The Importance Of Constructivism

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Recommended: Discuss the educational implications of constructivist theory and critique its use in the classroom

Constructivism powerfully informs educational practice (Brooks, 2003). Constructivism promotes active problem solving, customized teaching strategies, and integrates assessments throughout the learning process so that students are involved in assessing their own progress (Constructivism, 2011). The constructivist theory is not, however, universally accepted; some say that objectivism, rather than constructivism is far more reasonable in its implementation (Carson, 2005). This paper will attempt to analyze the three articles provided and give insight to the efficacy of constructivist practices. The Problem with Constructivism The importance of emerging technology and educational reform are outlined in The Problem with Constructivism. Elkind …show more content…

Carson states that objectivism, rather than constructivism, is a more “reasonable” and effective teaching method. Objectivism, which asserts that students actively participate in their knowledge acquisition, does not require a student to construct knowledge in order to learn; rather, there is one concrete reality that exists outside of anyone’s perception which provides objective knowledge (Carson, 2005). In addition to introducing objectivism, Carson criticizes constructivism as a teaching …show more content…

I believe that educational reform is necessary before constructivism can be deemed the “best” strategy. High-stakes testing is a unwieldy road block towards effective constructivist teaching. While a constructivist believes that a child can construct knowledge regardless of the environment (Concept to Classroom, n.d.), it is not advantageous to provide a narrow curriculum for the sole purpose of achieving higher test scores (Gearheart,

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