Constructivism

What ‘s it?

• Constructivism is both a philosophy and a theory of learning.

• The key concept of constructivism is that learning is an active process of creating, rather than acquiring, knowledge.

PRINCIPLES

• Learners bring unique prior knowledge and beliefs to a learning situation.

• Knowledge is constructed uniquely and individually, in multiple ways, through a variety of tools, resources, and contexts.

• Learning is both an active and reflective process.

• Learning is developmental. We make sense of our world by assimilating, accommodating, or rejecting new information.

• Social interaction introduces multiple perspectives on learning.

• Learning is internally controlled and mediated by the learner.

KINDS OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

EXTRA INFORMATION

• Jhon Dewey (1933/1998) is often cited as the philosophical founder of this approach.• Ausubel (1968), Bruner (1990), and Piaget (1972) are considered the chief theorists among the cognitive constructionists.• Vygotsky (1978) is the major theorist among the social constructionists.