by Shannon Eighmey and Ruth Towne

Constructivism

Definition
Constructivist learning is:
Constructed
o Schema theory prior knowledge is the foundation for learning
Active
o Learning activities require the students' full participation
o Students help set their own goals and means of assessment
Reflective
o Talking about what was learned and how it was learned is emphasized
o Journals we do these occasionally in Mrs. Harners classes
Collaborative
o Working with peers and sharing ideas
Inquiry-based
o Ask questions, investigate a topic, and use a variety of resources to find solutions and
answers
Evolving
o Consonant matches up with previous knowledge
o Dissonant doesnt match up with previous knowledge, changes the way you think
o Ignored doesnt match up with previous knowledge, doesnt change the way you think

Good vs. Bad
A few benefits of constructivism are the use of schema theory, full participation from students, learning
journaling, collaborating with peers, and looking into a topic further with questions. Some negative
aspects include students creating their own meaning for their learning having perspective is good, but
perspectives still operate within an objective framework. When students create their own assessment
goals, there is the chance that some wont want to try as hard, so they wont challenge themselves.

Instructional Design
People come in with prior knowledge, behavior, and attitude (schema theory).
Reflective/evolving - information changes constantly, you have to evaluate any potential changes.
Inquiry-based - always ask questions and never stop learning
Collaboration - common (and important) in our field

Assessment
Self-assessment can be taken the wrong way but is necessary for improvement
Journaling: what did I learn
Collaboration - learn from others feedback, build off of others ideas, have a better idea where you
stand

http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index_sub2.html