Justification
Justification
A case for teaching physics around engineering projects
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"People build knowledge most effectively when they are actively engaged in constructing things in the world"
The role of the teacher is to create the conditions for invention rather than provide ready-made knowledge"
—Seymour Papert
Many of us physics teachers know in our hearts that integrating engineering projects into classes is valuable, but with standardized tests looming, we have a hard time justifying the time it takes to run them. However, there are substantiated learning theories that provide a rationale for why teaching in this manner is not just useful, but essential to student learning. This page will covering a few of the established learning theories that rationalize why we should be teaching physics around engineering design projects.
Many of us physics teachers know in our hearts that integrating engineering projects into classes is valuable, but with standardized tests looming, we have a hard time justifying the time it takes to run them. However, there are substantiated learning theories that provide a rationale for why teaching in this manner is not just useful, but essential to student learning. This page will covering a few of the established learning theories that rationalize why we should be teaching physics around engineering design projects.
Constructivism: Constructivism is the learning theory that states that students "construct" their own understanding and knowledge about the world. It is the belief that each individual builds knowledge based on their unique set of experiences and thoughts about the world. Students are not, as Paulo Freire puts it, "vessels" that we can simply fill with knowledge. Constructivism is the belief that we learn to learn, that knowledge is built on prior knowledge and that everything we do prepares us to do something else- learning is a positive, amplifying feedback system. When classrooms and teaching are designed to embrace constructivism, learning is active and student-centered. Project-based learning embraces constructivism by capitalizes on each student's unique set of experiences.
Constructivism: Constructivism is the learning theory that states that students "construct" their own understanding and knowledge about the world. It is the belief that each individual builds knowledge based on their unique set of experiences and thoughts about the world. Students are not, as Paulo Freire puts it, "vessels" that we can simply fill with knowledge. Constructivism is the belief that we learn to learn, that knowledge is built on prior knowledge and that everything we do prepares us to do something else- learning is a positive, amplifying feedback system. When classrooms and teaching are designed to embrace constructivism, learning is active and student-centered. Project-based learning embraces constructivism by capitalizes on each student's unique set of experiences.
Social Constructivism: Social Constructivism aligns with the Constructivist idea that knowledge is constructed but adds that humans do not learn in isolation from one another-- individuals build knowledge from social interactions, from being included in and active members of a learning community. Collaborative learning is at the heart of social constructivism. Students can only collaborate if they are allowed to work on projects together. Engineering projects allow teams of students to learn together, united around a common goal.
Social Constructivism: Social Constructivism aligns with the Constructivist idea that knowledge is constructed but adds that humans do not learn in isolation from one another-- individuals build knowledge from social interactions, from being included in and active members of a learning community. Collaborative learning is at the heart of social constructivism. Students can only collaborate if they are allowed to work on projects together. Engineering projects allow teams of students to learn together, united around a common goal.
Embodied Cognition: Anyone who has ever designed and built a product, fixed something that was broken, or just played around with materials and components knows the value of working on concrete projects. This is known as "embodied cognition" or the idea that the body can influence the mind. This makes perfect sense since the human brain is hardwired to the body and intimately connected to it, how could the body not influence the brain? Yet there is a tendency in education to treat the brain as a separate entity from the body and a view that the body is something that needs to be quieted or "tamed" so that the brain can focus. Instead, constructivism advocates for capitalizing on the brain-body connection and designing projects that engage both in tandem.
Embodied Cognition: Anyone who has ever designed and built a product, fixed something that was broken, or just played around with materials and components knows the value of working on concrete projects. This is known as "embodied cognition" or the idea that the body can influence the mind. This makes perfect sense since the human brain is hardwired to the body and intimately connected to it, how could the body not influence the brain? Yet there is a tendency in education to treat the brain as a separate entity from the body and a view that the body is something that needs to be quieted or "tamed" so that the brain can focus. Instead, constructivism advocates for capitalizing on the brain-body connection and designing projects that engage both in tandem.
Constructionism: Constructionism is a learning theory developed by Seymour Papert that states the learning happens through building tangible things. This theory advocates for student-centered, project-based learning. At the heart of constructionism is the belief that there is value in making physical projects, that the act of manipulating components and materials helps students internalize the concepts and make connections that they would not make if the material was presented to them in a lecture or read about in a textbook. In this model of learning, the teacher acts as a coach to assist students with their own learning.
Constructionism: Constructionism is a learning theory developed by Seymour Papert that states the learning happens through building tangible things. This theory advocates for student-centered, project-based learning. At the heart of constructionism is the belief that there is value in making physical projects, that the act of manipulating components and materials helps students internalize the concepts and make connections that they would not make if the material was presented to them in a lecture or read about in a textbook. In this model of learning, the teacher acts as a coach to assist students with their own learning.
References:
Harel, I. E., & Papert, S. E. (1991). Constructionism. Ablex Publishing.
Shapiro, L., & Stolz, S. A. (2019). Embodied cognition and its significance for education. Theory and Research in Education, 17(1), 19-39.
Vygotsky, Lev (1978). Mind in Society. London: Harvard University Press.
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