CONSTRUCTIVISM

I. Definition

Constructivism means that a learner

actively builds, or constructs, his or her
own knowledge – and continually rebuilds it
to account for information that doesn’t fit
the old knowledge.
 II. Basic ideas
• Learning is due to experience
• Knowledge and skills are constructed by the learner through an
active participation in the development and learning, rather than
being derived directly from the environment

• Prior knowledge and beliefs play a major role in the meanings

that people construct.
 II. Basic ideas

• Learners are the builders and creators of

meaning and knowledge.
• In the classroom: learners are the center and
the teacher has a secondary role in the
learning process
 II. Basic ideas

• Currently, constructivism is the most supported

approach to language learning
• Its main contribution to educational psychology is
the learner-centred approach, which emphasizes
the autonomy of learners in the process of their
education
III. Founders
 Jean Piaget
(1896 – 1980)

• Focused on logical reasoning

and the structure of knowledge
• People are intrinsically
motivated to make sense of the
world (i.e. learn)
• There are different “stages” of
learning
Piaget’s Cognitive Theory: 3 components
1. Schemas : building blocks of knowledge
2. Adaptation processes that enable the transition from one stage to
another
• Equilibrium
• Assimilation
• Accommodation
3. Stages of Cognitive Development
• Sensorimotor
• Preoperational
• Concrete operational
• Formal operational
 Vygotsky
(1896 – 1934)
 FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES UNDELYING THE
VYGOTSKIAN FRAMEWORK

Language plays a Development

central role in cannot be Learning can lead Children construct
mental separated from its development their knowledge
development social context
 IV. Conclusion
• Constructivism is a learning theory that ‘equates learning with creating
meaning from experience’
• Learning is more meaningful to students when they are able to interact with
a problem or concept.
• Constructivism can help engage and motivate your students by making
them take a more active role in the learning process.
• Constructivism utilizes interactive teaching strategies to create meaningful
contexts that help students construct knowledge based on their own
experiences.
Goals: problem solving, higher-order thinking skills, collaborative work
Problem-based learning: teacher engages his students
by challenging them to answer a real-world problem
‘How can we reduce waste to help sustain earth’s
resources?’
Step 1: Students will tour a local waste and recycling
plant to learn first-hand how waste and recycling
materials from their community are handled
Step 2: Students will weigh and record how many
pounds of food scraps their family puts into the regular
trash each day
Step 3: In groups students further research solutions to
the problems from different sources
Step 4: Students create books slideshows and public
service announcements about recycling
Step 5: Present to the member of the community and
parents at a family recycling night.