CONSTRUCTIVISMAbout 13 min

About Constructivism

• Knowledge is constructed, not acquired

• More of an approach (combination of theoretical principles) than a specified theory

• Also consistent with ideas of generative learning, embodied cognition, postmodernism

Nature vs. Nurture Debate, Revisited

SCIENC E

Social Factors

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONS OF KNOWLEDGE

NATURE

TO

Type How Knowledge is Defined

Origins What it looks like

Personal Constructivism

By the individual Piaget Teacher helps individual shape his own thought

Radical Constructivism

By societal consensus Philosophy Teacher sets up activities to help groups reach consensus

Social Constructivism

Knowledge is product of processes and context used to construct it

Vygotsky, Bruner Teacher sets up socially oriented activities in which students co-construct knowledge

Emergent Constructivism

By both individual and society

Vygotsky, Bruner Discovery learning

Aphilosophical Constructivism

Take your pick…. All of the above and then some

Whatever you want but basically very student-centered

“Mainstream” Social Constructivist Origins

• Reaction to:– objectivist, positivist view– metaphor of mind as a computer processor– worries over decontextualization of knowledge

• Vygotsky’s writings about role of culture and history in knowledge and learning