Module 14“Bruner’s

Constructivist Theory”

Jerome BrunerBorn New York City, October 1, 1915. He received his A.B. degree from Duke. Jerome Bruner was one of the first proponent of Constructivism. A major theme in the theory of Bruner is that learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge.

Bruner’s Main Concepts:Representation

Spiral Curriculum

Discovery Learning

RepresentationBruner suggested the ability to represent

knowledge that develops in three stages.

1. Enactive Representation At the earliest ages, children born about

the world through actions on physical objects and the outcomes of these actions.

Children represent objects in terms of their immediate sensation of them.

They are represented in the muscles and involve motor responses or ways to manipulate the environment.

2. Iconic RepresentationSecond stage in which learning process by

using models and pictures. The learner can now use mental images to

stand for certain objects or events.3. Symbolic Representation

The learner has developed the ability to think in abstract terms

This uses symbol systems to encode knowledge.

The most common symbol systems are language and mathematical notation.

Bruner advised that teachers utilize and bring together concrete, pictorial then symbolic activities to facilitate learning.

Spiral CurriculumBruner stressed that teaching should

always lead to boosting cognitive development. The students will not understand the concept if teachers plan to teach it using only the teacher’s level of understanding. The task of the instructor is ti translate info to be learned into a format appropriate to the learner’s current state of understanding.

Teachers must revisit the curriculum by teaching the same content in different ways depending on students developmental levels.

Principles of Instruction1. Instruction must be concerned

with the experiences and contexts that make the student willing and able to learn. (readiness)

2. Instruction must be structured so that it can be easily grasped by the student. (spiral organization)

3. Instruction should be designed to facilitate extrapolation and or fill in the gaps (going beyond the information given)

Discovering Learning Discovering learning refers to obtaining

knowledge for oneself. Teachers plans and arranges activities in such a way that students search, manipulate, explore, and investigate. Students learn new knowledge relevant to the domain and such general problem – solving skills as formulating rules, testing and gathering information. Most discovery does not happen by chance. Once students possess prerequisite knowledge, careful structuring of materials allows them to discover important principles.

Bruner (1966) states that a theory of instruction should address 4 major aspects:

1. Predisposition to LearnHe introduced the ideas of “readiness for learning” . Bruner believed that any subject could be taught at any stage of development in a way that fits the child's cognitive abilities.Bruner emphasized social factors and early teacher’s and parent’s influence on this. He believed that learning and problem solving emerged out of exploration.Part of the task of a teacher is to maintain and direct and direct a child’s spontaneous exploration.

2. Structure of KnowledgeBruner emphasized the role of structure in learning and how it may be made central in teaching. Structure refers to relationships among factual elements and techniques. This will depend on different factors, and their will be many ways to structure a body of knowledge and many preferences among learners.

Understanding the fundamental structure of a subject makes it more comprehensible. Bruner viewed categorization as a fundamental process in the structuring of knowledge. Details are better retained when placed within the context of an ordered and structured pattern. To generate knowledge which is transferable to other context, fundamental principle or pattern are best suited.The discrepancy between beginning and advance knowledge area is diminished when instruction enters on a structure and principles of orientation.

3. Effective Sequencing No one sequencing will sit every learner, but in general, the lesson can be presented in increasing difficulty.Sequencing, or lack of it, can make learning easier or more difficult.

4. ReinforcementRewards and punishments should be selected and paced appropriately. He investigated motivation for learning. He felt that ideally, interest in the subject matter is the best stimulus for learning.Bruner did not like external competitive goals such as grades or class ranking.

Categorization cognitive maps.Bruners’ believed that perception, conceptualization, learning, decision making and making inferences all involved categorization. Categories are “rules” that specify four things about objects.

4 Things1. Criterial Attributes

Required characteristics for inclusion of an object in a category.

2. The second rule prescribes how the criterial attributes are combined.

3. The third rule assigns weight to various properties.4. The fourth rule sets acceptance limits on attributes.

3. The third rule assigns weight to various properties.

4. The fourth rule sets acceptance limits on attributes.

some attributes can vary widely, such as color. Others are fixed.

There are several kinds of categories:1. Identity Categories

Categories include objects cased on their attributes or features.

2. Equivalent Categories Equivalence can be determined by

affected criteria, which render objects equivalent by emotional reaction, functional criteria, based on related functions or by formal criteria, for example by science, law, or cultural growth.

Example: • An apple is still an apple whether it is green,

ripe, dried (identity).• It is food (functional), and it is a member of a

botanical classification group (formal).

3. Coding SystemsCategories that serve to recognize

sensory input. They are major organizational variables in higher cognitive functioning.

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