CONSTRUCTIVISM APPROACH

• The constructivism approach is anchored on Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Constructivism and Lev Vygotsky’s Social
Constructivism.
• Constructivism advocates that learners build knowledge out of their experiences and ideas. This knowledge is
then shared and enhanced through interaction with significant others.
• Jean Piaget observed that learners create new knowledge from their prior experiences through the processes of
assimilation and accommodation.
• However, Vygotsky, who has been a supporter of Piaget’s work, insists that for learners to gain a greater amount
of learning, they should constantly encounter significant others.
• Vygotsky (1978) explained that a deeper understanding of concepts is achieved through language and
interaction with one another.
• Sotto (2007) believed learners take responsibility for their own learning, while teachers facilitate learning within
a social context. In short, learners are given the opportunity to work individually and collectively.
• Lave & Wenger (1991) & Duffy (2009) stressed that learning does not only depend on cognitive processes but
also social interactions and community engagement and other learning processes in a “contextualized” learning.

BELIEFS OF CONSTRUCTIVISM
• Society and culture affect learning.
• Learning involves community engagement.
• Social interaction is equally important because of the characteristics of learners as social learners.

JEAN PIAGET’S COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTIVISM

This theory stresses that learners take active roles in understanding, creating, and making sense of information in terms of
developmental stages, developmental tasks, and learning styles.
The following are the major considerations when applying this theory:
1. There are things that learners can and cannot understand at different ages.
2. Learners develop cognitive abilities through developmental stages.
3. Learners fit new experiences into their existing schema (assimilation).
4. Learners alter the existing schema to integrate their new experiences (accommodation).
In a discussion about cognitive development, it is essential to also include the elements that influence learners’ cognitive
development according to Elliot (2007) such as:
1. Maturation occurs naturally as learners grow older.
2. As learners grow, develop, and mature, there is greater interaction with their environment, allowing them to learn
from their actions and modify their predetermined ideas.
3. The processes of learning from others depend on the learners’ developmental stages and learning styles to develop
their learning ability. Elliot (2007) calls this process as social transmission.

LEV SEMANOVICH VYGOTSKY’S SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM

• This theory emphasizes that learning is built through social encounters with peers and adults. The heart of
learning involves active social interaction.
• Social interaction vis-à-vis culture is vital in the learning process.
• As mentioned by Tomasello et al. (1993), social interaction and culture affect learning. Meaning, forming their
own view of the world relies heavily on interaction with significant others and the essentiality of culture. This led
to Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory.
The following are the major considerations when applying this theory:
1. Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). It refers to the gap between actual and potential development. Actual
development is what learners can do on their own. Potential development is what learners do with help.
2. Scaffolds (Sf). It is competent assistance extended to the learners as they begin the journey of learning. These
scaffolds could be circumvented once learners have learned already.
 3. Social Interaction (SI). It refers to the frequent interaction of learners with other people that influence learning.
4. More Knowledgeable Other (MKO). It refers to significant others that learners look for when in doubt. Ones
who have grander knowledge than the learners.

ALBERT BANDURA’S SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

• This theory is simply known as the “Voovoo or Bobo doll” experiment. In this experiment, Bandura used
inflatable redounding Bobo dolls to represent social models of novel (new) violent behavior and nonviolent
behavior of young children (Zhou & Brown, 2015).
• Based on this experiment, it can be concluded that novel patterns of behavior can be acquired through observing
the behaviors of others or directly experiencing being with others (Bandura, 1971).
• In other words, learners learn through simulation and modeling, which means watching (observing) someone
called a social model and imitating the model’s behavior at a later time. In short, learners operate on the power of
examples from others.
• Since social learning theory encompasses attention, memory, and motivation, it serves as a bridge between
behaviorist and cognitive learning theories. Hence, Bandura renamed it as social cognitive theory.
• Social cognitive theory claims that learning occurs through a dynamic and reciprocal interaction of the learner,
environment, and behavior within a social context (Zhou & Brown, 2015).
• According to Bandura, models are classified as:
1. Real-life or Direct Modeling. It is a type of modeling where learners imitate the model’s behavior.
2. Symbolic Modeling. It is a type of modeling where learners imitate the behaviors displayed by characters in
books, plays, movies, or television.
3. Synthesized Modeling. It is a type of modeling where learners develop behaviors by combining portions of
observed acts.
4. Abstract Modeling. It is a type of modeling where learners infer a system of rules by observing examples
where rules are displayed.
• Concepts in Social Learning Theory According to Bandura:
1. Vicarious Learning. Learning is acquired from observing the consequences of others’ behavior.
2. Self-regulated Learning. Learning occurs when learners observe, assess, and judge their own behavior
against their own standards. Subsequently, they reward themselves when successful or punish themselves
when they fail.
• Four Phases of Observational Learning According to Bandura:
1. Attention. This phase requires learners to initially pay attention to be able to observe fully the distinctive
features of the model’s behavior.
2. Retention. This phase allows learners to retain or recall the observed behavior.
3. Motor Reproduction Process. This phase entails physical skills and coordination because they are needed
for the imitation of the learned behavior.
4. Motivational Process. This phase causes learners to explicitly perform the modeled behavior to receive
favorable conditions.

JEAN LAVE AND WENGER’S SITUATED LEARNING

• This theory posits that learners learn in particular situations and contexts in which the nature of the situation
significantly impacts the process of learning.
• More so when learning involves social relationships and co-participation exist between and among learners. They
share various conversations of the same type, which they term as Community of Practice (CoP).
• CoP is an organic self-organized group of individuals from various geographical locations. Though coming from
different issues of mutual interest and the best interest of the group.
Other related theories significant to learning could either be explicitly classified as behaviorist, cognitivist, or
constructivist because of their varied natures.
1. Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. This theory postulates that persons have the capacity to possess all
intelligence in varying degrees because of the influence of both heredity and environment. Gardner defines
 intelligence as the overall mental ability of a learner. He has utilized aspects of cognitive and developmental
psychology, anthropology, and sociology to support his claim on human intellect.

 Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence became a phenomenon in the education industry as a

conventional model in various capacities that understand and teach human intellect learning style,
personality development, and understanding behaviors (Chapman, 2014).

 Gardner knew that his multiple intelligences theory had some room to grow since he mentioned that
multiple intelligences were not limited to the original seven. Furthermore, Gardner believed that there
could be additional intelligence worthy of inclusion in the model.

 Chapman (2014) stated that Gardner added Naturalist intelligence (refers to relationship toward natural
environment), Spiritual or Existential Intelligence (refers to a relationship toward Supreme Being or
refers to one’s personal philosophy or belief), and Moral Intelligence (refers to taking care of the welfare
of living things and their well-being) among the list of intelligence.

 However, Gardner suggested using “existential intelligence” rather than “spiritual intelligence” because
of the challenge of codifying quantifiable scientific criteria to it (Dhiman, 2017).
The table below shows the original seven with the inclusion of the additional intelligence.

Intelligence Competence Capability & Perception Examples

1. Linguistic. Learners Ability to learn different Words and language Writers, poets, lawyers,
have an intense passion languages and use them speakers
for spoken and written to accomplish goals.
language.

2. Logical-Mathematical. Ability to discover Logic and numbers Scientists,

Learners can analyze patterns, reason mathematicians
problems logically and deductively, and think
scientifically through logically
mathematical operations.

3. Musical. Learners are Ability to recognize and Music, sound, rhythm Musicians, composers
adaptive to skills in compose musical pitches,
performance, tones, and rhythms
composition, and
appreciation of musical
patterns.

4. Bodily-Kinesthetic. Ability to coordinate Body movement control Athletes, dancers

mental abilities with
Learners make use of
bodily movements
their own body or whole
body in solving and
conveying thoughts or
ideas.

5. Spatial-Visual. Ability to fathom and Images and space Engineers, surveyors

optimize the use of spaces
Learners can distinguish
and utilize patterns of
space and confined areas.

6. Interpersonal. Ability to understand the Other people’s feelings Educators, salespeople,

intentions, motivations, religious counselors,
Learners work effectively
and desires of other politicians
with others.
people

7. Intrapersonal. Ability to understand self-awareness Self-directed individuals

oneself, appreciate one’s
Learners work effectively
feelings, fears, and
with oneself.
 motivations.

8. Naturalist. Learners Ability to recognize, Natural environment Nature lover,

have an appreciation of categorize, and grow environmentalist
the environment and upon certain features of
nature. the environment

9. Spiritual/Existential.
Learners are concerned
with various social issues.
Ability to use collective Religion and ‘ultimate Human rights advocates,
values and intuition to issues’ legislators, theologians
understand others and
the world around them

10. Moral. Ability to apply rules and Ethics, humanity, value Traffic enforcers, police
regulations in daily life of life officers, peace and order
Learners observe rules,
situations advocates
behaviors, and attitudes
that govern the sanctity
of life

2. Robert Sternberg’s Triarchic intelligence. This theory believes that learners learn even outside the
classroom. The environment is the best classroom for them. Thus, learners are encouraged to explore the
outside world to give meaning to their learnings.
• Kinds of Intelligence
a. Practical intelligence. The ability to do well in formal and in informal educational settings; is also known as
“street smart” individuals.
b. Experiential intelligence. The ability to deal with current situations so that novel situations that may arise in
the future are easily handled.
c. Componential intelligence. The ability to process metacognition and knowledge-acquisition components
effectively.
3. Wilhelm Wundt’s Structuralism. This theory assumes the discovery structure of the mind is built upon the
basic elements of ideas and sensations and could only be completed through introspection. Introspection is the
self-examination of one’s thoughts, memories, perceptions, and motivations (Zhou & Brown, 2015).
4. William James’ Functionalism. This theory examines how the mind functions and the mental processing
that leads to adaptive behavior. While the functionalists were concerned with both mental processes and
adaptive behavior, the major emphasis was on behavior (Zhou & Brown, 2015)
5. Kurt Lewin’s “life space” and “field theory”. “Life space” refers to reality such as needs, aspirations,
desires, and goals, while “field theory” refers to the functions of both person and environment. Hence,
learning occurs when the learners’ existing environment is in harmony with their present reality. Therefore,
learning activities must be relevant to their needs, aspirations, and goals.
6. Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence. This theory highlights the role of emotion in the development of
an individual’s personality, which eventually affects the progress of learning and behavior.
7. David Kolb’s Experiential Learning. This theory focuses on constructing knowledge as a result of one’s
reflective experience, which serves as the main driving force in learning (Baker, Jensen, & Kolb, 2002).