Constructivism and Connectivism as Theories of Learning Essay

Constructivism is the learning theory that focuses on observation by acquiring data and thereafter reexamining, altering, and updating information to be useful in the present time. Humans process experiences, knowledge, and conception of life based on their impressions of their past. As individuals experience an unfamiliar event, they will attempt to integrate it with their knowledge and past, therefore replacing old outdated or incorrect data with new more pertinent information (Kerka, 1997). This learning theory states that learning is an ongoing process and not about merely comprehending available data without questioning, processing, and updating previously learned information (Allen, 2005).

A modernized education is imperative because students learn better with the use of technology. In order to succeed in the field of education, students must have a sense of today’s fast paced society. With the use of advanced technology in the classroom, students will be able to apply acquired material to the real world. While the old ways of teaching

Students throughout the 21st century can, without doubt, say that technology has been a part of their learning environment for a very long time. Which of course is true being that technology started to be placed throughout schools across the nation for the past 20-30 years. As students in the modern era, we have been taught through the use of technology, making educational goals attainable through various technology models. This includes computers, iPads, smart boards, projectors and even simple paper and pencils.

A few, inquiries on the phone, will be from people who will try to get us to explain details of our

Most students today use technology throughout their school day. Uses for technology can be found for every subject matter a student has. Some of the most widely used tools are found in the English and Language Arts classes. Writing on word processors allows students to cut-and-paste, save their work, and use spell checkers and thesauruses. With technology students are also given advantages in learning how to read. Reading programs use

According to Kivunja (2014), “a learning paradigm is a conceptual model that represents understanding of relationships involved in the learning process” (p.82). Cognitive learning theories were developed from the work of Gestalt psychologists during the early 1900’s (Billings & Halstead, 2012). According to Billings & Halstead (2012), “Gestalt psychologists believe people respond to whole situations or patterns rather than parts” (p.209). Cognitive theories are based on active, rather than passive learning, which is goal oriented. One cognitive theory that is well known is constructivism.

Constructivism is currently enjoying popularity as a "new theory" in education. In reality, the theory traces its roots through Piaget and Dewey to Kant. Constructivists align their beliefs with Kant’s writings on the interaction of the innate mind structures with the world. The individual can never know the "world-in-itself," only the world as it is constructed in the individual’s experience. Piaget traced his constructivist roots to Kant but Piaget sought to identify the structures of the mind behind the cognitive behaviors characteristic of each stage of human development. (Noddings, 1995) While Piaget wrote primarily on genetic development, Dewey stressed a student’s knowledge grew and

There is much in the literature regarding the use of technology in education. According to Dede (2009), Banister (2010), Peled and Schocken (2014), my topic can be characterized as technology in education is an effective tool for motivating student engagement, increasing academic success, and providing new environments for students to learn. Thus, the more technology that is incorporated in a students’ earlier grades, the more inclined they will be to prefer that type of instruction in their latter years. It is an important topic with respect to education because the wave of new technology is increasing at rate never before seen in the field of education. These articles track the study of technology use in the field, and how they are beneficial for my study of technology in education. All of the articles support the idea of the use of technology in education, and each represent a different aspect in which technology can improve a child’s education.

Two of the more prevalent theoretical frameworks used in education are constructivism and andragogy. Savicevic (1991) points out that the popularity of andragogy has spread among practitioners and researchers in many countries, including Hungary, England, Finland, France, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and Russia (as quoted in Chan, 2010, p. 28). Constructivism, on the other hand, has become, as O’Neil (1992) observes, “a new catchword” among educators (as quoted in Oxford, 1997, p. 37). This view of education has come to dominate educational literature, according to Fox (2001), at least in Anglo-Saxon countries (p. 23) and has become one of the leading theoretical positions in education (Alt, 2015, p. 50). The ubiquity of these

1.) The students improve their skills in hands on computer and also in their communication skills.

People had been studying how to use a computer on the educational side for many years. Previous English learners learnt English through a regular English class, an interesting and a fantastic English movie, an English newspaper, and etc. However, they were a lack of flexibility, and most of the learners memorized English vocabulary and grammar rules mechanically(Yang & Chen, 2007, p. 861).With the development of technology, at the end of 20th century, computer-assisted language learning(CALL) was widely used in many countries such as America and Japan because it could provide a language environment for learners talking with native people in order to improve their language skills, and students also can find many learning materials online. Besides, CALL is not only used by students but also teachers, teachers can use the computer to prepare teaching programme and let teaching at the classroom more vividly and flexibly. Thus, CALL seems to gradually replace

The very first thing one must know about the constructivist theory of learning is the premise that learners arrive at learning situations with prior knowledge and proceed to take and active part in building new knowledge upon that prior knowledge as they experience new things and reflect on those collected experiences (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2012). This theory directly contradicts the behaviorist learning theory in which learners are believed to arrive at learning situations with “clean slates” of understanding. From a behaviorist’s perspective, people learn because as they respond to negative and positive stimuli in their environment (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2012). While that may change observable behavior

Technology, as we all know, is helping and improving many disciplines of life. Technology, in Britannica Encyclopedia, is defined as the application of scientific knowledge to the practical aims of human life (Britannica, 2009). Using technology in education for the purpose of better understanding is a positive step taken by most of the schools, colleges and universities all around the world. Technology can play vital role in improving education systems. You can see electronic gadgets and computers being used in schools, colleges and universities. Audio visual tools are developed to teach complex topics to students in fun way. Faiza Abdur Rab, in her articles ‘Recreational Activities vs. Studies’ said that the lifestyle and education had become more competitive as science and technology is progressing (Rab, 2009). This advancement had brought many noticeable changes in methods and approaches of learning and education. This progress is making people of the developing countries to meet the challenges of world. This is also helpful in improving the style and standards of living.

Students can sign up for courses and choose a format of learning that suits them best; video, interactive tutorials, hyperlinked textbooks or face-to-face group sessions. (US NEWS) Quizzes are given occasionally to ensure that students are learning the material. There are four different types of E-Learning; Knowledge databases (step by step instructions, few explanations and questions), Online Support (Chat rooms, online bulletin boards, email or live messaging), Asynchronous training (Self paced learning based on CD’s, Networks, internet or the intranet) and Synchronous training (Internet using Real Time - communicate directly with the instructor) (Howstuffworks).

​In an additional explanation, Ormrod describes CALL as the encompassing of a “wide variety of innovations, including simulations that engage students in realistic activities, intelligent tutors that diagnose and address specific problem areas, computer tools, and challenging problems and games” (Ormrod 106).