2. What is Constructivism? The learning theory of Constructivism is defined as the idea that as a student learns, he or she constructs their own knowledge and meaning. Constructivists agree that students learn by doing.
3. Foundations Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget is recognized as greatly contributing to the constructivist movement. He developed his learning theory after many years of observing children. Other influences on the movement include Maria Montessori, Herbert Simon, and Paul Watzlawick.
4. The Teacher’s Role in a Constructivist Classroom The teacher does not follow a curriculum. Teachers tailor their teaching strategies to student responses. Anchored instruction is a model for constructivist technology-based learning used by teachers in which the student’s already learned concepts form the basis for other information to build upon.
5. The Student’s Role in a Constructivist Classroom Students rely heavily on questions and dialogue. There are no grades or tests, but students are expected to explore and construct his or her own meaning, not just memorize answers. Students apply their existing knowledge and real-world experience, learn to hypothesize, test their theories, and ultimately draw conclusions from their own personal findings. Technology is a useful tool for gathering information and aiding students in their research.
6. My Opinion I believe that in theory, constructivism is an excellent and logical model for a classroom. It encourages creativity and exploration in children. However, I feel like this is not a practical method to use in our classrooms today because especially in public schools, there are not sufficient tools for students to conduct their own research. Also, many classrooms are overcrowded and in a purely constructivist setting, it can get unruly and difficult for a teacher to handle every student doing something different.
