Constructivism as a theory for teaching and learningBy , published 2019 Show
What is constructivism?
In elaborating constructivists’ ideas Arends (1998) states that constructivism believes in personal construction of meaning by the learner through experience, and that meaning is influenced by the interaction of prior knowledge and new events. What are the principles of constructivism?Knowledge is constructed, rather than innate, or passively absorbedConstructivism's central idea is that human learning is constructed, that learners build new knowledge upon the foundation of previous learning. This prior knowledge influences what new or modified knowledge an individual will construct from new learning experiences (Phillips, 1995). Learning is an active processThe second notion is that learning is an active rather than a passive process. The passive view of teaching views the learner as ‘an empty vessel’ to be filled with knowledge, whereas constructivism states that learners construct meaning only through active engagement with the world (such as experiments or real-world problem solving). Information may be passively received, but understanding cannot be, for it must come from making meaningful connections between prior knowledge, new knowledge, and the processes involved in learning. All knowledge is socially constructedLearning is a social activity - it is something we do together, in interaction with each other, rather than an abstract concept (Dewey, 1938). For example, Vygotsky (1978), believed that community plays a central role in the process of "making meaning." For Vygotsky, the environment in which children grow up will influence how they think and what they think about. Thus, all teaching and learning is a matter of sharing and negotiating socially constituted knowledge. For example, Vygotsky (1978) states cognitive development stems from social interactions from guided learning within the zone of proximal development as children and their partner's co-construct knowledge. All knowledge is personalEach individual learner has a distinctive point of view, based on existing knowledge and values. This means that same lesson, teaching or activity may result in different learning by each pupil, as their subjective interpretations differ. This principle appears to contradict the view the knowledge is socially constructed. Learning exists in the mind The constructivist theory posits that knowledge can only exist within the human mind, and that it does not have to match any real world reality (Driscoll, 2000). Learners will be constantly trying to develop their own individual mental model of the real world from their perceptions of that world. As they perceive each new experience, learners will continually update their own mental models to reflect the new information, and will, therefore, construct their own interpretation of reality. What are the three main types of constructivism?Typically, this continuum is divided into three broad categories: Cognitive constructivism based on the work of Jean Piaget, social constructivism based on the work of Lev Vygotsky, and radical constructivism. According to the GSI Teaching and Resource Center (2015, p.5): Cognitive constructivism states knowledge is something that is actively constructed by learners based on their existing cognitive structures. Therefore, learning is relative to their stage of cognitive development. According to social constructivism learning is a collaborative process, and knowledge develops from individuals' interactions with their culture and society. Social constructivism was developed by Lev Vygotsky (1978, p. 57) who suggested that, Every function in the child's cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level and, later on, on the individual level; first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological). The notion of radical constructivism was developed by Ernst von Glasersfeld (1974) and states that all knowledge is constructed rather than perceived through senses. Learners construct new knowledge on the foundations of their existing knowledge. However, radical constructivism states that the knowledge individuals create tells us nothing about reality, and only helps us to function in your environment. Thus, knowledge is invented not discovered. The humanly constructed reality is all the time being modified and interacting to fit ontological reality, although it can never give a ‘true picture’ of it. (Ernest, 1994, p. 8) Constructivist approaches to teachingWhat is the role of the teacher in a constructivist classroom? The primary responsibility of the teacher is to create a collaborative problem-solving environment where students become active participants in their own learning. From this perspective, a teacher acts as a facilitator of learning rather than an instructor. The teacher makes sure he/she understands the students' preexisting conceptions, and guides the activity to address them and then build on them (Oliver, 2000). Scaffolding is a key feature of effective teaching, where the adult continually adjusts the level of his or her help in response to the learner's level of performance. In the classroom, scaffolding can include modeling a skill, providing hints or cues, and adapting material or activity (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009). What are the features of a constructivist classroom?Tam (2000) lists the following four basic characteristics of constructivist learning environments, which must be considered when implementing constructivist teaching strategies:
Honebein (1996) summarizes the seven pedagogical goals of constructivist learning environments: Brooks and Brooks (1993) list twelve descriptors of constructivist teaching behaviors:
Critical evaluationStrengthsConstructivism promotes a sense of personal agency as students have ownership of their learning and assessment. LimitationsThe biggest disadvantage is its lack of structure. Some students require highly structured learning environments to be able to reach their potential. It also removes grading in the traditional way and instead places more value on students evaluating their own progress, which may lead to students falling behind, as without standardized grading teachers may not know which students are struggling. APA Style ReferencesArends, R. I. (1998). Resource handbook. Learning to teach (4th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Brooks, J., & Brooks, M. (1993). In search of understanding: the case for constructivist classrooms, ASCD. NDT Resource Center database. Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Dewey, J. (1938) Experience and Education. New York: Collier Books. Driscoll, M. (2000). Psychology of Learning for Instruction. Boston: Allyn& Bacon Elliott, S.N., Kratochwill, T.R., Littlefield Cook, J. & Travers, J. (2000). Educational psychology: Effective teaching, effective learning (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill College. Ernest, P. (1994). Varieties of constructivism: Their metaphors, epistemologies and pedagogical implications. Hiroshima Journal of Mathematics Education, 2(1994), 2. Fox, R. (2001). Constructivism examined. Oxford review of education, 27(1), 23-35. Honebein, P. C. (1996). Seven goals for the design of constructivist learning environments. Constructivist learning environments: Case studies in instructional design, 11-24. Oliver, K. M. (2000). Methods for developing constructivism learning on the web. Educational Technology, 40 (6) Phillips, D. C. (1995). The good, the bad, and the ugly: The many faces of constructivism. Educational researcher, 24(7), 5-12. Tam, M. (2000). Constructivism, Instructional Design, and Technology: Implications for Transforming Distance Learning. Educational Technology and Society, 3 (2). Teaching Guide for GSIs. Learning: Theory and Research (2016). Retrieved from http://gsi.berkeley.edu/media/Learning.pdf von Glasersfeld, E. V. (1974). Piaget and the radical constructivist epistemology. Epistemology and education, 1-24. von Glasersfeld, E. (1994). A radical constructivist view of basic mathematical concepts. Constructing mathematical knowledge: Epistemology and mathematics education, 5-7. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. How to reference this article:How to reference this article:McLeod, S. A. (2019, July 17). Constructivism as a theory for teaching and learning. Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/constructivism.html Home | About Us | Privacy Policy | Advertise | Contact Us Simply Psychology's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. © Simply Scholar Ltd - All rights reserved
Who is associated with cognitive constructivism?The most influential exponent of cognitivism was Swiss child psychologist Jean Piaget. Piaget rejected the idea that learning was the passive assimilation of given knowledge.
Which theorist is most closely associated with social constructivism?Social constructivism is most closely associated with the work of the developmental theorist Lev Vygotsky and psychologist Albert Bandura but it is also nested within the theories of Dewey, Piaget and Bruner (Schunk, 2012).
What theorists are associated with constructivism?Contributing Theorists to Constructivism. . John Dewey (1859-1952) . Jean Piaget (1896-1980) . Jerome Bruner (1915- ) . Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) . Ernst von Glasersfeld (1917-2010) . Is Vygotsky a constructivist or cognitivist?Social constructivism was developed by post-revolutionary Soviet psychologist Lev Vygotsky. Vygotsky was a cognitivist, but rejected the assumption made by cognitivists such as Piaget and Perry that it was possible to separate learning from its social context.
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