OBJECTIVES: Familiarize yourself with the principles of constructivist

teaching;

Describe how one wishes to be taught in science class;

Classify teaching strategies as constructivist or non-
constructivist;
Select appropriate teaching strategies to match target
topics and competencies; and
Examine the effectiveness of constructivist teaching
approaches.
 What is
constructivism?
Constructivism
Constructivism is an important learning theory that
educators use to help their students learn. Constructivism is based
on the idea that people actively construct or make their own
knowledge, and that reality is determined by your experiences as a
learner. Basically, learners use their previous knowledge as a
foundation and build on it with new things that they learn. So,
everyone’s individual experiences make their learning unique to
them. 
Constructivism

Constructivism is crucial to understand as an educator

because it influences the way all of your students learn. Teachers
and instructors that understand the constructivist learning theory
understand that their students bring their own unique experiences
to the classroom every day. Their background and previous
knowledge impact how they are able to learn.
Constructivism

Educators are able to use constructivist learning theory to

help their students understand their previous knowledge. If you’re
a current or aspiring educator, it’s important to get the education
and credentials you need. But it’s also important to understand
learning theories and how they impact you and your students. This
guide will tell you more about the constructivist learning theory
and how it helps you as a teacher.
Principles of Constructivism
There are many specific elements and principles of constructivism that shape
the way the theory works and applies to students. Learn about the different
principles of constructivism and how they make up the whole theory. 

Knowledge is constructed. This is the basic principle, meaning that

knowledge is built upon other knowledge. Students take pieces and put
them together in their own unique way, building something different
than what another student will build. The student’s previous knowledge,
experiences, beliefs, and insights are all important foundations for their
continued learning. 
Principles of Constructivism
There are many specific elements and principles of constructivism that shape
the way the theory works and applies to students. Learn about the different
principles of constructivism and how they make up the whole theory. 

People learn to learn, as they learn. Learning involves constructing meaning and
systems of meaning. For example, if a student is learning the chronology of dates
for a series of historical events, at the same time they are learning the meaning of
chronology. If a student is writing a paper about history, they are also learning
principles of grammar and writing as well. Each thing we learn gives us a better
understanding of other things in the future.
Principles of Constructivism
There are many specific elements and principles of constructivism that shape
the way the theory works and applies to students. Learn about the different
principles of constructivism and how they make up the whole theory. 

Learning is an active process. Learning involves sensory input to

construct meaning. The learner needs to do something in order to learn,
it’s not a passive activity. Learners need to engage in the world so they
are actively involved in their own learning and development. You can’t
just sit and expect to be told things and learn, you need to engage in
discussions, reading, activities, etc.
Principles of Constructivism
There are many specific elements and principles of constructivism that shape
the way the theory works and applies to students. Learn about the different
principles of constructivism and how they make up the whole theory. 
Learning is a social activity. Learning is directly associated to our connection with
other people. Our teachers, our family, or peers, and our acquaintances impact our
learning. Educators are more likely to be successful as they understand that peer
involvement is key in learning. Isolating learning isn’t the best way to help students
learn and grow together. Progressive education recognizes that social interaction is
key to learning and they use conversation, interaction, and group applications to
help students retain their knowledge. 
Principles of Constructivism
There are many specific elements and principles of constructivism that shape
the way the theory works and applies to students. Learn about the different
principles of constructivism and how they make up the whole theory. 

Learning is contextual. Students don’t learn isolated facts and theories

separate from the rest of their lives—we learn in ways connected to
things we already know, what we believe, and more. The things we
learn and the points we tend to remember are connected to the things
going on around us. 
Principles of Constructivism
There are many specific elements and principles of constructivism that shape
the way the theory works and applies to students. Learn about the different
principles of constructivism and how they make up the whole theory. 

Knowledge is personal. Because constructivism is based on your own

experiences and beliefs, knowledge becomes a personal affair. Each
person will have their own prior knowledge and experiences to bring to
the table. So the way and things people learn and gain from education
will all be very different. 
Principles of Constructivism
There are many specific elements and principles of constructivism that shape
the way the theory works and applies to students. Learn about the different
principles of constructivism and how they make up the whole theory. 

Learning exists in the mind. Hands-on experiences and physical

actions are necessary for learning, but those elements aren’t enough.
Engaging the mind is key to successful learning. Learning needs to
involve activities for the minds, not just our hands. Mental experiences
are needed for retaining knowledge.
Principles of Constructivism
There are many specific elements and principles of constructivism that shape
the way the theory works and applies to students. Learn about the different
principles of constructivism and how they make up the whole theory. 

Motivation is key to learning. Students are unable to learn if they are

unmotivated. Educators need to have ways to engage and motivate
learners to activate their minds and help them be excited about
education. Without motivation, it’s difficult for learners to reach into
their past experiences and make connections for new learning.
 Types of Constructivism
There are different types of constructivism that educators can use to find success
with this learning theory. 

Cognitive. Cognitive constructivism focuses on the idea that learning should be

related to the learner’s stage of cognitive development. These methods work to
help students in learning new information by connecting it to things they already
know, enabling them to make modifications in their existing intelligence to
accommodate the new information. Cognitive constructivism comes from the
work of Jean Piaget and his research on cognitive development in children. 
 Types of Constructivism
There are different types of constructivism that educators can use to find success
with this learning theory. 

Social. Social constructivism focuses on the collaborative nature of learning.

Knowledge develops from how people interact with each other, their culture,
and society at large. Students rely on others to help create their building
blocks, and learning from others helps them construct their own knowledge
and reality. Social constructivism comes from Lev Vygotsky and is closely
connected to cognitive constructivism with the added element of societal and
peer influence.
 Types of Constructivism
There are different types of constructivism that educators can use to find success
with this learning theory. 
Radical. Radical constructivism is very different from cognitive and
social constructivism. It focuses on the idea that learners and the
knowledge they construct tell us nothing real, only help us function in
our environment. The overall idea is that knowledge is invented, not
discovered. The things we bring to the table make it impossible for us to
have truth, only interpretations of knowledge. This theory was
developed by Ernst von Glasersfeld in 1974. 
Constructivist Teaching
Constructivist teaching is anchored on the
fundamental belief that learning occurs as individuals
are actively involved in meaning-making and
knowledge-construction processes.
 Constructivist Teaching
Dewey’s idea of transformative education suggests that education
must foster the development of critical thinking among the learners
via reflection, exploration of the environment, and hands-on
experiences. Piaget’s role in constructivist teaching highlights that we
learn by expanding our knowledge through experiences. These
experiences are generated through playing from infancy to adulthood,
which is necessary for learning.
 Constructivist Teaching
In the constructivist classroom, the teacher’s role is to prompt and
facilitate a meaningful exchange of ideas and learning. The teacher’s
main focus is guiding the students by asking questions that will lead
them to develop their own insights and conclusions on the subject.
Constructivist teaching is governed by the following principles:

Engage students in the discovery and

examination of relevant and meaningful
problems.
 Constructivist Teaching
In the constructivist classroom, the teacher’s role is to prompt and
facilitate a meaningful exchange of ideas and learning. The teacher’s
main focus is guiding the students by asking questions that will lead
them to develop their own insights and conclusions on the subject.
Constructivist teaching is governed by the following principles:

Organize curriculum into activities and broad

primary concepts.
 Constructivist Teaching
In the constructivist classroom, the teacher’s role is to prompt and
facilitate a meaningful exchange of ideas and learning. The teacher’s
main focus is guiding the students by asking questions that will lead
them to develop their own insights and conclusions on the subject.
Constructivist teaching is governed by the following principles:

Explore and value the students’ perspectives.

 Constructivist Teaching
In the constructivist classroom, the teacher’s role is to prompt and
facilitate a meaningful exchange of ideas and learning. The teacher’s
main focus is guiding the students by asking questions that will lead
them to develop their own insights and conclusions on the subject.
Constructivist teaching is governed by the following principles:

Encourage the students to investigate and

challenge their assumptions.
 Constructivist Teaching
In the constructivist classroom, the teacher’s role is to prompt and
facilitate a meaningful exchange of ideas and learning. The teacher’s
main focus is guiding the students by asking questions that will lead
them to develop their own insights and conclusions on the subject.
Constructivist teaching is governed by the following principles:

Use assessment to diagnose and guide the

student learning.
Constructivist Teaching Strategies
One of the primary goals of using constructivist teaching is that students learn
how to learn by giving them the training to take initiative for their own learning
experiences.

According to Audrey Gray, the characteristics of a constructivist

classroom are as follows:
 the learners are actively involved
 the environment is democratic
 the activities are interactive and student-centered
 the teacher facilitates a process of learning in which students
are encouraged to be responsible and autonomous
Examples of Constructivist Activities
Experimentation: students individually perform an experiment and
then come together as a class to discuss the results.

Research projects: students research a topic and can present their

findings to the class.

Field trips. This allows students to put the concepts and ideas
discussed in class in a real world context. Field trips would often be
followed by class discussions.
Examples of Constructivist Activities
Films. These provide visual context and thus bring another sense into
the learning experience.
Class discussions. This technique is used in all of the methods
described above. It is one of the most important distinctions of
constructivist teaching methods.

Reciprocal teaching/ learning. Allow pairs of students to teach each

other.
Examples of Constructivist Activities

Inquiry-based learning (IBL)Learners pose their own questions and

seek answers to their questions via research and direct observation.
They present their supporting evidence to answer the questions. They
draw connections between their pre-existing knowledge and the
knowledge they’ve acquired through the activity. Finally, they draw
conclusions, highlight remaining gaps in knowledge and develop plans
for future investigations.
Examples of Constructivist Activities

Problem-based learning (PBL)The main idea of PBL is similar to IBL:

learners acquire knowledge by devising a solution to a problem. PBL
differs from IBL in that PBL activities provide students with real-world
problems that require students to work together to devise a solution.
As the group works through challenging real-world problems, learners
acquire communication and collaboration skills in addition to
knowledge.
Examples of Constructivist Activities

Cooperative learning
Students work together in small groups to maximize their own and
each other's learning. Cooperative learning differs from typical group
work in that it requires interdependence among group members to
solve a problem or complete an assignment.
Examples of Constructivist Activities

Constructivist approaches can also be used in online

learning. For example, tools such as discussion forums, wikis,
and blogs can enable learners to actively construct
knowledge.
Because existing knowledge schemata are explicitly
acknowledged as a starting point for new learning,
constructivist approaches tend to validate individual and
cultural differences and diversity
 Role of Teachers:
In the constructivist classroom, the teacher’s role is to prompt
and facilitate discussion. Thus, the teacher’s main focus should be on
guiding students by asking questions that will lead them to develop
their own conclusions on the subject.

David Jonassen identified three major roles for facilitators to

support students in constructivist learning environments:
• Modeling
• Coaching
• Scaffolding