Constructivist Fundamentals: Theoretical and Practical

As stated previously, constructivism is a learning theory that has origins in the research of individuals such as Piaget and Vygotsky. Key concepts, such as Piaget's theories on assimilation and accommodation, as well as Vygotsky's views on society's influence on learning as well as the Zone of Proximal Development provide a foundation for much of constructivist thought.
Theory
  • ​Knowledge is a personal construct, that is a product of our experiences and other means of information acquisition.
  • New ideas and experiences must be reconciled or amalgamated with previous learning. This can result in modified knowledge structures, in which concepts are reinforced, changed or discarded depending on how the align with other ideas.
  • Learning can occur in many ways, but active participatory experiences, followed by opportunities to reflect on the learning can lead to more consistent knowledge construction.
  • Learning is often a social activity, and the participation of other learners and teaching mentors can facilitate more effective knowledge construction.
Practice
  • Teachers acknowledge the personal nature of learning, including that each students knowledge constructs might be different, and tailors instruction/activities to meet the student’s individual needs.
  • Students are given opportunities to identify and build on existing knowledge, followed by opportunities to reflect on new learning to allow for its incorporation into existing knowledge structures.
  • Teachers function as facilitators of learning activities, as opposed to delivers of established facts, to provide students opportunities to have experiences from which their knowledge is built. 
  • Students are encouraged to interact with other students and teachers, as a means of aiding their own development and assisting others.
  • Curriculum goals are kept broad to accommodate the needs and learning outcomes of individual students.

Critiquing Constructivism: Some Advantages and Disadvantages of the Theory

Potential Advantages
  • Rather than rote memorization of facts, students instead focus on the process of learning, allowing for a more holistic approach that encourages critical thinking as students derive knowledge from their experiences.
  • Active participation in the learning process develop a sense of ownership and pride in the learning, leading to greater engagement.
  • Both the experiential nature of constructivist learning and the group dynamic in which it commonly takes place more accurately mirrors the learning that takes place outside of schools.
  • Broader curriculum goals provide opportunities for students to personalize their learning, allowing for the pursuit of particular threads of interest while maximizing the learning potential.
Potential Disadvantages
  • Assessing the personal learning needs and learning outcomes for each student places a significant workload on the teacher.
  • Developing meaningful experiential learning activities is more complicated and time consuming then direct instruction models, where information passed on solely via lecture or print sources.
  • Learner misconceptions and misunderstandings maybe perpetuated rather than extinguished, building a faulty knowledge structure that will require significant effort adjust.
  • The move from a specific content based curricula and a focus on group experiential learning may lead to a lack of structure if poorly implemented, which may impact some student learning.

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References

General References:
Constructivism and Social Constructivism [n.d.]. Retrieved on November 20, 2016 from the University College of Dublin Website  http://www.ucdoer.ie/index.php/Education_Theory/Constructivism_and_Social_Constructivism

D'Angelo, C., Touchman, S., Clark, D., O'Donnell, A., Mayer, R., Dean, D. & Hmelo-Silver, C. (2009, Dec 23). Constructivism. Retrieved from: http://www.education.com/reference/article/constructivism/

Fosnot, C. T., & Perry, R. S. (1996). Constructivism: A psychological theory of learning. Constructivism: Theory, perspectives, and practice, 2, 8-33. Retrieved from:   http://rsperry.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Final-CHAPTER-2.pdf

Murphy, E. (1997). Constructivism: From Philosophy to Practice. Retrieved from : http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED444966.pdf

Image References
J. Piaget - scb0m6u3_13[png]. Retrieved from: http://ioc.xtec.cat/materials/FP/Materials/1752_EDI/EDI_1752_M06/web/html/WebContent/u3/a1/continguts.html
J. Bruner - brunerj [jpg]. Retrieved from: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2016/06/jerome_s_bruner_pioneering_edu.html
L. Vygotsky - Lev_Vygotsky [jpg]. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lev_Vygotsky.jpg