Current Events – ConstructivismKATHLEEN MAY

Article 1 – Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning. Constructivism is a theory that believes that the learner is in charge of

their own learning. Teachers who use the constructivist approach are encouraging their

students to use a variety of strategies to learn. Think of constructivism as a spiral. When students are reflecting on

their learning they are developing the ability to integrate new information.

Traditional vs Constructivist

Traditional Classroom Textbooks and worksheets are the

primary resources Learning is based on repetition/skill

and drill Students work alone Teacher role is directive, and rooted

in authority

Constructivist Classroom Variety of resources, specifically

manipulatives Learning is interactive and builds

upon prior knowledge Students work in groups Teacher’s role is interactive and

works with students

History of Constructivism

Jean Piaget and John Dewey developed theories of childhood that we now call Progressive Education. This led to the evolution of constructivism.

Piaget believed that humans learn through the construction of one logical structure after another.

Dewey called for education to be grounded in real experience.. Other known theorist for this theory are Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner,

and David Ausubel

Opinion on Article 1

I agree with this article. They offered a lot of valuable information to help further ones understanding about constructivism. I really liked the least section where they talked about the benefits of constructivism. One of the benefits they mentioned was examples being based on real life things. I find this so important. If learning is not based on what they know, they will not be able to learn it as well. Another benefit they mentioned was learning being transferable. When teachers use the constructivist approach they are able to take what they learned to other learning settings.

Example from Article 1

When teaching about fall, a teacher found a variety of fall objects. Each table was set up with a different table. At one table was a pumpkin that had been open, at another was a variety of apples that have been open, a third table had gourds, a fourth had leaves, and the last table had acorns. Students were able to visit each table and use their senses to learn about fall. They then wrote about their favorite thing.

Article 2 - Translating Constructivism into Instructional Design: Potential and Limitations This article discusses how instructional design functions inside the

constructivist framework. The three major phases of an instructional design process include

analysis, development, and evaluation.

Analysis

Traditionally an instructional designer would analyze the conditions such as content, learner, and instructional design

Content can not be pre-specified In a constructivist approach they avoid the breaking down into complex

components Assume every learner has a unique perspective Empower students to make choices

Development

Traditionally this phase involves the sequence to allow students to reach the goal. Constructivist believe in a student-student, student centered environment.

Active Learning – According to constructivism the learning should be active and meaningful

Authentic – Learning should occur in context and apply to the students Multiple Perspectives – include multiple learning styles and multiple

representations of learning Collaborative Learning – Students should have the opportunity to work

together.

Evaluation

Examines the thinking process As there is more than one way to solve a problem, looking at each

students process is important Multiple evaluation methods are used for both a goal-driven and a goal-

free evaluation Multiple evaluations also used to measure student growth

Challenges

Show little concern about the students entry level Constructivism is a philosophy not a strategy Constructivism offer unlimited discretion which can lead to

accountability problems

Article 2 Opinion

I believe that an instructional designer does not need to use the constructivism when completing the ID process. I believe that the ID should go through the official steps. I believe that in order for someone to develop a plan for their students, they need to fully understand their learners. They should use the traditional approach when completing the first step. When the designer is developing plans; however, they should consider constructivism when forming lessons and ideas.

Article 2 Example

An instructional designer using the constructivist approach during the developmental stage looked closely at the constructivist views. When completing the development part of the stage the designer looked closely at the curriculum. The designer created opportunities for students to learn that were centered around them.

One of the plans the designer planned was involving shapes. When the students were going to learn about triangles, the teacher had the students go on a triangle shape hunt. They then created an anchor chart of all the different triangles.