learning theory paper

Constructivist Learning Theory Stephanie Boersma EPSY 302 6 April 20! "Tell "Tell me an# $ %orget& Teach Teach me an# $ remem'er& $nvolve me an# $ learn&( This )uote 'y Ben*amin +ran,lin em'o#ies the su'stance o% the constructivist learning theory- .hich is 'ase# on the notion that learning is an interactive process in .hich in#ivi#uals actively learn as a result o% their o.n e/periences an# i#eas& The theory o% constructivism .as signi%icantly in%luence# 'y several philosophers- 'ut most nota'ly S.iss philosopher ean Piaget- .ho re*ecte# the i#ea that learning .as the passive a'sorption o% given ,n o.le#ge an# conten#e# that learning is a process in .hich learners construct ,no.le#ge %or themselves as a result o% the com'ination o% their e/periences an# i#eas 1Constructivism an# Social Constructivism(& 4ather than %ocusing on what in%luences in%luences learning- as many #i# in Piaget5s timetime- Piaget5s theory essentially a##resse# how learning occurs& By a##ressing ho. stu#ents actually learn- e #ucators can apply the constructivist theory #irectly to the classroom an# their role .ithin it& o.ever- to properly un#erstan# the role o% constructivism in the classroom- one must #eve lop an un#erstan#ing o% the theory itsel%& Constructivism is 'ase# on the i#ea that learning is the creation o% ,no.le#ge %rom an in#ivi#ual5s e/periences e/periences an# re%lecting on those e/periences& e/ periences& $n#ivi#uals then assimilate .hat they learn into cohesive 'o#ies o% ,no.le#ge 17rmro#& This ,no.le#ge helps in#ivi#uals to create a sense o% meaning in the .orl# aroun# them- empo.ering them to learn an# gro. as a result& Constructivism recogni8es that each in#ivi#ual is a uni)ue learner .h o has #i%%erent nee#s

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an# a'ilities& ence- each in#ivi#ual has their o.n personal interpretation an# construction o% the ,no.le#ge process- 'ase# on their o.n personal e/periences an# cultural %actors 19ave y& A chie% contri'utor to constructivism- Piaget 'elieve# in#ivi#uals learn through the active process o% creating an# testing their o.n theories o% the .orl#& Piaget stu#ie# the learning learning process an# the intellectual #evelopment o% in#ivi#uals %rom in%ancy to a#ulthoo#& Piaget5s contri'ution to constructivism inclu#e# a %our:stage theory o% a chil#5s cognitive #evelopment& The stages inclu#e the sensorimotor stage 1typically %rom 'irth to age t.o- the pre:operational stage 1%rom age t.o to age seven- the concrete operational stage 1%rom age seven to age elevenan# the %ormal operational stage 1typically 'eginning at age eleven an# lasting into a#olescence an# a#ulthoo# 1"Piaget Stages o% 9evelopment(& 9ev elopment(& Piaget %orme# his theory on the assumption that chil#ren 'uil# an# construct ,no.le#ge 'ase# on their e/periences an# o'servations& The ,no.le#ge chil#ren construct is then organi8e# into schemas- o r groupings o% similar actions or thoughts& These schemas are 'uil#ing 'loc,s o% intelligent 'ehavior .hich ena'le in#ivi#uals to %orm a mental representation o% the .orl#& Piaget 'e lieve# schemas to 'e very important in cognitive #evelopment 'ecause in#ivi#uals use them to un#erstan# an# respon# to situations& ;hen a chil#5s e/isting schemas can #escri'e .hat the chil# o'serves aroun# them- then this chil# is sai# to 'e in a state o% e)uili'rium- or mental 'alance 1




intro#uction to the concepts o% Piagetian #evelopment- schemas- assimilation- an# accommo#ation to e/plain how in#ivi#uals how in#ivi#uals learn- rather than merely loo,ing at .hat in%luences learning& Piaget5s theory o% constructivism %ocuses primarily on in#ivi#ual constructivism- .hich emphasi8es ho. in#ivi#uals construct meaning %rom their o.n personal e /perience& o.everthere is another type o% constructivism calle# social constructivism& This perspective places the %ocus on ho. people c an collectively create meaning %rom the .orl# 17rmro#& Social constructivism .as pioneere# 'y Soviet psychologist Lev ?ygots,y?ygots,y- .ho re*ecte# the assimilation an# accommo#ation components o% Piaget5s theory& theory& ?ygots,y ?ygots,y 'elieve# learning is the process 'y .hich learners are integrate# into a ,no.le#ge community& ?y ?ygots,y hel# the 'elie% that learning .as a 'ypro#uct o% social interaction- not simply the learner5s assimilation an# accommo#ation o% o % ne. ,no.le#ge 1"Social Constructivism(& ?ygots,y5s ?ygots,y5s i#ea o% the 8one o% o % pro/imal #evelopment- or @P9- illustrates this 'elie%& 'elie%& The @P9 is #e%ine# as the range o% tas,s .hich a chil# cannot yet per%orm in#epen#ently- 'ut can #o so .ith the help an# gui#ance o% others& This gui#ance %rom others is calle# sca%%ol#ing- an# is the temporary support given to an in#ivi#ual 'y someone more ,no.le#gea'le,no.le#gea' le- such as a parent or teacher teach er 1"Constructivism an# Social Constructivism(& The concepts o% @P9 an# sca%%ol#ing stress the importance o% social interaction in an in#ivi#ual5s cognitive #evelopment& The notion o% social constructivism emphasi8es the role o% culture an# social conte/t in the learning process- rather than the in#ivi#ual5s o.n personal e/periences an# theories- as in in#ivi#ual constructivism& Although in#ivi#ual an# social constructivism constructivism are intrinsically #i%%erent#i%%erent- they can 'oth 'e





responsi'ility %or learning %rom the teacher to the stu#ents& 4ather than a lecture:style classroom in .hich the teacher pours ,no.le#ge onto the stu#ents %or them to a'sor' li,e a sponge- the teacher acts as a %acilitator .hose role is to ai# stu#ents in coming to their o.n un#erstan#ing& Constructivist teachers see, an# value their stu#ents5 point o% vie. in or#er to help %ormulate lessons an# #i%%erentiate instruction instruction in accor#ance .ith each stu#ents5 nee#s& $n a##itionteachers in the constructivist classroom un#erstan# that relevance must 'e attache# to the curriculum to pi)ue stu#ent interest an# ma/imi8e learning& The lessons are structure# aroun# primary themes- rather than small pieces o% in%ormation& in%ormation& The e/posure to large concepts allo.s stu#ents to #etermine %or themselves relevant in%ormation as they 'rea, #o.n their un#erstan#ing o% the main themes& +urthermore- teachers #o not evaluate their stu#ents5 progress through tra#itional testing& $nstea#- stu#ent progress is evaluate# in the #aily classroom conte/t an# through #irect o'servations& Constructivist assessment is 'ase# on the un#erstan#ing that the process o% learning is an important part o% the %inal pro#uct 1Broo,s& 1Broo,s& Stu#ents have the opportunity to present their ,no.le#ge #aily in a variety o% .ays& The theory o% constructivism allo.s learners to control their o.n learning through their search %or u n#erstan#ing& The application o% the constructivist theory in the classroom is o%ten seen through colla'orative learning& Colla'orative learning- the process o% peer interaction .hich is %acilitate# 'y the teacher- can 'e seen in the constructivist classroom classroom in a variety o% #i%%erent activities& Class #iscussion is one o% them& Teachers can promote #iscussion 'y presenting speci%ic concepts- pro'lems- or scenarios an# gui#e the #iscussion through e%%ectively #irecte# )uestions or re%erences to previously learne# material& +or e/ample- stu#ents ma y per%orm an e/periment





allo.ing stu#ents to use concepts an# i#eas #iscusse# in class %or a real:.orl# application& 7ther applications o% the constructivist theory in the classroom inclu#e roleplaying- #e'ating controversial topics- utili8ing cooperative learning groups to gain #i%%erent perspectives- an# internships& Learning is most meaning%ul %or stu#ents .hen they are a'le to interact .ith a pro'lem or concept- an# each o% these activities allo.s stu#ents to 'e actively engage# in the learning process an# create meaning %rom e/perience& Another e#ucational techni)ue in the classroom 'ase# o%% o% the constructivist learning theory is pro'lem:'ase# learning- or PBL& This is an instructional mo#el .here stu#ents .or, colla'oratively to solve comple/ tas,s .hich represent real .orl# pro'lems& This techni)ue challenges stu#ents to i#enti%y a real .orl# pro'lem through research- an# then #evelop a solution using evi#ence to support the claim& Stu#ents learn 'y #oing- an# PBL pro*ects re)uire stu#ents to use their o.n innovative approaches to solve these pro'lems 19elisle& Some e/amples o% PBL pro*ects inclu#e planting an# managing a gar#en to %ee# the local homeless#esigning an app .ith a speci%ic purpose %or a speci%ic au#ience- or #esigning an alert system to halt the sprea# o% a #ea#ly #ea# ly #isease& PBL is an application o% the constructivist theory 'ecause it ma,es learning meaning%ul %or stu#ents as they complete an in:#epth investigation o% a real: .orl# topic .orthy o% a stu#ent5s attention an# e%%ort& PBL prompts in)uiry an# allo.s %or multiple interpretations an# e/pressions o% learning- .hich allo.s stu#ents to 'e active participants in the learning process& The notion that learning is an active an# interactive process is one o% the ,ey principles o% the constructivist theory& Learners Learners are in control o% their learning- coming co ming to their o.n





learner- as one pro#uces schemas 'y %orming ,no.le#ge 'ase# upon their e/periences& Assimilation an# accommo#ation also occur- causing one to #evelop ne. outloo,s or re%rame ne. e/periences into the e/isting mental capa city& This type o% constructivism is calle# in#ivi#ual constructivism& ConverselyConve rsely- social constructivism .as pioneere# p ioneere# 'y ' y ?ygots,y?ygots,y- .ho emphasi8e# that t.o or more people can colla'orate to gain a 'etter un#erstan#ing than an in#ivi#ual can gain 'y himsel%& A com'ination o% each type o% constructivism can 'e applie# in the classroom to %acilitate e%%ective learning& As teachers engage stu#ents .ith pro'lem solving an# meaning%ul conte/ts- stu#ents 'egin to search %or their o.n un#erstan#ing- .hich is .hat ultimately motivates them& Applying a constructivist philosophy in the classroom provi#es stu#ents .ith e/periences .hich give them the opportunity to in)uire- e/plore- e/amineimagine- an# invent& The e#ucator5s e#ucator 5s role in this process is to %acilitate stu#ent learning as an integrative process o% com'ining multiple learning e/periences&







;or,s Cite# Broo,s- s Theory on Constructivism& Teachnolog#& Teachnolog#& Teachnology $nc&- n&#& ;e'& 06 Apr& 20!& Social Constructivism& &S% Teaching Resource !enter & HC 4egents- n&#& ;e ;e'& '& 06 Apr& 20!& Piaget Stages o% 9evelopment& (eb)D& (eb)D& ;e'<9- n&#& ;e'& 06 Apr& 20!&

learning theory paper

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