CONSTRUCTIVISM

CONSTRUCTIVISM

Jean piaget, Vygotsky, Jerom. S, Bruner, Noam  chomosly are the  propagators of constructivism.   They put forward a learning theory considering human mind.  According to constructivism learning is formation of metal constructs.   In his attempt  to understand environment, every individual, construct knowledge  by observing objects, events and phenomina using his innate abilities which leads to learning.  Experience needs to knowledge construction.  This knowledge renews or removes on the basis of new experience and observation so learning is natural, active, complete and lilelong process.

Constructivism represents a  paradigam shift from education based on behaviourism to education based on cognitive theory.  Behaviourist, epistemology, focuses on intelligence, domains of objectives, levels of knowledge and reinforcement while contructivist epistemology assumes that learners construct their own knowledge on the basis of interaction with their environment.

Four epistemological assumptions are at the heart of what we refer to as constructivist learning.

Ø Knowledge is physically constructed by learners who are involved in active learning

1       knowledge is symbolically constructed by learners who are making their own representations of action.

2       Knowledge is  socially constructed by learners who  convey their meaning making to others.

3       Knowledge is theoretically constructed by learners who try to explain things they  don’t completely understand.

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM

Social  constructivism is a variety of cognitive constructivism that emphasis the collaborative nature of much learning.   Social constructivism was developed by post revolutionary Soviet Psychologist, Lev Vygotsky.  Vygotsky  was  a  cognitivist  but  rejected the assumption made by cognitivists such as piaget and perry that was possible to separate learning from its social context.

Cognitivists such as piaget and  perry see knowledge as actively constructed by learners in response to interactions with environmental stimuli.  Vygotsky emphasised the role of  language and culture in cognitive development according to Vygotsky, language and culture play essential roles both in human intellectual development and in how humans perceive the world humans.  Linguistic abilities enable them to overcome the natural limitations of their perceptual field by imposing culturally defined sense and meaning on the frame works through which humans experience communicate and understand reality.

Collaborative learning methods require learners to develop team work skills and to see individual learning as essentially related to the success of group learning.  The optimal size  for group learning is  four or live people.  Since the average selection size is ten to fifteen people, collaborative learning methods often require GSI to break students into smaller groups, although discussion selection sections are essentially collaborative learning environments for instance in group investigations students may be split into groups that are then required to choose and research a topic from a limited area.  They are then held responsible for researching the topic and presenting their findings to the class. 

CONSTRUCTION APPROACH

          The basic idea of constructivism is that the learner must construct knowledge the teacher cannot supply it.  So constructivism is an approach in which the learner builds an internal illustration of knowledge, a personal interpretation of experiences.  It is an active cumulative, goal directed, diagnostic and reflective process.

          Constructivism emphasis the careful study of the processes by which children create and develop their ideas.  Such type of learning encourages active learning; gives prompt feedback, emphasis time on task, communicated high exceptions and respect diverse talent and way of learning.  The points mentioned above are revolved around the active construction of conceptual structures, which mediate between the learner and his experiences.

          Learning is an internal process that takes place within the mind from a Constructivist perspective, learners construct knowledge as they attempt to bring meaning to their experiences. It is an interaction between the learner and learning environment. During this integration, prior knowledge is used as a basis to interpret and construct new understanding.

          In effect learning is a process in which the learner uses existing knowledge as a basis to interpret and construct new ideas

CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING DESIGN

          The constructivist learning design using now has been through a variety of revision in the past and now emphasis the six important elements: Situation, Grouping, Bridge, Questions, Exhibit, and Reflections. These elements are designed to provide teacher planning and reflection about the process of student learning.

IMPORTANT IDEAS OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

Ø Discovery Learning

Ø Learning Through Debate

Ø Learning Through Problem Solving.

Ø Co – operative Learning / Collaborative Learning

Ø Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Ø Scaffolding

Ø Learning as an Active Mental Process

Ø Internal Motivation

NATURE OF THE CLASSROOM IN CONSTRUCTIVISM

Ø Suitable for activity oriented pedagogy

Ø Can interact with teacher without fear

Ø Can move freely in the classroom.

Ø Opportunity for variety of activity

Ø Sufficient learning materials should available

Ø Three should be freedom of expression

Ø Need of the children should be taken in to consideration

Ø Areas like reference corner, reading corner, information corner, classroom library etc should setup in the classroom itself

ROLE OF THE TEACHER IN CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING

Ø Co-learner

Ø Democratic leader

Ø Diagnostician

Ø Facilitator

Ø Come down the level of the student

Ø Intervene the students peer activity

Ø Motivator of learning

Ø A constant student

Ø Problem solver

Ø Planner

Ø Researcher

Ø Organizer

Ø Evaluator

Ø Creator

CONSTRUCTIVIST METHODS

          Constructivism prefers some methods for the worthwhile and fruitful application of its principles in teaching and learning

Ø Co-operative Learning

Ø Collaborative Learning

Ø Brain Storming

Ø Concept Mapping

Ø Reciprocal Teaching are some methods relevant in constructive paradigm

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST OF BEHAVIOR AND CONSRUCTIVISM

          Behaviorism is product oriented approach. But constructivism is process oriented approach. Behaviorism is a teacher centered approach while constructivism is a child centered approach. In behaviorism learning is change in behavior at the same time, in constructivism learning is knowledge construction. Behaviorism emphasis on reputation and memory where as constructivism emphasis cognition. In behaviorism child is only a listener but in constructivism child an active participant.  Behaviorism considers only IQ whereas constructivism considering IQ, EQ and SQ.  In behaviorism human mind is totally in teaching learning process.  But in constructivism human mind has great prominence in learning.  Reward, punishment and reinforcement make learning effective in behaviorism at the same time in constructivism scaffolding makes learning smooth.  A behaviorist learner receives knowledge where as learner construct knowledge in constructivism.  In constructivism classroom atmosphere is rigid but in constructivism classroom atmosphere is flexible.

Anitha. K

SOCIAL SCIENCE