BY:KATHLEEN SCHIEL Constructivism. THE CONSTRUCTIVISM THEORY ARGUES THAT HUMANS BUILD NEW KNOWLEDGE AND MEANING THROUGH EXPERIENCES. STUDENTS LEARN.

BY:KATHLEEN SCHIEL

Constructivism

T H E C O N S T RU C T I V I S M T H E O RY A R G U E S T H AT H U M A N S B U I L D N E W K N O W L E D G E A N D M E A N I N G T H R O U G H E X P E R I E N C E S .

S T U D E N T S L E A R N B Y D O I N G

L E A R N I N G I S A C T I V E R AT H E R T H A N PA S S I V E

G R E AT E M P H A S I S O N S O C I A L I N T E R A C T I O N

Key Points of Constructivism

Key People Associated with Constructivism

Jean Piaget

John Dewey

Lev Vygotsky

Jerome Bruner

“I hear and I forget, I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” -Confucius

Jean Piaget (psychologist) Developed the cognitive learning theory after observing children for many years

Defined four cognitive stages:Sensorimotor- (0-2yrs) learning takes place

mainly through senses and motor actionsPreoperational- (2-6/7 yrs) when children

begin to use symbols and imagesConcrete operational- (age 7) children begin

to think logically, can understand other points of view other than their own.

Formal operational- (age 12+/-) Children can think abstractly-understand cause and effect.

PSYCHOLOGIST THREE PRINCIPLES:

1 . INSTRUCT ION MUST BE CONCERNED WITH THE EXPER IENCES AND CONTEXTS THAT MAKE

THE STUDENT W ILL ING AND ABLE TO LEARN (READINESS) .

2 . INSTRUCT ION MUST BE STRUCTURED SO THAT I T CAN BE EAS I LY GRASPED BY THE STUDENT

(SP IRAL ORGANIZAT ION) .3 . INSTRUCT ION SHOULD BE DES IGNED TO

FAC I L I TATE EXTRAPOL AT ION AND OR F I LL IN THE GAPS (GO ING BEYOND THE INFORMAT ION

G IVEN) .

Jerome Bruner

DEVELOPED SOCIAL COGNIT ION THEORIZED THAT LEARNING TAKES PLACE

WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CHILD’S SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURE.

PROPOSED THAT CHILDREN HAVE A ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT (THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PROBLEM SOLVING ABIL ITY AND THAT A CHILD HAS

LEARNED THE POTENTIAL THAT THE CHILD CAN ACHIEVE FROM COLLABORATION WITH

A MORE ADVANCED PARTNER .

Lev Vygotsky

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST, PHILOSOPHER AND POLIT ICAL ACTIV IST

INFLUENCED AMERICAN EDUCATION S IGNIF ICANTLY

BELIEVED EDUCATION IS A SOCIAL PROCESSDEWEY’S NAME HAS BEEN L INKED TO MOVEMENTS

SUCH AS PRAGMATISMPRAGMATISTS BEL IEVED THAT THEORY IS ONLY AS

VALUABLE AS THE PRACTICAL EFFECTIVENESS IT HAS.

HAS BEEN CALLED THE FATHER OF AMERICAN EDUCATION

John Dewey

-Students individually perform an experiment and then come together as a class to discuss the results.

-Field trips. This allows students to put the concepts and ideas discussed in class in a real-world context. Field trips would often be followed by class discussions.

-Films. These provide visual context and thus bring another sense into the learning experience.

Teachers: Have students work in groups instead of alone

Create exciting lesson plans that motivate students to learn

Develop questions that guide students to their own conclusion

Classroom Implications

Classroom ImplicationsClassroom

Activities can include:

Students:Apply their current understandings to build new knowledge.

Compare their understandings to that of their peers.

Work collaboratively with others

I WOULD MOST CERTAINLY USE CONSTRUCTIVISM IN MY CLASSROOM. I

THINK HAVING STUDENTS WORK TOGETHER TO FORMULATE THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS IS A GREAT IDEA . I WILL TRY MY HARDEST

TO MAKE THINGS INTERESTING FOR EVERYONE AND HAVE THE STUDENT

ENGAGED IN THE LESSON. I KNOW I LEARN BET TER WHEN I AM INTERESTED AND I

WOULD LOVE TO SEE MY STUDENTS SUCCEED.

Ms. Schiel’s Classroom

" C L A S S R O O M . "   O N L I N E @ S F S U . W E B . 1 9 A P R . 2 0 1 0 . < H T T P : / / O N L I N E . S F S U . E D U / ~ F O R E M A N / I T E C 8 0 0 / F I N A L P R O J E C T S / E I TA N K A P L A N /P A G E S / C L A S S R O O M . H T M > .

“ C O N S T R U C T I V I S M . "   F U N D E R S TA N D I N G : E D U C AT I O N A N D T R A I N I N G F O R A C T I V E L E A R N E R S . W E B . 1 9 A P R . 2 0 1 0 . < H T T P : / / W W W. F U N D E R S TA N D I N G . C O M / C O N T E N T / C O N S T R U C T I V I S M > .

H O O V E R , W E S L E Y A . " T H E P R A C T I C E I M P L I C AT I O N S O F C O N S T R U C T I V I S M - S E D L L E T T E R , C O N S T R U C T I V I S M , V O L U M E I X , N U M B E R 3 , A U G U S T 1 9 9 6 . "   W E L C O M E T O S E D L : A D V A N C I N G R E S E A R C H , I M P R O V I N G E D U C AT I O N . W E B . 1 9 A P R . 2 0 1 0 . < H T T P : / / W W W. S E D L . O R G / P U B S / S E D L E T T E R / V 0 9 N 0 3 / P R A C T I C E . H T M L > .

S H E L LY , G A R Y B .   T E A C H E R S D I S C O V E R I N G C O M P U T E R S : I N T E G R AT I N G T E C H N O L O G Y A N D D I G I TA L M E D I A I N T H E C L A S S R O O M . B O S T O N , M A S S . : T H O M S O N / C O U R S E T E C H N O L O G Y , 2 0 0 8 . P R I N T.

Works Cited