CONSTRUCTIVISM

WHAT IS IT EVEN?

• Constructivism states that individuals craft their own understanding and knowledge of the
world, through experiencing things and learning from those experiences.
• Psychologists believe that the mind filters input from the world, therefore creating its own
reality.
• Constructivism teaches that learners do not transfer knowledge from the outside world into
their memories, rather they build personal interpretations of the world based on previous
experiences (Ertmer&Newby).
MODEL OF LEARNING ACCORDING TO
CONSTRUCTIVISTS…
Discovery Learning(Brunner)
-In a discovery learning setting a student is placed in problem solving situations where
he/she would be required to draw on past experiences and existing knowledge to
discover facts, relationships, and new information.
-The upside of the discovery learning theory is that students are more likely to retain
knowledge acquired by real world experiences, rather than by “good ole fashion” school
work.
 MODELS CONTINUED…
Cognitive Development theory 1970 / Conception of equilibration 1985(Piaget)
- Piaget (1970) proposed that children progress through a sequence of four stages,
according to the differences in their cognitive development. Limited by their own
knowledge in the different developmental stages, learners cannot be taught tasks that
they have not reached in their developmental stages.
-In 1985 he later expanded his theory to explain how new information is shaped to fit
with the learner's existing knowledge and how existing knowledge shapes what they are
learning. The major concepts in this process are…
1. Assimilation- occurs when a learner perceives new objects or events in
terms of existing schemes or operations, and is compared with previous
knowledge.
2. Accommodation- occurs when existing schemes or operations must be
modified to account for a new experience.
3. Equilibration- occurs when assimilation and accommodation are achieved.
 MODELS CONTINUED…
Language, Culture, and Knowledge(Vygotsky)
-In 1934 Vygotsky emphasized the role of language and culture in cognitive development,
and in how we perceive the world. He claimed that they provide frameworks through
which we experience, communicate, and understand reality.
-Vygotsky believed that learning takes place within the Zone of Proximal Development.
In this theory, students with the help of adults or children who are more advanced can
learn concepts or ideas that they couldn’t grasp on their own.
 WHAT I AGREE WITH & WHY
• I agree with all of the constructivist’s theories, because I believe that students learn best adding
onto experiences that they already went through.
• My favorite word in psychology was metacognition (thinking about thinking). My instructor
emphasized that students learn best if they make connections within their own thinking
processes. If the student is aware of his/her own thoughts they can tackle something that is
already easy/familiar to them. This not only helps the material stick to their brain, but it gives
them a huge confident boost since they are only building onto something they learned before.
 NOT FOR ME

• Behaviorism is technically only concerned with observable stimulus response behavior, and
states that all behavior is learned from interactions from your environment.
• Behaviorists believe that we learn behavior through classical or operant conditioning.
Therefore, saying that all babies are born with a blank mind and are trained through their
environment.
 I disagree with this theory, because I believe that human beings are capable of an independent
thinking function even from birth. I believe that you can train a dog through operant and
classical conditioning; however a student has the capacity to learn on his/her own without
having to constantly be triggered to do so.
Commands, memorization, and repetition should not be the primary way students are taught.
 MY PLANNING
• I believe that the constructivism theory will be what I implement in my classroom. Students are
smart enough to be able to think, and make connections for themselves. I want to run a
student centered classroom, and I believe that giving my students the freedom to guide their
own learning will make them stronger individuals in the future. Vygotsky’s zone of proximal
development is a great tool to use, in order to see where the students stand in their learning.
Individuals are trusted to make their own world connections with the help of an adult or peer;
yet an educator can assess what they have mastered or need work on without having to
constantly test them. Constructivism brings a sense of trust between an educator and a
student. It also gives students a great amount of confidence, that not a lot of other theories
offer.
 UTILIZATION
• The constructivism theory will be used in my classroom through everyday problem solving,
partner work, or even small group based learning.
• The theory mentions that students work better if they are allowed guide their own thinking
processes, rather than be given lectures or even handed the answers.
• When learning something complicated, as an educator I will allow the students to make their
own world problems based on experiences they have already encountered.
• If the students are not understanding a certain concept they will be allowed to discuss the
concept with their peers, and see if they understand it that way.
• Lectures will be rare, yet hands on activities will be plenty. The students will learn to add onto
previous topics that were already mastered.
 MY MOTTO

“ Today’s accomplishments
were yesterday’s
impossibilities”
Robert H. Schuller
 REFERENCES
Mcleod, Saul. “Behaviorist Approach.” Simply Psychology, Simply Psychology, 5 Feb. 2017,
www.simplypsychology.org/behaviorism.html.
“Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning.” THIRTEEN - MEDIA WITH IMPACT,
Educational Broadcasting Corporation,
www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/.
“Constructivism.” Warm up Exercises and Icebreakers - Group Work - The University of Sydney, 11
Jan. 2018, sydney.edu.au/education_social_work/learning_teaching/ict/theory
/constructivism.shtml.
“Education Theory/Constructivism and Social Constructivism.” UCD OER Wiki,
www.ucdoer.ie/index.php/Education_Theory/Constructivism_and_Social_Constructivim.
 PICTURE REFERENCES
• https://hrdevelopmentinfo.com/pros-cons-constructivism-modern-day-education/
• https://apessay.com/order/?rid=cc49f4f3231bb03f
• https://www.verywellmind.com/piagets-stages-of-cognitive-development-2795457
• https://biohacku.com/blog/your-zone-of-proximal-development/
• http://www.moedu-sail.org/portfolio-items/metacognition/
• http://goal.goodwinmetals.co/behaviorism-vs-constructivism-venn-diagram/
• https://medium.com/synapse/student-centered-vs-teacher-centered-learning-2184a7521720