Wednesday, August 27, 2008
What is constructivism?
Please comment to this post (by clicking on the "comments" link below), do not start a new post. Write your initial feelings as to what constructivism is to you. Do not ask anyone, look up anything, or read your colleague's comments. It is important that these are YOUR preconceived notions of what constructivism is to you!
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Constructivism is a teaching/learning theory that teachers use as a basis for their instruction. I believe that the constructivism view is very student center, focusing on the children's needs and how they learn best. It takes on a more hands on, project-centered approach compaired to a lecture, worksheet, and test approach.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a learning theory that is student centered. Students contribute to their own learning and do more hands-on work, rather than doing worksheets.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a theory based on constructing...constructing more knowledge to what the children already know. It is almost like a ladder where teachers use to build on from the children's prior knowledge and make that a basis and build that knowledge more profoundly. Teachers used schemas to map the children's learning when it comes to constructivism. A ladder for learning-to build on-hence, to construct.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a learning theory that revolves around the learner or student. Teachers will provide the topic and instruction but allow the student to engage and learn using their own knowledge and ability. Activities are more learner-centered which means they will be more hands-on. I believe in a constructivism approach because it does not rely on lecture and the student's ability to understand the information the first time through.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is very student centered and hands on. As the teacher . we will provide topics for discusssion and let the students lead them.
ReplyDeleteTo me constructivism is exactly what the name implies: that learning is constructed. In a constructivist approach the teacher is no longer the center the of the classroom or the infinite knowledgeable being but merely a channel that aids the student in learning in the way that is most suitable to them. So, instead of the teacher expecting all of his/her students to learn the exact same way the teacher allows students to learn in a way that is meaningful and connected to each of them.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a learning theory that is very student centered. Constructivists believe that learning takes place during every day experiences. Students do a lot of hands-on work during this approach.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a theory of teaching based on the student. There are many different components involved, however the basic idea of constructivism is that the classroom is based on the students, what they want to learn as well as how the want to learn it.
ReplyDeleteI think constructivism is one of the theories that is more student-centered. The teachers who believe in a more constructivist approach don't spend as much time lecturing, but give more hands-on activities during lessons. I don't know much more about it, but I do know that this was one of the theories I most relate too.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a theory that teachers use to for instruction. The theory is focused on the students and their schemas. It uses their schemas and motivates them to learn the new content. It is a theory that is student based and not teacher based instruction. Students learned by their own motviations and do activities and assignments that motivate them.
ReplyDeleteThe word “constructivism” reminds me of my sophomore year here at USD when we first were introduced to the different learning theories and ways to teach to students in EDFN. As a class, we had to take a short little questionnaire that told us how we would teach to our students. I remember I scored highest in constructivism. I believe that constructivism is teaching to your students so that they are number one and they are the center of focus in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a student based learning strategy. The teacher is to act as a guide for the students and encourage creative and individual thinking. I believe that constructivism is a good way to teach students because it allows them to use more critical thinking skills.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a theory of teaching and learning. It is very student-centered. The students actively construct knowledge by doing hands-on work. This isn't a type of learning where the students just sit in their desks and listen to the teacher lecture.
ReplyDeleteTo me, constructivism means a student centered classroom. The students are involved in the decision making process and have a say in what they want the class to be like.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a student centered theory of leaning. Where the students set the pace of the classroom and have a lot of say in how the classroom is run and what goes on in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI believe that constructivism is more student orientated, rather than being teacher directed. It is a lot more hands on activiites which engages the student into the learning process. Constructivism is also being able to reflect on what they just learned, and relating problems to real life situations. This is my understanding from previous courses
ReplyDeletei have taken.
I think constructivism is a type of teaching model where the students have a say in how the classroom is run and they also do a lot of discovery learning.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of Constructivism, I think of a building on to prior knowledge. Students learn by connecting new information with what they already know. A teacher who runs a Constructivist classroom tends to focus on student centered instruction. The classroom is hands-on and deals with a lot of group work. Constructivist teaching actively involves students. They are adding on to what they already know.
ReplyDeleteTeachers use constructivism as a spring board. Starting from what the students already know, teachers can then take the students into new areas and topics related to their prior knowledge. When students can connect new topics, ideas, and thoughts related to prior experience they are more likely to remember their new-found knowledge. Different methods of assessment are used to find where students are and where they need to be during the school year. Constructivism definitely focuses on the students, instead of methods of the past which were heavily teacher-centered.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism in my mind is when students put their past knowledge into the classroom. The teacher relies on the student to use this knowledge on their school work. It is a great approach to teaching because students can use their own style that they are comfortable with to learn material. Some students learn easier from this approach than having to use a different style.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a theory in which students learn by acitivating their schema and using pre-existing knowledge to connect new information. This helps students to make the new information meaningful and easier for them to store in their long-term memory.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a theory of teaching and learning which focuses students. Each student becomes actively involved in their education by engaging in various activities within the classroom. Constructivism is theory that is used for planning instruction. Teachers use this theory to get students involved in hands-on activities and give them the chance to be actively involved in their education.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a learning theory that uses things you already know and builds off those things to help you learn new information. The students are the focus of this teaching strategy and the teacher is there to help children with hands-on activities to foster learning.
ReplyDeleteI have learned about in previous classes and what I have come up with is basically the student builds upon what he is learning according to what he or she has already known. The student relates and learns more about that topic because he or she thinks about what they have already learned about that particular topic. This is a good way to learn because your learning will always continue. You have something to go on, something to base new information on and that helps when it comes to remembering the new information. Also i believe that you would place it in long term memory instead of just memorizing the information, putting it in short term memory and forgetting about it as soon as you take the test or begin to learn something new.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is building knowledge by using prior knowledge. Through constructivism, students learn new information by building upon their prior knowledge. A classroom that uses constructivism is student centered. A student centered classroom consists of hands-on projects, group work, field trips, etc.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is something that I learned about in my phycology class, it is something where students use pre-existing knowledge and they build off what they already know. For example if a child sees a male cheerleader and has in the past only seen female cheerleaders they will but this into their memory, that not just females are cheerleaders.
ReplyDeleteI think of Constructivism as Student Directed instruction. Concepts that keep gaining more discussion on. The students are engaged and keep discussions going and getting to the depper meaning of ideas
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about constructivism, I immediately refer to the idea of building, or expanding on a concept in the cognitive aspect. It is a way to take what we have learned in previous experiences and elaborate on them and absorb new information and connect it to the old information we have stored in prior knowledge. Constructivism is very important when it comes to learning newly presented information because the more information we can “break down” and eventually “build on” to our old information. The more we can take from the information that is introduced, the more we learn!
ReplyDeleteI know see constructivism as a student based learning strategy. Students must actively participate in their own learning and understanding. Children give construct and give meaning in everything they do. Children build upon the knowledge that already exists and make connections to the new information to their prior knowledge. It is important that teachers use their own knowledge and their students' prior knowledge to build better schemas for those children.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a way of teaching and believing where the students explore and engage in activities that help them to construct their own knowledge. The activities are designed to keep the students thinking actively and reflectively. The students do much more then rote learning and get and in-depth understanding of why and how something works.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is when children do their own work and come up with their own ideas. It involves how students come to know what they are learning. They work individually to solve the problems and find solutions. The students are able to come up with their own algorithms and make sense of the problems that they are trying to figure out.
ReplyDeleteThe definition that I like best comes from one of the quiz questions for Van de Walle Chapter 21a. This definition is: Constructivism is a theory about how students come to know and understand something. Students come to know and understand by actively building on their prior knowledge. Students can do this when they are exposed to experiences that allow them to question previous knowledge and make accommodations to this knowledge, thus forming a new view or understanding.
ReplyDeleteI believe that constructivism is a learning theory on how children learn and discover new ideas. I also believe that to be a constructivist learner or activist we should teach our students to build off of their prior knowledge or their schema and make those wonderful connections to their lives to help them better understand particular topics. Help them understand how to apply the problem rather than know to use a formula.. to go more in depth in our teaching and learning.
ReplyDeleteThe most important thing for me about constructivism is that it is not a teaching theory it is a learning theory. The learning process of making the students go the extra step in becoming involved and by allowing them to learn by questions that generate the prior knowledge of the students. I belive that when utilizing this theory in the classroom, you have to be able to understand the prior knowledge that the students come with and what the students are expected to know as well. If the students do not know what it is that is important instead of giving them the answer, keep generating questions that will allow the students to come to that conclusion on their own not being spoon fed the answers, but being able to utilize the importance of being critical thinkers and not relient thinkers, meaning not relying on the teacher for the answer but allowing for mistakes and correcting them with their own thoughts and processes.
ReplyDeleteI know believe that constructivism is a theory that children (students) need to constrcut their own understanding of each concept they learn. This concept also uses transfers in this theory. It is knowledge that is built upon, scaffold, that we learn by new experiences and connections that we have already interacted with. We take what we have previously learned and questions and investigations provide students with new experiences that they may build on to and add from previuos experiences.
ReplyDeleteI now know that constructivism is a theory of learning based off of Piaget's work. The idea of constructivism is that learning occurs through making meaning and building off of prior knowledge. Students have preconceived notions or ideas on just about everything and in order for them to learn they need to experience and "construct" knowledge.
ReplyDeleteAfter learning about constructivism in class and in reading, I have decided that to me it means: students construct their own knowledge about something through inquiry and discovery (think of these two as intertwined with problem solving). It is both a manner of teaching and math learning. Students construct their own knowledge.
ReplyDeleteFrom the learning modules and in class lectures, I learned that using the constructivist approach; the learning is student-centered, and the teacher needs to guide activities that generate questions and hypotheses related to the underlying concepts in the lesson plan. Then the teacher builds a bridge to the underlying concepts in the lesson plan, focusing on students' questions and hypotheses, and then helps them frame their own design experiments. The students are engaged in structured learning activities that foster dialogue among students and engage them in hands-on, interactive learning. Students are given the opportunity to share their thinking with others and demonstrate their solutions to questions and hypotheses they constructed earlier in the lesson plan. The students use multiple formats to reflect upon and assess their imaginative growth, attitudes, skills, and content knowledge. The project assessment methods provide multiple options for students to demonstrate what they know and to creatively and meaningfully present their understanding of knowledge to others.
ReplyDeleteFrom the book and class discussions, I have come to realize that constructivism is entirely a way of student thinking. Which is odd, as it is often taught as a teaching style rather than a learning style. Teachers can definitely have a big impact on the constructivist way students learn. Traditional classroom teachers are more about book knowledge and finding the correct answer. Teachers who wish to generate constructivism within their students ask deep questions and expect answers of substance to show that the students are really learning. Meaningful discussions occur a lot, and students share opinions and ideas.
ReplyDeleteI have learned from the book and learning modules that constructivism is a philosophy of teaching that can be used as a way of instructing students. When using constructivism as a teaching style, children are actively participating in learning and understanding the information. Constructivism is a very student-centered approach. Children create their own knowledge. Children actively participate in constructing knowledge by being involved in hand-on activities provided to them by their teachers.
ReplyDeleteI know now that constructivism is a learning theory. Students are more responsible for their own thinking and learning. There might be times when students take time to discover and research math problems. In order to implement constructivism in the classroom, teachers need to teach so that students add to prior and new knowledge. Teaching in a constructivist manner is not traditional. In order to teach constructively teachers have to set up an environment so that students can construct their own answers. This is different than the traditional way of teaching because teachers would just give students the answers
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a learning theory. I learned that there is more to it then just letting students set the pace of the classroom. Teachers need to thoughtfully plan out their classroom to meet students needs. They need to hold students are more responsible for their own thinking and learning. Teachers need to build upon students prior knowledge and help them build a network of ideas. This manner keeps students thinking on their own and coming up with their own thoughts rather then just memorizing the teachers methods.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a learning theory. I however have learned that there is more to it than just allowing students to control what is going on in the classroom. Teachers need to be more aware of what is going on and need to plan instruction according to the students needs. It is important to help students become more reliable and more responsible for their own learning and their own thinking. Building upon what the students have perivously done in the past is important and will help them understand and learn better. This is a good way of keeping students thinking and wanting to learn more.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the textbook, viewing the learning modules, and listening and participating in class, I still agree with most of my previous comments about Constructivism. However, now I know that my views on Constructivism were right. Contsructivism is a theory in which students actively construct their own learning. This theory is very student-based. I also think more highly of this theory, because it is a more involved way to learn and seems more fun!
ReplyDeleteI know now from the learning modules, the textbook, and from classroom activities that constructivism is a theory about knowledge and learning.I thought constructivism was a philosophy and how a teacher acted and taught. I know though, it is more about students constructing their learning.I still believe to be a constructivist you need to be engaged in your learning and build on to your prior knowledge. Even if one doesn't have prior knowledge about the exact concept of what is being taught, there is something that can be initially understood and added on to.
ReplyDeleteAfter developing a better understanding for constructivism, I still have the same sort of belief that it is students using their own mind and beliefs to accomplish goals in the classroom. It is better for students to learn and try different approaches when they are faced with a problem. It gives them a wide range of possibilities and lets them try their own ways.
ReplyDeleteConstructivism is a student-centered learning strategy. With this theory, students construct their own learning. I was happy to see that my previous thoughts about this theory were mostly correct. The biggest addition to my previous blog was that students construct their own learning; otherwise, I was correct about everything else.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts about constructivism have changed over the past couple weeks due to the class discussions and text readings. I have definitely recognized the importance of building on knowledge and experiences. Constructivism highly focuses on children giving precise and correct meaning to what they are learning and thinking about. I have also recognized the importance integrating networks and different schemas in order to build and construct this knowledge.
ReplyDeleteMy first post didn't go up so here it is:
ReplyDeleteConstructivism in my mind is when students put their past knowledge into the classroom. The teacher relies on the student to use this knowledge on their school work. It is a great approach to teaching because students can use their own personal style that they are comfortable with to learn material. Some students have an easier time learning in this style.
I think of Constructivism as Student Directed instruction. Concepts that keep gaining more discussion on. The students are engaged and keep discussions going and getting to the depper meaning of ideas
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ReplyDeleteI think of Constructivism as Student Directed instruction. Concepts that keep gaining more discussion on. The students are engaged and keep discussions going and getting to the depper meaning of ideas
ReplyDeleteAfter learning about constructivism, I realized it is more of a teaching strategy than a theory. Constructivism still focuses on student learning and how the teacher puts learning into the hands on the students. I feel that I was somewhat correct in my first thoughts about constructivism in the sense that activities in the classroom are student centered and more importantly, engaging and meaningful. Students need to be introduced to the correct information in order to build upon their prior knowledge.
ReplyDeleteNow after further study, the theory of constructivism is more about the student then I orginally thought. It is about building the students knowledge in a way that works for them. Giving the students the opportunity to build their learning on our their own with the guidance of the teacher as the facilitator. Constructivism is a student based strategy that encourages students to build their own knowledge and learning as well as the teacher acts as a facilitator.
ReplyDeleteI now have a different view on constructivism. Before I thought that the approach was very learner centered and heavily based on prior knowledge. Now, through research and class information, I have found that the constructivist approach is teaching and learning based on research in cognitive psychology. This makes me realize that there is a little more to the approach than I had originally thought. The approach involves the learner, but it is the way they are able to process events in their environment that determines the amount of learning.
ReplyDeleteAfter learn about constructivism, I have learned that it is centered around the student. Constructivism is also based on how the teacher presents the material to the students. It is important that when students are working on problems they are looking at all possibilities of solving the problem and they understand where their answer came from. The theory really encourages students to build on their own knowledge.
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