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Header: TECHNOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

Technology and Constructivism Josh Doyon Boise State University July 21, 2011

TECHNOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTIVISM Abstract: This paper examines the influence of educational technology and its relationship to the

constructivism learning theory. It is believed the field of education is slowly approaching a crossroad, as it needs to face the question: What role should technology play in the education of students? As new technologies are created and developed to enhance student learning, it seems the world of academia has not fully accepted this emerging field. One learning theory, constructivism, may benefit from the adoption of educational technology. Through student centered learning, group collaboration, and having more engaged students able to analyze and apply content, educators need to examine the impact and benefits of technologies available to them. To ensure students are receiving the best opportunity to learn, educators need to reexamine this emerging field and its impact on constructivism.

TECHNOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTIVISM Technology and Constructivism

How technology influences the way in which a learner learns is a question that has been asked repeatedly since the phrase educational technology was coined. Before answering this question, it is important to note that technology is not considered just something electronic, for instance a computer, an iPad, or smartboard. Rather, technology is any medium that enhances student learning. Rocci Luppicini (2005) defined educational technology as the field concerned with the design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning. (p.6). Whether an abacus, chalkboard, filmstrip, or overhead projector, any medium that aims to enhance and engage students further into the learning process can be considered an educational technology. As new technologies are developed and created, educators must always ask the same question: How will this educational technology improve my current methods and support student learning? The main goal in selecting technologies is to find clear and evident methods of improvement for the learner. Though the world has seen many improvements and advancements in technology over the past ten years, academia has been somewhat hesitant to adopt many of these new devices, as it is hard to determine the role and apparent value of many of these new technologies. Moreover, since the field of technology is evolving so rapidly, it becomes increasingly difficult for educators to evaluate current technologies. In many cases, by the time an evaluation of a technology-enhanced product occurs, a new product is ready to be unveiled. This paper will analyze and examine the role educational technology has in constructivist learning, as well as attempt to answer the question of whether educational technology supports or discredits this particular learning theory.

TECHNOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTIVISM Constructivism

Jean Piaget is considered the founder of the constructivist theory. Though constructivist learning was present before Piaget, he was the first to truly define it. Piaget argued that the learner constructs knowledge in order to organize information and experiences in terms they can understand (Bodner, 1986). From here, the theory has developed and expended through further research from such scholars such as Vygotsky, Dewey, Vico, Rorty, and Bruner. Constructivism itself is active, as the individual seeks to make sense of content and information at hand. Understanding knowledge allows the individual to analyze and interpret the world they are living in. With constructivist learning, individuals or students attempt to interpret and place value onto information presented in a way that can be recalled and used practically, rather than simply memorizing facts and information. Essentially, constructivism focuses on the construction of knowledge, not the reproduction of knowledge. When students construct their version of history, it can be called a personal history, as it begins to provide an explanation to information they are exposed to. With constructivist learning, there is no one correct answer, but rather multiple good or acceptable answers to a question. It is important to note when developing personal histories or understandings, not every history that is constructed is correct (Tam, 2000). Personal understandings need to be supported, proved, or justified with details to make the history valid. Moreover, these histories need to be bound by reality and real world. These histories are tentative and are not valid until they are tested and proven true (Perkins, 1991). The director or educator of the classroom is usually solely responsible for confirming or disproving a history. One of the goals of constructivist learning is the emphasis placed on the students themselves. Students become responsible for their learning, as they create a history they understand and will

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be able to apply when needed. Through this process of creating a personal history, students are encouraged to reflect on the development of their ideas. Doing so creates a stronger student, as they are able to draw conclusions and assumptions, and gain feedback on the accuracy of their ideas (Strommen & Lincoln, 1992). Creating these personal histories, students are able to elaborate on assumptions created as they gain greater insight into the content at hand, thus becoming better learners. Creating a Constructivist Environment To encourage a constructivist environment, educators must create a purposeful, active, and authentic classroom. Tasks need to have value and meaning if students are expected to gain knowledge. Passive learning cannot occur, if constructivism is to exist. One of the main goals of a constructivist classroom is student-centered classroom instruction. This not only allows students to be responsible for their own learning, but they can also become further engaged in the process as a result. To support this environment, educators must strive to become the facilitators or directors of the classroom, rather than simply a lecturer. To do this, teachers must select and distribute materials, question and test students histories, encourage dialogue amongst their students, and provide the necessary time for these interactions and conclusions to occur. Copley (1992) believes the main role of a teacher is to create an environment where students will become active participants, provided with the opportunity to make meaningful connections with the content they are asked to engage with. The teacher acts as a guide to ensure tasks and learning remain relevant, students remain focused, and students are provided with opportunities to create and test their understandings. For such an environment to be successful, the teacher needs to provide the necessary structure and direction for learning. Goals and objectives need to be clearly stated and realistic, if students hope to succeed. If they are not, it will be difficult for

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students to become successful, as they may have difficulty understanding the purpose of creating these histories. Moreover, without the opportunity to test and apply their constructed histories, students will not know if the realities they created can truly exist. There needs to be a reason why students are presented the material they are, as learning occurs more easily and successfully if there is a particular purpose in mind. Much of the learning that occurs in a constructivist environment needs to be based in the real world, where through analysis and examination, students will be able to make these connections. In addition, creating and maintaining a sense of community must be encouraged, as teachers and students work together to solve problems and create understandings (Tam, 2000). Though creating a personal history may be an individual effort, efforts to come to this conclusion are communal, as students peers become their resources (Strommen & Lincoln, 1992). Moreover, by working in a community, students become exposed to different perspectives they would normally have missed and have more opportunity to test and refine constructed histories. Having the ability to combine ideas from different perspectives creates more purposeful and meaningful histories. Participating in group projects, discussions, and thorough collaboration, encourages and emphasizes the idea of the community, while creating a richer, fuller, and more complete constructed history. Through these and similar activities students are now in control of their learning, as they are engaged and active participants in the learning process. It is through these interactions students are able to test and refine their histories to produce a better understanding of the content they are presented with.

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The Role of Emerging Technologies As technology continues to be innovative, changing the way people view and interact with the world around them, there is a similar effect occurring in education. These new technologies can be compared to the role of early computers, which allowed its users to have greater efficiency when completing tasks. During these early years, tasks were primarily focused around data storage and training programs. As the computer evolved, it began to become more useful and accomplish more tasks. Computers continued to store data, but now they stored greater amounts, while they expanded to transferring pictures and music, in addition to data. Graphics improved, the Internet was more widely used, and more software options were developed for users. As many of these changes occurred, it created a greater connection between users and the world they lived in. Moreover, with technology, users were able to interact with the world and information in ways that were never before possible. Whether through the Internet, mobile devices, real-time news sites, or social networking, users today are exposed to vast amounts of information (Strommen &Lincoln, 1992). Because of the exposure to information, and calls for the constant analyzing and interpreting of information, users need to constantly construct histories in order to make sense of the world. It can be argued that through the influx of this information users need to become better consumers, as they are constantly exposed to data, facts, events, and occurrences they need to make sense of. The opportunity to have access to a rich learning environment furthers the opportunities for students to create a reality tailored to their needs. Due to the vast amounts of information available to users, motivations and personal interest, become the main driving factors for acquiring knowledge. Moreover, many of these emerging technologies are mediums learners are beginning to

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interact with on a daily basis. For some learners, with the application of technology, the learning process becomes more interesting as they are no longer participating in passive learning, for instance, listening to lectures for the whole period. Students are now beginning to interact with the same information, in a way that is more meaningful (Dwyer et al., 1991). Moreover, this interaction comes on the terms of the students, as they are in control and responsible for their learning. Nonetheless, as technologies continue to evolve and emerge, it appears that as long as they can remain relevant to real-world application they will be successful in bridging the gap between the user and the vast amounts of information available. Moreover, with this connection to the world, it provides more opportunity for students to construct their histories, creating lifelong learners (Rice & Wilson, 1995).

Constructivism and Technology At the beginning of this section, it is important to note that technology is a medium that presents information to students and learners. Learning should remain focused on goals, outcomes, and constructing histories, not technology itself. As previously stated, the purpose of an educational technology is to engage and enhance student learning, as focus remains on instruction, not delivery methods. Educational technologies and technology itself should be a tool to aid in learning, and should not dominate or become the focus of learning. This is not to say that an evaluation of delivery methods should not occur. It should occur in order for educators and evaluators to understand the potential technology-enhanced instruction and the role it can play on education. However, the purpose of this paper is to examine the connections and relationships between constructivism and technology, not how one dictates the other.

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Since many of todays technologies increase accessibility to information and can be used almost anywhere in the world, shifts are occurring with how educators and learners interact with each other. In many ways, technology supports the construction of a constructivist classroom. Technology creates more opportunities for learners to access and use information. Moreover, these opportunities are occurring outside of the traditional classroom, as the world of academia has seen a rise in online or distance learning courses. Using many of todays technologies allows users to develop, practice, and maintain higher-order thinking skills and conclusion making, similar to the experience students would have in a constructivism classroom (Laney 1990). With the introduction of technology, learners now have more autonomy. Due to students exposure to an overwhelming amount of information, they need to quickly examine, analyze, and construct an understanding of this information. Users need to ensure the constant exposure of information remains meaningful and authentic. Accomplishing this will continue to ensure constructivism learning occurs, as the user remains the driver of learning. Though there is a great deal of information available for users to access, they are ultimately choosing what to read and what to expose themselves to. Similar to the role a teacher plays, users begin to become the drivers, or directors of information, as they manage and select what they feel are most relevant and necessary. The use of technology can begin to create a more effective classroom. Many of the tools available today help learners manipulate aspects of problems in order to develop an understanding.

Application for the History Classroom The combination of constructivism and technology may show its greatest value in the discipline of history. Traditionally, historical exanimation requires a great deal of reading,

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memorizing dates and facts, and recalling information for assessments. This type of experience typically encourages passive learning, where the classroom environment becomes dominated by lectures, with not a great deal of opportunity for inquiry and collaborative work. Applying constructivism to history, students can begin to move away from the traditional learning environment, as they are able to engage, interpret, and understand history in meaningful ways. Thinking about the study of history as a series of problems, events, cases, and occurrences, would for a constructivist student of history encourage learners to create a personal understanding and knowledge of why events occurred in the manner they had. To construct this personal history, students must be exposed to the event itself, but also multiple viewpoints and perspectives that will allow students to gain a more in-depth insight of the matter. As a result, students are able to construct and test their own realties as they are able to draw conclusions (Rice & Wilson, 1999). For example, in the history classroom software has been designed with the constructivism theory in mind, as students now have the opportunity to explore and interact with history. With the creation of simulation games like Oregon Trail, students are able to create their own realities, as they are able analyze events, test realities, and apply relevant information to the game. As students create this understanding of past events, they face similar trials and tribulations of pioneers headed West, only electronically. Having the ability to apply these constructed histories, students are able to examine their understanding of past events, as well as their decision-making. Since the creation of Oregon Trail in the 1980s, similar games have followed, combining historical events into a user-friendly game. Through these experiences, students have the ability to construct their own histories, which in turn can lead to a better understanding of the content through their engagement. This is beginning to occur more

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frequently today, with the development of Apps for smart phones and computers. These Apps, or applications, are starting to expand outside the discipline of history and further engaging students in learning. Moreover, since many of these Apps are designed for handheld, mobile devices, learning can occur almost anywhere.

Conclusion As the use of technology continues to become accepted and used in academia, it has the potential to foster the creation of constructivist learning environments. In many ways, technology allows for the creation of a constructivist-learning environment. Both allow access for the user, or student, to become the director of information, as they are able to access information they feel is important to create their personal histories. Both encourage and foster analytical and critical thinking skills that are needed to promote life-long learning. Each even has the potential to promote collaboration amongst learners, an important concept for constructivist learning. Technology assists in the creation of a constructivism-learning environment, as it ensures smoothly and effectively that students get the most out of instruction and their classroom experience. Using technology allows students more access to the thoughts and opinions and real-time access to their peers, as they are able to use this information to construct personal understandings. Moreover, with the application of this technology, students potentially will become better learners, who have the necessary skills in order to succeed in the 21st century. When learning occurs, they will be able to create their own knowledge, rather than absorbing or internalizing data. To answer the original question posed by this paper, the use of educational technology allows for the creation of a constructivism-learning environment.

TECHNOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTIVISM Reference Bodner, G.M. (1986). Constructivism: A theory of knowledge. Journal of Chemical Education, 63, 873-878.

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Copley, J. (1992). The integration of teacher education and technology: A constructivist model. In D. Carey, R. Carey, D. Willis, and J. Willis (Eds.), Technology and Teacher Education, Charlottesville, VA: AACE, 681. Dwyer, D. C., Ringstaff, C., & Sandholtz, J. H. (1991). Changes in teachers' beliefs and practices in technology-rich classrooms. Educational Leadership, 48, 45-52. Laney, D. (1990). Microcomputers and the social studies. OCSS Review, 26, 30-37. Luppicini, R. (2005). A systems definition of educational technology in society. Educational Technology & Society, 8 (3), 103-109. Perkins, D.N. (1991). Technology meets constructivism: Do they make a marriage? Educational Technology, 18-23. Rice, M.L & Wilson, E.K. (1999). How technology aids constructivism in the social studies classroom. The Social Studies. 28-33. Strommen, E.F & Lincoln, B. (1992). Constructivism, technology, and the future of classroom learning. Education and Urban Society, 24 (4), 466-476. Tam, M. (2000). Constructivism, instructional design, and technology: Implications for transforming distance learning. Educational Technology & Society, 3(2), 50-60.