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Constructivism in todays schools
Constructivist framework education
Constructivism in todays schools
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Lev Vygotsky developed his theory of learning in the 1920’s but it was not until the late 1960’s that his ideas about learning became popular and were used to contribute to “Constructivism” as a method of teaching. (Krause [et al.] 2010 p. p81). Vygotsky believed that learning and cognitive development were significantly influenced by social interactions that occur with in a particular sociocultural environment. There are four major influences on cognitive development. • The social/cultural environment • The impact of language • Role of private speech • The Zone of Proximal Development. (Krause [et al.] 2010 p. p81). The social and cultural environment is seen as a pivotal influence on cognitive development because all social interactions are based on the prevailing culture. As the child interacts with its social and cultural environment, carers are subconsciously transmitting the prevalent culture It is up to adults to “socialise” the children into the appropriate skills so they can function appropriately. The emphasis on social interaction influencing cognitive development impacts on how students are taught. Class room environments need to allow social interaction as a key part of learning activities. This social interaction permits students to learn from both the teacher and their peers through collaborative activities. Teachers that encourage discussion will lead students to think critically and this will assist in providing meaning to new information. (Powell & Kalina, 2009 p245) Language has a significant impact on cognitive development as according to Vygotsky language precedes thinking. (Powell, Katherine C, Kalina, Cody J p241) A common language is necessary for people to interact socially. Language is... ... middle of paper ... ...nstructivism. Core to social constructivism practices is the creation of a social environment where students can use language to communicate, collaborate and socially interact with each other to learn. The prevalence of constructionist principals in current education attests to the importance of Vygotskys’ theories and their successful application in the classroom. Works Cited Applefield, J M, Huber, R, Moallem, M 2001, ‘Constructivism in theory and practice: Toward a better understanding’, High School Journal, vol. 84, issue 2, p35, 19pp Krause, K, Bochner, S, Duchesne, S & McNaugh, A 2010, Educational Psychology: for learning & teaching, 3rd edn, Cengage Learning Australia, Victoria Powell, Katherine C, Kalina, Cody J “Cognitive and social constructivism: Developing tools for an effective classroom” Education, Winter2009, Vol. 130 Issue 2, p241-250, 10p
Piaget and Vygotsky each created their own particular ideas of child development. Piaget differentiated development into four stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, operational, and concrete. Conversely, Vygotsky based his theory of development on the fundamental ideas that children construct knowledge, learning can prompt development, development cannot be differentia...
Watching a young child grow from infancy to toddler hood, we marvel at the amount of learning that has allowed her to understand her expanding environment. Those early years provide the basis for language, physical dexterity, social understanding, and emotional development that she will use for the rest of her life. All of this knowledge is acquired before she even sets foot in school! This child has taught herself by gathering information and experiencing the world around her. This is an example of constructivism. Constructivism emphasizes the importance of the knowledge, beliefs, and skills an individual brings to the experience of learning. It recognizes the construction of new understanding as a combination of prior learning, new information, and readiness to learn. Individuals make choices about what new ideas to accept and how to fit then into their established views of the world (Brooks & Brooks, 1995).
Constructivism is a theory of learning that emphasizes the active construction of knowledge by individuals.
Powell, K. Kalina, C. (2009). Cognitive and Social Constructivism: Developing Tools for an Effective Classroom. Education, 130(2), 241-250. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/pqdweb?did=1937522441&Fmt=7&clientId=22212&RQT=309&VName=PQD. (Document ID: 1937522441).
John Dewey once said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” You may ask why John Dewey should be given merit for anything he says. In truth, John Dewey was one of the biggest supporters of constructivism in classroom. On a basic level, constructivism is described as learning by doing. This concept, while not necessarily new, is considered progressive. Today, we will explore the history and details of this concept, analyze how constructivism effects the modern classroom, and wrap it up with some concluding remarks.
Constructivism theorists believe that learning is an ongoing collective application of knowledge where past knowledge and hands on experience meet. This theory also believes that students are naturally curious. If students are naturally curious, their curio...
Constructivism represents a paradigm shift form education based on cognitive theories. This concept assumes that learners construct their own knowledge on the basis of interaction with their environment. (Gagnon & Collay, 200?) The role of the teacher as a constructor of the learning experience to ensure authentic curriculum and assessment which is responsive to the skills, needs and experiences of the learner, within established curriculum framework and with the reference to the achievement of literacy, numeracy, retention and attainment of outcomes. Krause, Bochner and Duchesne (p.157) comment that “as learners interact with their environment, they link information learned through experience to previous knowledge, and so construct new understandings and knowledge.” Constructivism then inturn encourages Teachers and Learning Managers to recognise the value of prior knowledge and experiences that each child brings with them into the classroom, and help them (the students) build on their understandings of the world by providing appropriate learning experience plans.
How do people learn? A question of interest for both students and teachers. People are different so it should be obvious that there are different methods of learning and teaching. This paper will focus on the Social Cognitive Learning Theory (SCLT), the Constructivist Learning Theory (CLT) and their connection to practice. How each theory can be used to guide and plan educational programs will be discussed with examples to demonstrate how learning outcomes can vary with theory application.
Piaget’s cognitive constructivism promotes the PBL approach since PBL makes learners acquire knowledge by doing hands-on projects with groups (Ntombela, 2015; Richhey, Klein & Monica, 2011; Simpson, 2011; Smith, 2015). It is apparent that the characteristics of constructivism theory, which are associated with a range of design features of language instruction, support the implementation of PBL. Constructivist learning changes passive learners to active learners who individually construct their knowledge and learning (Ntombela, 2015). With PBL approach, learners need to search, collect, filter necessary information, self-structured meaning from their learning in particular subject areas, and build perceived knowledge to problem-solving situations
However, the things that interest toddlers are greatly dependent on the social cultural activities the child has been exposed since birthday (Vygotsky, & Cole, 1978). Therefore, explaining why Vygotsky 's theories give special allegiance to social interaction between children and the environment to be key in cognition development, confirming the fact that community have major role in development of children and how they come on in making the central part behaviors and cognitive actions.
The term constructivism has been used to explain everything from school reform to teaching styles, and most importantly related to a learning theory. As you can imagine the term Constructivism has the potential to develop many misconceptions since it lacks a universal definition. “Constructivism is an important theory of learning that is used to guide the development of new teaching methods”(Baviskar, Hartle & Whitney, 2009, p.541). The framework of constructivism is built upon the understanding that “learning is an active process that is student centered in the sense that, with the teachers help, learners select and transform information, construct hypothesis’, and make decisions”(Chrenka, 2001, p.694). It is important to understand that when speaking about constructivism we are referring to a learning theory not teach...
Educators as a whole have begun to stray away from solely utilizing traditional teaching approaches as new technology and science concepts demand that teaching approaches change with the times. (Zeynup & Alipasa, 2012) Further, allowing students to take control of their own learning and explore their world is of more relevance to the students than a traditional approach. (Garbett, 2011) By using constructivism, students may see the relevance of the science concepts they are learning, which may in turn inspire interest in science itself. (Milner, Templin & Czerniak, 2011) By using a constructivist approach in science classrooms, the students may gain a deeper understanding of science concepts, and students may take that knowledge and apply it to their career paths, their community, and their world. (Yager, Lim & Yager, 2006)
Constructivism is a somewhat new, but up-and-coming ideology that is progressing through education. In order to properly understand constructivism, one must understand the history. Then, building upon the history one begins to understand its progression through education. Then, building upon that knowledge we can begin to see the applications of constructivism in the modern classroom. In the process of establishing the layout this paper, a method of constructivism, also known as scaffolding, was shown. Scaffolding is the process of establishing what a learner's base knowledge is and then teaching them in a method that relates and builds upon that. This leads into the broader idea of Constructivism, which the view of learning is based upon the learner produces knowledge and form meaning based upon their experience. ("Piaget's Theory of Constructivism", 2006)
Rhinehart Neas, Linda M., ed. "Constructivist Theory: Pros and Cons." Bright Hub Education. N.p., 6 Jun 2012. Web. 31 Jan 2014. <, eds. "Constructivist Learning Theory: Pros & Cons." Bright Hub Education. N.p., 6 Jun 2012. Web. 31 Jan 2014. . >.
Constructivist learning theory is creating meaning from experience. Learning is an active process within a context. Knowledge is constructed as opposed to being acquired. Our personal experiences subjectively shape our knowledge with each learning experience from the time we are born until we die. Constructivism is organic in nature because our learning is developed from prior knowledge within our mind while also constantly broadening with each new life experience. Learning is an autonomously controlled cognitive system, which interacts with its own conditions; this differentiates and modifies the independence of its own structure (Juvova et al., 2015). We as educators must turn away from the mindset that we are simply pouring knowledge