Constructivism

By: Michelle C.

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What Is It? Key Figures Use in the Classroom Practical Applications In My Classroom

What Is It?

A theory that states students learn by doing Theorists believe children are intrinsically motivated

to learn Requires active student participation Students will form/construct their own

understanding

What Is It?

Learners base new information on past knowledge Students learn through many different activities Involves higher order thinking skills Employs collaborative learning

Key Figures

4 main theorists: Jean Piaget, Jerome Bruner, Lev Vygotsky, and John Dewey

Piaget is the most influential figure All believed that learning requires active learner

participation

Jean Piaget

Swiss psychologist Children learn by seeking to find meaning in the

world around them Students learn by building off what they already

know Construct new meaning based on prior knowledge Proposed 4 stages children pass through:

Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational

Jean Piaget

Sensorimotor (birth-2 years): Learning through senses and motor actions

Preoperational (2-6 years): Begin to use symbols and images

Concrete Operational (7-11 years): Logical thinking begins; learning through facts

Formal Operational (12-adulthood): Concrete thinking to acstract thinking

Jerome Bruner

American Psychologist Believed learning is constructed based on past

knowledge Technology is key in offering proper learning

environment Employed Socratic method for student analysis of

problems

Lev Vygotsky

Russian educational psychologist Added ideas of social cognition to Constructivism Social cognition is learning influenced by social

development Zone of proximal development: potential a child can

achieve with assistance Emphasized collaborative learning

John Dewey

American educational psychologist and philosopher Learning should engage and expand the experience

of learners Believed education was a social process Students should play an active role in school

Use in the Classroom

Teachers/instructors must become “facilitators” Facilitators allow students to work through new

material Allow for students to construct their own

understanding Learner plays an active role in their education

Use in the Classroom

Facilitators encourage conversations/discussions instead of teacher lecture

Help students with zone of proximal development Encourage collaborative learning

Practical Applications In My Classroom

Important to create an atmosphere with hands-on activities

Provide multiple methods of presenting material Use technology as a strategy to assist constructivist

learning Create an emotional connection with material for

students

Practical Applications In My Classroom

Allow students to come to answers on their own True understanding is when students can do

something without assistance Become a facilitator and not just a teacher

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