Constructivism and Instructional Design Essay

Piaget was a constructivist theorist. He believed that people build up their own understanding of the

The constructivism learning theory benefits teachers and students alike in several ways. One benefits is that students are given the opportunity to be involved in the learning process therefore find learning enjoyable and interesting rather than sitting, listening, and perhaps avoid learning. The same concept applies to employee training. When a trainee participates in the learning process he or she not only becomes eager and interested in the

My philosophy of education is closely modeled by Jerome Bruner’s Constructivism theory. Constructivism theory allows students to choose and convert information, and build hypothesis before making decisions (Bruner, 1960). The model focuses on the construction of learning. Students will pull knowledge created from individual experiences, past knowledge, and values. Personally this gives me the opportunity to encourage students with challenges through learning, discover, and values at the student’s level. I will provide students the chance to interact socially with peers allowing each student to build confidence of their own learning ability. My approach will allow students to feel my dedication through reshaping my approaches so that all

The constructivist view of development was formed by Piaget in the 1920’s and 30’s. Jean Piaget’s stage theory suggests that there are four stages of development that every child will experience and progress through, regardless of culture. Piaget also developed the concept of schemata, and the theory that children gained knowledge through interaction between experiences and schematic concepts.

Piaget (Berger, 1994) is a well know cognitive theorist whose concept of cognitive development placed great importance on early childhood education. Piaget’s theory has four specific stages. He deemed that children learn by actively involving themselves in their domain. Piaget is also linked to the Constructivist Theory：children construct

Piaget 's constructivist theory suggests that all children pass through the same developmental stages in the same sequence. His belief that create their own learning by interacting with their environment assisted by the

“Constructivist instruction, students are encouraged to use their own methods for solving problems. They are not asked to adopt someone else’s thinking but encouraged to refine their own” (Clements&Battista,1990). It has been proven time and time again that when given the opportunity students are able to do incredible things. Sadly, there are teachers that prefer to have all the

Elkind (2004) claims that constructivism is a much-needed educational reform but it will not take shape unless teachers, curricula, and society are aligned. Technological advancements, however, may prove sufficient in catalyzing the necessary changes to create educational reform and allow constructivism to flourish (Elkind, 2004). The constructivist movement, Elkind (2004) argues, is “generated by genuine pedagogical concerns and motivations” and not by fleeting political or social events, or a political agenda. This movement cannot take place unless the failures of readiness are

Piaget’s theory relies on both maturational (the rate at which the child matures) and environmental (the surroundings of the child, which would include where they are growing up, and who they interact with) factors. Piaget also believed that all species inherit a basic tendency to organize their lives and adapt to the world around them. Children actively construct knowledge on an ongoing basis, and that process is known as a constructivist theory. Under Piaget’s beliefs, children are constantly developing and revising their knowledge based off from their experiences.

Behaviorism and constructivism are learning theories which stem from two philosophical schools of thought which provide a structured foundation for planning and teaching instructional tasks. Behaviorism is based on observable changes in behavior. Any concept can be learned if it is repeated enough until it becomes automatic. Some key players in the development of the behaviorist theory include Pavlov, Watson, Thorndike and Skinner. Constructivism is based on the premise that we all construct our own perspective of the world, through individual experiences and schema. The major players associated with Constructivist theory include Piaget and Vygotsky. Having knowledge of various learning theories is an essential element in instructional design. Understanding how students learn, coupled with a student 's current level of understanding, is imperative to quality instructional design. Details of both theories will be highlighted in conjunction with exploring a ratio reasoning lesson plan.

Constructivism in the classroom usually means students are engaged in activities like experiments, or real-world problem solving to increase knowledge, followed by a reflection of how their understanding of the concept has changed (Brooks, Ed.D, n.d.). Cognitivism methods of instruction are commonly integrated with the levels found in Bloom’s Taxonomy: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation (Bloom, 1956). The instructor must understand the prerequisite knowledge possessed by the student, and the student is encouraged to use appropriate strategies to help make the learning meaningful.

The purpose of a constructivist education, therefore, is to facilitate the process for learners in constructing their understanding. Constructivist learning “fosters critical thinking and creates active and motivated learners,” according to McClurg (2009). The educational emphasis is not on delivering knowledge nor organizing that knowledge in a prescriptive system, but rather on teaching students how to build their own understanding within meaningful contexts for lasting effect (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2012).

Constructivism is connected to the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky. Piaget believed that cognitive development occurred in four stages that have distinct developmental characteristics.  He theorised that all information is organised into ‘schemas’, and this refers to the manner in which a child organisesand stores information and knowledge received. As new information is received, it is either incorporated into existing schemas (assimilation) or new schemas (accommodation) are created (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010).  Vygotsky’s theories compliment those of Piaget and place a greater importance on social interaction as he considered cognitive development predominately was achievedthrough social interaction.  Vygotsky believed that learning could be accelerated with the assistance of a more advanced peer or teacher.  This concept is referred to as the zone of proximal development (ZPD) and works in conjunction with the theory of ‘scaffolding’, where a teacher provides support to student and as proficiency increases the scaffolding is decreased (Marsh, 2008). Evidence of scaffolding is seen throughout the Maths video as Ms Poole provides an outline of the lesson and the goals to allow students to establish a focus.

There are five identified central tenets of constructivism as a teaching philosophy: Constructivist teachers seek and value students’ points of view. This concept is similar to the reflective action process we call withitness, in which teachers attempt to perceive students’ needs and respond to them appropriately; Constructivist teachers challenge students to see different points of view and thereby construct new knowledge. Learning occurs when teachers ask students what they think they know about a subject and why they think they know it; Constructivist teachers recognize that curricula must have meaning for students. When students see the relevance of curricula, their interest in learning grows; Constructivist teachers create lessons that tackle big ideas, not small bits of information. By seeing the whole first, students are able to determine how the parts fit together; Constructivist teachers assess student learning in daily classroom activities, not through the use of separate testing or evaluation events. Students

Constructivism is the theory that humans construct knowledge and meaning from their experiences. This idea that people learn from experience and not just from hearing lectures was revolutionary and gave birth to the experimental learning approach that is more powerful than lectures and worksheets. By directing their own learning processes, students understand concepts better. In essence constructivism is the theory of how we learn.