10. KEY FEATURES
• Collaborative and cooperative
learning are favoured in order to
expose the learner to alternative
viewpoints.
• Knowledge construction through
collaborative learning and from
past experiences
11. KEY FEATURES
• Aims and objectives are derived by
students and teachers through a
negotiation process
• Learning is seen as an active
process
• Help to develop lifelong learning
13. USING THE MODEL
Osteopathic student practitioners
How to manage a patient with low
back pain?
1. Engage – bring knowledge together
2. Explore – bring experience together
14. NEXT STEPS
3. Explain - put thoughts into a
communicable
4. Elaborate - consider other factors
5. Evaluate - …
15. AND EVALUATE….
5. Evaluate
• Ongoing evaluation
• Assessment / evaluation tools
• Revisit the topic
16. IN THIS SITUATION
• good teaching model in small
groups
• students build own management
plans
• evaluate throughout
• useful for many tutorial topics
17. BENEFITS
Constructivist teaching...
...focuses on transferable skills
source: http://recruitmentbuzz.co.uk/recruitment/wp-content/
uploads/2013/06/r29.jpg
...and gives students
ownership of learning
Source: http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-ownership-d-
man-giving-golden-key-to-another-person-image36280408
18. BENEFITS
Students…
...learn to question
things
Source: http://galleryhip.com/worship-hands-raised.html
…..gain communication
and social skills
Source: http://www.theroadtosiliconvalley.com/education/visual-auditory-
kinesthetic-words-effective-effective-communication/
20. CHALLENGES
Students…
…lack direction
……can fall behind
Source:
http://ladyscribes.blogspot.co.uk/
Source: http://mentalfaculties.wordpress.com/
21. REFERENCES
Concept to
classroomwww.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index_sub4.
html
Philosophy
basicshttp://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_constructivism.html
Chadwick, C. (2004). Why I Am Not a Constructivist. Educational Technology,
44(5), 46-49.
Pritchard, A. and Woolard, J. (2010) Psychology for the classroom:
Constructivism and Social Learning, Routledge.
Twomey, Fosnot, C. (2005) Constructivism: Theory, Perspectives and Practice,
Teacher’s College Press.
Editor's Notes
No, not that constructivism…
… Ah, yes, that’s better.
Constructivist teaching is based on the belief that learning occurs as learners are actively involved in a process of meaning and knowledge construction as opposed to passively receiving information. Learners are the makers of meaning and knowledge.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivist_teaching_methods
Rodchenko https://www.flickr.com/photos/centralasian/3299286859/
Constructivism revisits the classic debate between agency and structure.
Behaviouralists emphasise the impact of social structures. Radical constructivism reacted to this by stressing individual agency in the way that knowledge is constructed.
[Positivism vs. relativism: A reaction to behaviourism (Pavlov, Skinner and Milgram) and programmed instruction; Opposes positivism]
Durkheim: http://www.phillwebb.net/topics/society/durkheim/durkheim.htm
Weber: http://giaimohocevar.wikispaces.com/Max+Weber
In the 5th century, Socrates encouraged learners to develop their own understanding through a series of questions, while Lao Tzu argued that reality is perceived differently by different individuals. During the classical period Immanuel Kant wrote that “the mind is an active organ which transforms the chaos of experience into orderly thought”.
Greeks: Heraclitus, Protagoras, Aristotle and Socratic dialogues (4th c BC) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louvre,_Socrates-Sculpture.jpg
Buddha (5th c BC) http://pixabay.com/en/photos/buddha/
Lao Tzu – reality is a changing and variable entity perceived differently by different individuals (Pritchard and Woolard, 2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozi
In the 20th century, key constructivist ideas include John Dewey’s emphasis on experience in education. Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget’s theory of knowledge construction through increasingly complex logical structures. And Lev Vygotsky’s work on social development theory in early 20th century.
In the 20th century, key constructivist ideas include John Dewey’s emphasis on experience in education (Democracy and Education, 1916) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Dewey_in_1902.jpg
French philosopher, Gaston Bachelard, says in 1934, "Nothing proceeds from itself. Nothing is given. All is constructed" (philosophybasics.com)
Ludgwig Wittgenstein – language games embedded in social context http://lowesox.deviantart.com/art/Wittgenstein-sketch-93698207
Lev Vygotsky’s work on social development theory in early 20th century, but not known in West until first published in 1962. http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lev_Vygotsky
True to its philosophical foundations, constructivism is embedded in a dynamic social context. The twentieth century saw the growth of psychoanalysis; Darwinian theory suggesting that human understanding is the result of natural selection; and, in the arts, the idea that artistic expression is a consciously designed practice for social purposes.
True to its own philosophical foundations, the progress of constructivism was embedded in a dynamic social context. The twentieth century saw the growth of psychoanalysis and increased scientific understanding of the working of the brain (cognitive psychology) http://pixabay.com/en/brain-science-biology-psychology-78440/
The development of Darwinian theory suggested that human understanding is the result of natural selection. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_selection
The concept of learning And in art art as a consciously designed practice for social purposes (Rodchenko post-revolutionary Russia…influenced Bauhaus and De Stijl)
Also mathematics and international relations
The Constructivist theory promotes a learning experience where the learning approach varies from one learner to another. It is also a theory that emphasises on problem solving , uses authentic experience and assessments and one that encourages learners to actively create own knowledge.
The constructivist theory accentuates collaborative learning whereby teachers serve as one of the resources for the student rather than the main source. Here the approach to learning and understanding is a function of how an individual creates and develops meaning based on their own experience and from their class members.
The constructivist theory accentuates collaborative learning whereby teachers serve as one of the resources for student rather than the main source.
Under the constructivist theory, students are taught how to construct knowledge through a collaborative process, using their prior experience and awareness.
Using the constructivist theory students are shown how to construct knowledge, collaborate with other and come up with multiple perspectives on a problem. The teacher becomes a catalyst, a coach, and a mentor.
Under this theory, the instructors play an active role in guiding the learners in the learning process. Students are encourages to set their aims and objectives through an active learning process, which in turn induce life long learning.
The Biological Science Curriculum Study (BSCS), developed an instructional model for constructivism, called the "Five Es“, Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. This is a useful model to use as demonstrated in the following example. This example assumes the learners have prior knowledge of the subject matter.
A small tutorial group of osteopathic students are asked how to manage a patient with low back pain. Firstly they need to understand the task, step 1 of the 5 E’s Engage. They then Explore the subject as a group, bringing together all their experiences on the course, practical experiences in the teaching clinic or observation outside this environment.
The group then put all their thoughts into a communicable and logical format, ie Explain. They can then look to Elaborate their ideas to date, perhaps consider outside influences in the patients life. For example if a patient can’t sit down, how may that affect management? If they are a self employed builder, would their expectations of treatment be any different?
The final E, Evaluate is actually ongoing. The teacher is able to observe the process to see if the individuals and the group have an understanding. They can use various tools to do this, such as check lists, assessment, observation or portfolios. As the students gain more experience the topic can be revisited and discussed further using the same format.
Constructivism and the use of the 5 E’s in a small tutorial setting is a good teaching model to use. The students can build their own management plan using knowledge, skills and experience gained from a variety of sources. The teacher also has a good opportunity to evaluate the students understanding. The model can be applied effectively to many tutorial subjects.
Constructivist teaching offers numerous benefits to learners. Firstly, the learning is transferable. In constructivist classrooms, students create organizing principles that they can take with them to other learning settings. It also gives students ownership of what they learn so they are more likely to retain and transfer the knowledge to real life.
By grounding learning activities in an authentic, real-world context, constructivism stimulates and engages students. Students in constructivist classrooms learn to question things and to apply their natural curiosity to the world.
Constructivism also promotes social and communication skills by creating a classroom environment that emphasizes collaboration and exchange of ideas.
There are some challenges with Constructivist teaching practices however. More training is required for this type of teaching including extensive and costly long-term personal development. The lack of defined structure can also lead to a sense of disorganisation which can negatively impact on the performance of students
Constructivist teaching eliminates standardised testing and grades. This makes assessment of student learning difficult and may lead to some students falling behind.
In large classes it is difficult to customise curriculum to each student which may disadvantages lower achieving learners.
