3. What is Constructivism?
• Constructivism theory believes...
– Learners construct knowledge for themselves as
they learn.
– Students learn by doing.
• It is often described as a theory of…
– The way people create meaning through
individual constructs.
– Knowledge with roots in philosophy, psychology,
and cybernetics.
4. What is Constructivism?
• Two important points in constructivism say…
– Focus on the learner, not the subject.
– There is no knowledge independent of the
knower.
• Constructivism learning theory is based on…
– A philosophy which enhances students' logical
and conceptual growth.
5. Who?
• There are four leading theorists of
constructivism.
– Jean Piaget
– Jerome Bruner
– Lev Vygotsky
– John Dewey
6. Jean Piaget
• Jean Piaget profoundly influenced the
constructivist movement.
• He believed children…
– Think very differently than adults.
– Were active learners who didn’t need motivation.
– Constructed new knowledge as they moved
through stages.
7. Jean Piaget
• His four cognitive stages are…
– Sensorimotor-children learn through senses and
motor activities
– Preoperational-children begin to use symbols and
images
– Concrete Operational-children begin to think
logically
– Formal Operational-children transition to abstract
thinking
8. Others
• Jerome Bruner…
– believes that constructivist learners are
participatory learners.
• They are actively engaged in the learning process.
– His theory provides a framework for cognition.
• Cognition suggests an individual progresses through
intellectual stages.
• Lev Vygotsky…
– believed learning was influenced by social
development.
9. Others
• Dewey believed…
– Learning should expand the experiences of the
learners.
– Education was a social process, like Vygotsky.
– Students should be allowed to create, construct,
and inquire.
– Learning was student-directed, teachers are just
guides.
• He founded the University Elementary School.
10. How?
• Based on the constructivism theory teachers
must…
– Acknowledge all students don’t learn in the same
way.
– Implement a variety of learning styles.
– Encourage communication between themselves
and their students.
– Remember students have prior knowledge and
experiences.
11. How?
• When creating a lesson remember…
– Largely lecture based teaching has significant
limitations.
– Visual and audio stimuli are good
• Make sure students don’t get lost or lose interest.
– Always give time for students to ask questions.
– Prior knowledge is not always correct.
– Use more than one learning method.
12. My Classroom
• Constructivism will be incorporated in my
classroom by…
– Groupwork
– Letting students teach each other
– Teaching in a fun and interesting way
– Incorporating many different learning styles to
each lesson.
13. My Classroom
• Some aspects of constructivism I may not
use…
– Constructivism avoids direct instruction from the
teacher.
• There are times when direct instruction is necessary
– The teacher is not seen as an authority figure.
• Having authority in a classroom is important
• Young students need instruction and discipline
to succeed.
