When we are talking about constructivism, then we think about construct, which is part of the word. The information process has changed from teacher to learner, who is passive (Behaviorism), to an environment of active process. Teacher and students are in a reciprocal process of learning. The teacher, who has an experienced but learning worldview and the student, who is in a less experienced and learning worldview. Both elaborate their abilities, stretching and exploring that existing view.

The scientists in constructivism, just mention some, are Lev Vygotsky (ZPD, Scaffolding), Jean Piaget (Theory of Cognitive Development), Jerome Brunner (Constructivist Theory), D.Wood (Scaffolding).

In constructivism is a distinction between “Constructivism and Social Constructivism”.

Definition

“Constructivism as a paradigm or worldview posits that learning is an active, constructive process. The learner is an information constructor. People actively construct or create their own subjective representations of objective reality. New information is linked to prior knowledge, thus mental representations are subjective.” (JL, 2015)

Social constructivism emphasizes the importance of culture and context in understanding what occurs in society and constructing knowledge based on this understanding (Derry, 1999; McMahon, 1997). This perspective is closely associated with many contemporary theories, most notably the developmental theories of Vygotsky and Bruner, and Bandura's social cognitive theory (Shunk, 2000). (Kim, 2014)

What should be known of Constructivism

Constructivism

Constructivism is a philosophical point of view about the nature of knowledge and relation to the interaction between human’s experiences and ideas. The focus is on human development related to the occurring as opposed to the influencing development by other humans.

Social Constructivism

Social Constructivism is an assumption about reality (a human activity construct), knowledge (a human product), and learning (social process). To understand it is to know the fundamental how to apply models of instruction that are rooted in the perspectives of social constructivists. These models need a collaboration between learners and practitioners in the society. The focus is on individual learning to address collaborative and social dimensions of learning.

Terms of Social Constructivism.

Reciprocal teaching: a teacher and a small group form a leading interacting dialog on a specific topic.

Cooperative Learning: Expert peers spur children’s development as long as they need the help they provide, especially at less mature child.

Situated Learning: For an active acquiring of knowledge, it should take place in a proper environment and in a meaningful context.

Anchored Learning: Is an attempt to help students become more actively engaged in learning and an environment designed to help the leaner to develop effective thinking skills and attitudes that contribute to effective problem solving and critical thinking.

Assessments: Should to enhance the student's learning progress and the teacher's understanding of student's progress and as an accountability tool that serves to stress or demoralize students.

Zone of Proximal Development

Vygotsky’s point of view was that interaction between teachers and learners is an effective way of developing skills. Connected with appropriate assistance, the learner will achieve the required tasks.

"the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers" (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86). (McLeod, published 2007, updated 2013)

Scaffolding

D. Wood defined scaffolding as followed:

'Those elements of the task that are initially beyond the learner’s capacity, thus permitting him to concentrate upon and complete only those elements that are within his range of competence'. (McLeod, published 2007, updated 2013)

Effective scaffolding processes:

• Gaining and maintaining the learner’s interest in the task.
• Making the task simple.
• Emphasizing certain aspects that will help with the solution.
• Control the child’s level of frustration.
• Demonstrate the task.

Pro and Con Constructivism

Pro

• Active, hands-on, authentic and relevant tasks
• Collaborative and interactive with others
• Teacher is the guide and facilitator
• Based on individual’s prior knowledge and experiences
• Emphasizes self-motivation, choices in learning tasks based on interests
• Research, exploration and experimentation
• Problem-based and project-based learning
• Learning is organized, logical, sequential and scaffolded
• Supports higher level critical thinking and problem solving skills
• Encourages self-confidence and presentation skills
• Technology skills can be developed as learners research, organize and share
• Learners as teachers maximizes knowledge construction
• Suggests real-world problems and simulations
• Learners are challenged based on their current skills and knowledge
• Students interact with peers, teacher and environment

Con

• Good strategies require a great deal of planning, organization and resources
• Initial planning and accurate assessment of learner skills is vital
• A child may be active but not necessarily learning
• According to Piaget the child only becomes developmentally prepared for certain cognitive tasks so instructional demands must consider developmental stage of learner
• Novice learners don’t necessarily have the mental schema or cognitive skills to integrate new learning and require support and guidance.
• Although scientific and mathematical learning is quite compatible with discovery learning and project‐based learning. The ‘everyday’ concepts of learners need support for the transformation to scientific schema.
• Leaving learning too ‘unguided’, too learner driven, can often do more harm than good – constant feedback and learner assessment is needed.
• Problem based learning requires a great deal of scaffolding and guidance for novice learners.
• Although research shows that technology is a good support for constructivist strategies, again scaffolding is required.

© 2017, Andreas Holzer - Learning Theoriesr