Constructivism & the Learning Sciences

are constructivist because they are concerned with how individuals construct their representations that can be remembered and retrieved. [Ethan's note: I wouldn't say that information-processing *is constructivist,* as it's more about passive (brain-based) processes. Constructivists have certainly interpreted and applied information-processing theory in constructivist ways, though!]

Radical Constructivism- Each person constructs meaning (knowledge) from our experiences.

Social Constructivism- Belonging to a group and participating with that group. in the social construction of knowledge.

Vygotsky emphasized that Social interaction, cultural tools, and activity shape out learning and development.

Appropriating- Being able to reason, act, and participate using cultural tools.

Psychologists who emphasize the social construction of knowledge and situated learning affirm Vygotsky's notion that learning is inherently social and embedded in a particular cultural setting.

Some ideas/theories are only useful in a specific community of practice.

Situated learning emphasizes that learning in the real world is not like studying in school.

Constructivists share similar goals for learning, emphasizing knowledge rather than storing of inert facts, concepts, or skills.

Learning goals- Developing abilities to find and solve ill-structured problems, critical thinking, inquiry, self-determination, and openness to multiple perspectives.

1. Embed learning in complex, realistic, and relevant learning environments.

2. Provide for social negotiation and shared responsibility as a part of learning.

3. Support multiple perspectives, and use multiple representations of content.

4. Nature self-awareness and an understanding that knowledge is constructed.

5. Encourage ownership in learning.

Many constructivists agree with Vygotsky's belief that higher mental processes develop through social negotiation and interactions.

Collaboration in learning is valued.

One of the major goals of teaching is to help students develop their critical thinking and argumentations abilities, so that they can establish and defend their own positions. While respecting the positions of the other party.

Working together to negotiate of co-construct meaning.

If a student only encounters one model, one analogy, or one way of understanding complex content. They will often oversimplify when they try to apply that one approach to every situation.

This is why resources for a class should have-

Multiple representations of content- Using different analogies, examples, and resources.

A structure for teaching that introduces the fundamental structure of all subjects- the big ideas- early in the school years, then revisits the subjects in more and more complex forms over time.

Mark Windschitl suggests that with the following ways teachers can encourage meaningful learning.

1. Elicit students’ ideas and experiences in relation to key topics, then fashion learning situations that help students elaborate on or restructure their current knowledge.

2. Provide students with a variety of information resources as well as the tools (technological and conceptual) necessary to mediate learning.

3. Make their own thinking processes explicit to learners and encourage students to do the same through dialogue, writing, drawings, or other representations.

4. Encourage students’ reflective and autonomous thinking in conjunction with the conditions listed above.

5. Employ a variety of assessment strategies to understand how students’ ideas are evolving and then give feedback on the processes as well as the products of their thinking.

Teachers and students make meaningful connections between what the teacher knows and what the students know and need in order to help the student learn more.

Three Characteristics

1. Contingency Support- Teachers are constantly adjusting, differentiating, and tailoring responses to their students.

2. Fading- Teachers gradually withdraw support as the students' understanding and skills deepen.

3. Transferring Responsibility- Students assume more and more responsibility for their own learning.

• Formulate hypotheses to explain the event or solve the problem

• collect data to test the hypotheses

• draw conclusions

• reflect on the original problem and the thinking processes needed to solve it.

Inquiry learning- Teacher presents a difficult situation and the students solve the problem by gathering data and testing their conclusions.

Students work in groups to tackle real world problems.

These problems are ill-structured and they do not have one single correct answer.

A relationship where a less-experienced learner learns and acquires knowledge and skills under the guidance of an expert.

Cognitive apprenticeship model features-

• Students observe an expert model the performance/

• Students get external support through coaching or tutoring.

• Students receive conceptual scaffolding, which is then gradually faded as the students become more competent and proficient.

• Students continually articulate their knowledge- putting into words their understanding of the processes and content being learned.

• Students reflect on their progress, comparing their problem solving to an expert's performance and to their own earlier performances.

• Students are required to explore new ways to apply what they are learning that they have not practiced at the master's side.

Learning to apply the strategies of questioning, summarizing, predicting, and clarifying. Designed to help students understand and think deeply about what they read.

Application-

Palincsars three guidelines for effective reciprocal teaching

1. Shift gradually- The shift from teacher to student responsibility must be gradual.

2. Match demands to abilities- The difficulty of a task and the responsibility must match the abilities of the student and grow as their abilities develop.

Collaboration- Philosophy about how to relate to others- how to learn and work.

Cooperation- A way of working with others to achieve a shared goal.

Cooperative learning- Situations where elaboration, interpretation, explanation, and argumentation are integral to the activity of the group and where learning is supported by other individuals.

Elements that define true cooperative learning groups-

1. Positive interdependence

2. Promotive interactions

3. Individual accountability

4. Collaborative and social skills

5. Group processing

Requires no special materials or testing procedures and can be used with a wide range of ages.

A learning process in which each student is part of a group and each group member is given part of the material to be learned by the whole group. Students become "expert" on their piece and then teach it to the other students in their group.

Students work in paris within their four-person cooperative groups to research a particular controversy.

A broad term that describes many ways of learning in virtual or online systems

Systems that deliver e-learning, provide tools and learning materials, keep records, administer assessments, and manage learning.

(Like Talon)

Provides tools that support individualized learning in a variety of contexts and situations.

Framework in which knowledge is constructed through online peer interactions

A simulation of a real-world environment that immerses students in tasks like those required in a professional practicum.

This is used to mimic real life events and gives students the opportunity to put their problem-solving skills to the test in the "real world."

Interactive gaming environments constructed in virtual worlds where the learner assumes a character role, or avatar.

This can help students who do not seem to be good readers or writers discover that they can be very good at reading and writing complex material when it comes to improving their gaming skills.

Online communities for video game users where they can share knowledge, strategies, role-play scenarios, game modifications, or fan fiction stories and novels based on the games they are playing.

Ethan's note: I would emphasize that affinity groups/affinity spaces are not *just* for video games! In fact, although the affinity group *research* began with video game communities, the spaces/groups existed long before digital gaming!

The thought processes involved in formulating problems so you can represent their solution steps and algorithms for computing.