Constructionist teaching

From WikEd

Definition: To design curriculum so that concepts are constructed for the learner in a logical, meaningful, and coherent way.

Descriptions:

In order to understand constructionist teaching one has to understand Constructivism. Constructivism is a philosophy of learning founded on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world we live in. (Funderstanding)

The world we know is a particularly human construction. Infants, children, and adults contstruct their understandings from experience and from being told what the world is, not by discovering it whirling there untouched by experience. In schools, they study science, memorizing the answers and doing experiements. What they know of reality is only what they have come to believe not what they have verified outside their experience (Stake, 1995, pp. 99-100).

The constructivist teacher sets up problems and monitors student exploration, guides the direction of student inquiry and promotes new patterns of thinking. Classes can take unexpected turns as students are given the autonomy to direct own explorations. It recognizes the construction of new understanding as a combination of prior learning, new information, and readiness to learn.(SCIMAST)

Application to the Classroom: An extremely important role for teachers is to help children connect new situations to more familiar ones. Effective teachers help their students make connections among different aspects of their knowledge. It is not always obvious to students what these connections are, so concepts need to be scaffolded in such a way as to make these connections more obvious to the learner. Scaffolds are used in the curriculum and may later be removed as knowledge is constructed in the mind of the learner.

In a Constructivist Classroom... (Brooks and Brooks 1993)

Student autonomy and initiative are accepted and encouraged.

The teacher asks open-ended questions and allows wait time for responses.

Higher level thinking is encouraged.

Students are engaged in dialogue with the teacher and with each other.

Students are engaged in experiences that challenge hypotheses and encourage discussion.

The class uses raw data, primary sources, manipulatives, physical, and interactive materials.

A constructivist classroom calls for the elimination of a standardized curriculum. It uses curricula that utilizes the students prior knowledge. Also a constructivist classroom does away with grades and standardized testing. Instead assessment becomes part of the learning process so that students play a larger role in judging their own progress.

In an article by Jon Reyhner entitled "Reading Wars" which deals with phonetics vs. whole-word, the constructivist learning theory is brought up also. He states if one promotes phonetics then that person is advocating a behavioral learning approach and those who like whole-word are advocating a constructivist learning approach.

Criticism

"New Zealand has embraced this learning approach whole-heartedly with their science curriculum. They list the "Role of the Teacher" as being: 'Helping students learn how to learn; being a learner too; ensuring equity for all students; creating a friendly, supportive learning enviornment; providing learning opportunities; listening to students; using the students' ideas, experiences, and interests; challenging sensitively the ideas of students; providing resources to help students learn; ensuring students communicate in a variey of modes; identify and nurturing the scientific talent and interests of all students. This list has everything except knowing the subject matter to be taught, and being able to teach it in a clear, engaging, and understandable manner." (Matthews)

Another criticism deals with subject matter. Some concepts don't lend themselves well to a constructivist approach (molecules, potential energy, atoms, etc.).

Related Wiked pages

Experiential Learning

Inquiry Teaching an Learning

Reality Therapy

WebQuests

Personal Experiences with Constructivist Teaching:

I used a form of Constructivist teaching when I taught fifth grade. I developed my science curriculum by teaching units that I developed or researched. I thought as long as I was getting the state goals for science into the curriculum it would be ok (this isn't always permited in certain school districts, but it worked in mine.) I had a science textbook, but we used it as a reference tool only. I would have liked not having standardized tests and grades, but alas I had to give grades. So, I made up my own tests and made sure I had more than pencil/paper tests as assessment. For example when I taught the unit Fast Plants, at the end of the unit I would assess the students with a paper test, a model of a fast plant, and journal writings of the activity. S. Morrisette

As a teacher-in-training, I've been working on a handbook of classroom guidelines. I had initially planned to give it out to students at the beginning of the year, though it's now a little too big and a little too detailed for that (I will still give them some excerpts from it). My handbook (and my teaching style overall) are heavily constructionist. A few excerpts from the handbook:

(from the introduction) This handbook is intended to serve two purposes. First, it is a communication tool, with details about readings, assignments, tests, and course goals. I will hand out printed copies of this handbook at the beginning of the school year, but will update the handbook regularly online. Students are expected to check for updates on a regular basis. No printed handbooks will be given out after the first week of class. This handbook is also a contract of sorts. By reading and discussing the handbook together, we enter into an agreement. This agreement gives each of us certain responsibilities. Most of this handbook is about what I expect of you, both in terms of behavior and learning. Just coming to class and filling a chair is not enough. With a little help, a potato could do that. I have responsibilities too. I am responsible for starting class on time, for making lectures and other activities as interesting and easy to understand as possible, and for otherwise assisting you in your learning. I am responsible for knowing factual information about biology, for keeping up-to-date with changes in biology and teaching methods, and for making biology as relevant to your lives as I can. I am responsible for treating you respectfully, for giving you as much control over your learning as you are willing to accept, and for treating you as individuals with unique learning styles. For me, standing in front of you and talking at you is not enough. A parrot could do that.

(from a section titled "what we know about how people learn") For hundreds of years, just about the only teaching style anybody used was for a teacher to stand in front of his or her class and lecture. We now know that this is not a very effective way to pass on information. According to research conducted by the National Training Laboratories (2000), students remember 5% of what they hear in lectures, 10% of what they read, 30% of what they see in audiovisual formats, 30% of what they see demonstrated, 40% of the material covered in discussion groups, 75% from hands-on practice, and 90% of what they teach others. I will still lecture and you will still read, but we will spend as much time as possible engaged in other activities. If lecturing is only 5% effective, then why lecture at all, you might ask? To answer that (at least partially), I point to research conducted by the National Research Council, or NRC. The NRC has found that there are three core principles of “best practices‿ teaching.

-R.M.

I have always viewed myself as a constructivist teacher. I believe that higher order thinking is essential for students to truly gain and retain new knowledge. I also remember how ineffective the lecture has been in my own education, and I think about tha classes that I do remember learning in, and try to model them. -S. Yunker

I think a big barrier to constructionist teaching is having the vast and varied instructional content needed to facilitate all the possible directions any given day may go. Historically it seems to me that we've done the best that could be done with the means at hand. A lecture with a couple of pictures 100 years ago was probably quite engaging. Today networked technology and multimedia has the ability to break down the classroom walls and provide SO much more content that students can synthesize as their learning evolves. I think we've only begun to have to ability to really move education down the constructionist path. -J. Tubbs

References:

The National Academy of Sciences. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School: Expanded Edition. http://www.nap.edu/openbook/0309070368/html/106.html

Jy Wana Daphne Lin Hsiao, "CSCL Theories", (http://www.edb.utexas.edu/csclstudent/Dhsiao/theories.html#construct)

Matthews, Michael, "Constructivism in Science and Mathematics Education", University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052 Australia, (http://wwwcsi.unian.it/educa/inglese/matthews.html)

Reyhner, Jon, "The Reading Wars", (http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/Reading_Wars.html)

Stake, R. (1995). "The Art of Case Study Research". Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

"Constructionist- Learning Theory" (http://www.cdli.ca/~elmurphy/emurphy/cle2b.html)