Constructivism
Overview
Constructivism is a learning theory, which equates learning with creating meaning from experience. Students actively interact with a problem or concept to construct or build knowledge rather than passively receive it. When learners receive information they evolve, negate, or reconcile previous understandings and construct new knowledge. Within constructivism, learners are more likely to retain information because they are creating new understandings specific to their unique background through a cycle of questioning, interpreting, analysing, and combining information. Constructivism helps to transform teaching so that students take on a more active role in the learning process, by fostering collaboration, and by engaging students with problem-solving and meaningful content.
Constructivism is a learning theory, which equates learning with creating meaning from experience. Students actively interact with a problem or concept to construct or build knowledge rather than passively receive it. When learners receive information they evolve, negate, or reconcile previous understandings and construct new knowledge. Within constructivism, learners are more likely to retain information because they are creating new understandings specific to their unique background through a cycle of questioning, interpreting, analysing, and combining information. Constructivism helps to transform teaching so that students take on a more active role in the learning process, by fostering collaboration, and by engaging students with problem-solving and meaningful content.
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Guidelines for Use
Guideline 1 - Problems Must be Relevant to Students
Guideline 1 - Problems Must be Relevant to Students
- The problems posed to students must be relevant to their backgrounds and lives. This will help to engage the students by capturing their interests and will make the learning more meaningful. For example, a learner from an area of conflict would likely be more engaged in learning related to global peace, they would likely also have a unique background from which they can construct new knowledge.
- Traditionally, learners are taught the parts of a concept in order to build a whole – constructivism promotes meaning-making by encouraging students to break down a larger concept into its individual parts. This approach helps to contextualize the information and allows the learner to build new knowledge. For example, having students examine a terrarium will help to contextualize the delivery of information related to symbiotic relationships.
- Affording students the opportunity to elaborate and explain their points of view will help them to understand what they are learning. Using open-ended, non-judgmental questioning will ease students into a constructivist-learning environment. Having learners provide reasoning will assist them in constructing new knowledge because it fosters reflection. For example, having a student defend their viewpoint appose to determining its validity.
- Developmentally appropriate lessons and topics are more engaging to learners and are a good starting point. From here, the educator should gauge student perceptions and ways of learning in order to evolve the lessons to meet the learners’ beliefs or questions. An instructor should determine what facet of a lesson students find most beneficial and evolve future lessons accordingly. For example, if students find multi-media to be interesting, it may be beneficial to develop a lesson focused on students creating their own presentations.
Good Examples of Use
Example 1 - Gizmo
Example 1 - Gizmo
- Gizmos are structured and focused on a specific concept, and they allow learners to actively interact with an open-ended question to build knowledge rather than passively receiving it.
- Challenges from this resource build on students’ existing understandings, using real-world problem solving to promote collaboration in order to create a solution, simultaneously building new knowledge.
Helpful Resources
Resource 1 - Video on Constructivism by University of America Students
Resource 1 - Video on Constructivism by University of America Students
- This is a 6-minute video explaining Constructivist Learning Theory.
- This website offers critiques of the Constructivist Learning Theory and responses by Dr. Lorch.
- This website provides examples of case studies and lesson plans related to the constructivist learning theory.
Research
- Fox, R. (2001). Constructivism examined.Oxford Review of Education, 27(1), 23-35. doi: 10.1080/3054980020030583
- Liu, C. C., & Chen, I. J. (2010). Evolution of constructivism. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 3(4), 63-66.
- WNet Education. (2004). Concept to classroom: Constructivism as a paradigm for teaching and learning.
- Young, G., & Marks-Moran, D. (1998). Using constructivism to develop a quality framework for learner support: A case study. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance, and E-learning, 13(2), 30-37.