning environment and the teacher's role in it.
Learning is collaborative.
• The constructivist classroom relies heavily on
collaboration among students.
• The main reason it is used so much in
constructivism is that students learn about
learning not only from themselves, but also from
their peers.
• When students review and reflect on their
learning processes together, they can pick up
strategies and methods from one another.
 Example
• In the course of studying ancient civilizations, students undertake an
archaeological dig. This may be something constructed in a large sandbox, or,
as in the Dalton School's "Archaeotype" software simulation, on a computer.
• As the students find different objects, the teacher introduces classifying
techniques.
• The students are encouraged to
• (1) set up a group museum by developing criteria and choosing which objects
should belong, and
• (2) collaborate with other students who worked in different quadrants of the
dig. Each group is then asked to develop theories about the civilizations that
inhabited the area.
Learning is inquiry-based.
• The main activity in a constructivist classroom is solving
problems. Students use inquiry methods to ask
questions, investigate a topic, and use a variety of
resources to find solutions and answers.
• As students explore the topic, they draw conclusions,
and, as exploration continues, they revisit those
conclusions. Exploration of questions leads to more
questions
Learning is evolving.
• Students have ideas that they may later see were invalid,
incorrect, or insufficient to explain new experiences. These
ideas are temporary steps in the integration of knowledge.
• Consonant
• New information matches up with previous knowledge.
• Dissonant
• New information does not match up with previous knowledge.
• The previous knowledge needs to change.
• Ignored
• New information does not match up with previous knowledge and it
is ignored.
Example
• An elementary teacher believes her students are ready to study
gravity. She creates an environment of discovery with objects of
varying kinds. Students explore the differences in weight among
similarly sized blocks of Styrofoam, wood, and lead. Some students
hold the notion that heavier objects fall faster than light ones. The
teacher provides materials (stories, posters, and videos) about
Galileo, Newton, etc. She leads a discussion on theories about
falling. The students then replicate Galileo's experiment by
dropping objects of different weights and measuring how fast they
fall. They see that objects of different weights actually usually fall at
the same speed, although surface area and aerodynamic properties
can affect the rate of fall.
Constructivism in the classroom
context
• Attend to learner-centered experiences and
processes.
• Provide opportunities for learners to work together.
• Assist novice learners to develop expertise.
1. Attend to learner-centered
experiences and processes
• Learner experiences may involve many unique learning
opportunities or interests led to the development of a
specific knowledge and skills.
1.1Discovery, inquiry and problem-
based learning
• Discovery learning
• The learner actively manipulatives materials or ideas in
the learning environment and discovers connections
between them.
• Inquiry learning and problem-based learning (PBL)

• Student learn content and discipline-specific thinking

and practical skills by collaboratively solving problems.
Discussion

• What kind of topic or learning goals will be

suitable for discovery learning?
2. Provide opportunities for learners
to work together
Cooperative learning
- Students working together to gain rewards for
themselves and their group.
• Learn in small groups to maximize their learning.
• It requires interdependence among group members
to solve a problem or complete an assignment.
2.2 Collaborative learning

Collaborative learning
- Students learning together, drawing on one another’s
knowledge and skills.
2.3 Peer-assisted learning
• Peer-assisted learning
• Encourages social interaction, as peers help each other ot
learn.
• Peer-tutoring
• Students are paired in roles of tutor or learner and follow
specified learning strategies.
• Reciprocal teaching/ learning
• Students teacher each other.
3. Assist novice learners to develop
expertise
• Assist to develop expertise in a particular area and
become independent, autonomous, and self-
regulated learners.
• Skillful questioning (Reciprocal)
• Self-question (Reciprocal)
Reflect on the video
Constructivism in the classroom
• Elicit prior knowledge
• Link pre-existing knowledge with new knowledge.
• Pre-tests, informal interviews and small group warm-up
activities
• Creative cognitive dissonance
• Assign problems and activities which challenge learners.
Constructivism in the classroom
• Apply knowledge with feedback
• Encourage students to evaluate information and
modifying existing knowledge.
• Activities should allow for students to compare pre-
existing schema with the new situation.
• Reflect on learning
• Train them to reflect learning.
 Features of a constructivist
classroom
1) Knowledge will be shared between teachers and
students.
2) Teachers and students will share authority.
3) The teacher's role is one of a facilitator or guide.
4) Learning groups will consist of small numbers of
heterogeneous students.
The pedagogical goals of
constructivist classrooms
• 1) To provide experience with the knowledge construction process
(students determine how they will learn).
• 2) To provide experience in and appreciation for multiple perspectives
(evaluation of alternative solutions).
• 3) To embed learning in realistic contexts (authentic tasks).
• 4) To encourage ownership and a voice in the learning process
(student centered learning).
• 5) To embed learning in social experience (collaboration).
• 6) To encourage the use of multiple modes of representation, (video,
audio text, etc.)
• 7) To encourage awareness of the knowledge construction process
(reflection, metacognition).
Traditional Classroom Constructivist Classroom

Curriculum begins with the parts of the whole. Curriculum emphasizes big concepts, beginning with the
Emphasizes basic skills. whole and expanding to include the parts.

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

Materials include primary sources of material and

Materials are primarily textbooks and workbooks.
manipulative materials.
Learning is interactive, building on what the student
Learning is based on repetition.
already knows.
Teachers disseminate information to students. Students Teachers have a dialogue with students, helping students
are recipients of knowledge. construct their own knowledge.
Teacher's role is directive, rooted in authority. Teacher's role is interactive, rooted in negotiation.
Assessment includes student works, observations and
Assessment is through testing and correct answers. points of view, as well as tests. Process is as important
as product.
Knowledge is seen as dynamic, ever changing with our
Knowledge is seen as inert.
experiences.
Students work primarily alone. Students work primarily in groups.
Strengths of the constructivism
• Students are encouraged to participate in their
learning.
• Emphasize the prior knowledge.
• Social networks
Limitation of the constructivism
• Take time to construct their own learning.
• Complicated to set up the groups.
• It may not be effective for students with lower self-
motivation.
Group discussion
• What have you learned in this topic?
• How can you apply constructivism in the classroom?
• https://www.buffalo.edu/catt/develop/theory/constructivism.html#:~
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• https://www.simplypsychology.org/constructivism.html