Constructivists’ models of learning are focused on how students actively create or construct knowledge based on their background, past experiences, and new experiences and social interaction or collaboration. In order for learning to occur, successful, meaningful, and lasting, learning must include activity (practice), concept (knowledge) and culture (context). The constructivists’ position asserts that the transfer of learning occurs through involvement in authentic tasks that are anchored in meaningful contexts. Since understanding is experienced through real-world experiences, authenticity becomes critial to the individual’s ability to use ideas. An essential concept of the constructivist’s view is that learning takes place in context (real world experiences) and that knowledge is imbeded within the experience. The goal of instruction is to accurately portray the task rather than to define the structure of learning required to complete the task. If the learning doesn’t have a context tied to it, there is little hope for the transfer of knowledge to occur.
Cognitive Constructivism
Jean Piaget
Piaget believes that children create their own learning through using their prior knowledge and through discovery learning. His research was based on observing the memory processes of children. In his research, he found that students go through 4 stages of development when learning new content including schema (sequence), adaptation, assimilation (making connections), and accommodation. He believed that learning is based on student background knowledge, experiences, perceptions, and perspective and that intelligence changes as we grow.
Piaget suggests that our cognitive development is not just about acquiring knowledge, rather as we learn new information we need to construct our own mental model of the world. This is done through relating new learning to previous experiences, perceptions, background knowledge and perspectives (assimilation). Piaget viewed intellectual growth as a process of adjustment to the world. That overall beliefs and understanding of the world do not change as a result of new information rather we fit new information into the infomation we already have. When our exsisting schema doesn’t work, we make adjustments to the information we already have in order to make room for new information (accommodation).
Piaget believed that problem-solving cannot be directly taught. Children learn problem-solving through active participation and their own discoveries. Piaget would argue for the teacher to provide challenges to the student that they would discover on their own.
Social Constructivism
Lev Vygotsky
Vygotsky, a contemporary of Piaget, argued that social interaction is a huge part of the constructivism theory. According to Vygotsky, learning occurs in a social context with someone more skillful. This could include another student or teacher in a cooperative learning mixed ability grouping. Thus, he believes that culture affects cognitive development. He also feels that discovery learning should be guided by a teacher as the facilitator. This social interaction provides language opportunities, which Vygotsky feels is at the center of learning. Vygotsky suggests that learning happens when teachers assist students as they progress through the zone of proximal development through scaffolding of instruction.
Constructivism In The Classroom
The focus of instruction shifts from teaching (behaviorism) to learning (constructivism) from the passive transfer of facts and routines to the active application of ideas to problems. Within the classroom learning should be student-centered and accomplished through active discovery learning and inquiry. The role of the constructivist teacher is to facilitate or guide learning, rather than direct learning where the teacher is the “giver of information” like a behaviorist teacher model would suggest.
The role of the teacher in the constructivist classroom:
- Show students how to construct knowledge.
- Effectively monitor learning.
- Promote collaboration to share multiple perspectives.
- Promote self-exploration and inquiry.
- Design authentic experiences.
Learning In The Constructivist Classroom
- Learning should be tied to the real-world (in context)
- Active engagement through inquiry
- Support through the problem-solving process
- Assessment is focused on the transfer of knowledge and skills
Examples Of Learning In A Constructivist Classroom
Project-based learning (PBL) and work-based learning (WBL) are examples of learning that would take place in a constructive-based setting. PBL and WBL are both based on inquiry learning where the students construct their own essential (compelling) questions to investigate. PBL and WBL are considered a constructive apporach because they both empahsize collaborative, self-directed learning while being supported by a facilitator.
Learners are presented with a problem, are involved in group discussions, partake in collaboration with peers, activate prior knowledge, and construct an inquiry-based essential question based on the problem they will investigate. Facilitators provide scaffolding, which is a framework on which students construct knowledge relating to the problem presented. After the initial collaboration, students work independently in self-directed study to research the identified issue. Students receive consistent feedback as well as just-in-time teaching from the facilitator based on their needs within the inquiry process. The students then re-group and discuss their findings to refine their thinking based on what they have learned. PBL and WBL follow a constructivist perspective in learning as the role of the instructor are to guide and challenge the learning process rather than strictly providing knowledge. Inquiry, feedback, and reflection on the learning process and collaboration are essential components of both PBL and WBL.
Constructivism In E-Learning
The constructivist theory uses prior knowledge coupled with teacher-designed learning activities that are active, collaborative, and socially constructed allowing students to cognitively process new information. Students learn through generating questions (inquiry) to guide their learning using the teacher-generated framework and lessons as a guide. The constructivist theory fits perfectly into designing e-learning situations as instruction can be both synchronous (directed by a teacher via in-person or teleconference) or asynchronous (self-paced independent learning).
The following 3 components should be considered:
- Use active learning activities: Learning activities should activate student’s prior knowledge. This may include posing a question, solving problems, performing experiments, posign real-world problems and generating discussions amongst learners. These activities must relate to the area being studied.
- Instructor= Facilitator: The instructor is a coach and mentor whose role is to probe questions and relinquish control to the student. The instructor provides students with a framework to follow as a guide as well as activities to guide them through the inquiry process. Students are active learners, not passive participants.
- Learning is socially constructed. Learning should be designed to be collaborative in nature which includes discussions, reflections and includes multiple perspectives. This could include group work (group projects), collaborative discussions, debates or journal reflections. Learners should share their learning with others to ensure multiple perspectives are considered.
References
Kurt, S., 2021. Jean Piaget and His Theory & Stages of Cognitive Development – Educational Technology. [online] Educational Technology. Available at: <https://educationaltechnology.net/jean-piaget-and-his-theory-stages-of-cognitive-development/> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
McLeod, S., 2021. The Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding. [online] Simplypsychology.org. Available at: <https://www.simplypsychology.org/Zone-of-Proximal-Development.html> [Accessed 30 April 2021].
Ertmer, P. and Newby, T., 2021. Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism. [online] Edtechbooks.org. Available at: <https://edtechbooks.org/lidtfoundations/behaviorism_cognitivism_constructivism> [Accessed 2 May 2021].