Constructivism is the
theory that says learners construct knowledge rather than just passively take in information
. As people experience the world and reflect upon those experiences, they build their own representations and incorporate new information into their pre-existing knowledge (schemas).
Why constructivism is not a theory?
Because constructivism
emphasises the unique individual context in which learning takes place
(and the individual’s role in the construction of that knowledge), so constructivist pedagogy places the onus on the individual student to construct their own understanding of the world.
Social constructivism is a
sociological theory of knowledge according to which human development is socially situated and knowledge is constructed through interaction with others
. Like social constructionism, social constructivism states that people work together to construct artifacts.
Who gave the theory of constructivism?
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.
Social constructivism suggests that successful teaching and learning is heavily dependent on interpersonal interaction and discussion, with the primary focus on
the students’ understanding of the discussion
(Prawat, 1992).
What is an example of constructivism?
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.
What is the goal of constructivism?
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).
What are the two views of constructivism?
Two major types of the constructivist learning perspectives are
cognitive constructivism and social constructivism
. While Piaget (1973) developed the cognitive constructivism view of learning, Vygotsky (1978) developed the social constructivism view of learning.
What is the role of the teacher in constructivism?
The role of the teacher in the social constructivist classroom is
to help students to build their knowledge and to control the existence of students during the learning process in the classroom
. … 173), “constructivist teachers allow student responses to drive lessons, shift instructional strategies, and alter content”.
What are the theories of constructivism?
Constructivism is the
theory that says learners construct knowledge rather than just passively take in information
. As people experience the world and reflect upon those experiences, they build their own representations and incorporate new information into their pre-existing knowledge (schemas).
Social constructivism focuses on
the collaborative nature of learning
. Knowledge develops from how people interact with each other, their culture, and society at large. Students rely on others to help create their building blocks, and learning from others helps them construct their own knowledge and reality.
While social constructionism focuses on the artifacts that are created through the social interactions of a group, social constructivism focuses on an individual’s learning that takes place because of his or her interactions in a group. … A very simple example is
an object like a cup
.
What is the main argument of constructivism?
Constructivists argue that
states can have multiple identities that are socially constructed through interaction with other actors
. Identities are representations of an actor’s understanding of who they are, which in turn signals their interests.
What does constructivism look like in the classroom?
A productive, constructivist classroom, then, consists of
learner-centered, active instruction
. In such a classroom, the teacher provides students with experiences that allow them to hypothesize, predict, manipulate objects, pose questions, research, investigate, imagine, and invent.
How does constructivism affect learning?
Constructivism
transforms the student from a passive recipient of information to an active participant in the learning process
. Always guided by the teacher, students construct their knowledge actively rather than just mechanically ingesting knowledge from the teacher or the textbook.
What are three factors that influence learning in constructivism?
To be successful, meaningful, and lasting, learning must include all three of these crucial factors:
activity (practice), concept (knowledge), and culture (context)
(Brown et al., 1989).
