Jerome Bruner was an American psychologist who was one of the first proponents of constructivism. According to Bruner, learning is an active process where learners construct new ideas based on their existing knowledge. Bruner proposed three main concepts: representation - how knowledge is represented in the mind; spiral curriculum - revisiting topics at increasing levels of difficulty; and discovery learning - allowing students to explore and discover concepts for themselves. Bruner believed instruction should consider students' predisposition to learn, the structure of knowledge, effective sequencing of content, and reinforcement of learning.

1. Module 14
“Bruner’s
Constructivist
Theory”

2. Jerome Bruner
Born New York City, October 1,
1915. He received his A.B. degree
from Duke. Jerome Bruner was one of
the first proponent of Constructivism.
A major theme in the theory of
Bruner is that learning is an active
process in which learners construct
new ideas or concepts based upon
their current/past knowledge.

3. Bruner’s Main Concepts:
Representation
Spiral Curriculum
Discovery Learning

4. Representation
Bruner suggested the ability to represent knowledge
that develops in three stages.
1. Enactive Representation
 At the earliest ages, children born about the world through
actions on physical objects and the outcomes of these
actions.
 Children represent objects in terms of their immediate
sensation of them.
 They are represented in the muscles and involve motor
responses or ways to manipulate the environment.

5. 2. Iconic Representation
 Second stage in which learning process by using models and
pictures.
 The learner can now use mental images to stand for certain
objects or events.
3. Symbolic Representation
 The learner has developed the ability to think in abstract terms
 This uses symbol systems to encode knowledge.
 The most common symbol systems are language and mathematical
notation.
Bruner advised that teachers utilize and bring
together concrete, pictorial then symbolic
activities to facilitate learning.

6. Spiral Curriculum
Bruner stressed that teaching should always lead
to boosting cognitive development. The students
will not understand the concept if teachers plan
to teach it using only the teacher’s level of
understanding. The task of the instructor is ti
translate info to be learned into a format
appropriate to the learner’s current state of
understanding.
Teachers must revisit the curriculum by
teaching the same content in different ways
depending on students developmental
levels.

7. Principles of Instruction
1. Instruction must be concerned with the
experiences and contexts that make the
student willing and able to learn.
(readiness)
2. Instruction must be structured so that it
can be easily grasped by the student.
(spiral organization)
3. Instruction should be designed to facilitate
extrapolation and or fill in the gaps (going
beyond the information given)

8. Discovering Learning
 Discovering learning refers to obtaining
knowledge for oneself. Teachers plans and
arranges activities in such a way that students
search, manipulate, explore, and investigate.
Students learn new knowledge relevant to the
domain and such general problem – solving skills
as formulating rules, testing and gathering
information. Most discovery does not happen by
chance. Once students possess prerequisite
knowledge, careful structuring of materials
allows them to discover important principles.

9. Bruner (1966) states that a theory of
instruction should address 4 major aspects:
1. Predisposition to Learn
He introduced the ideas of “readiness for learning”
. Bruner believed that any subject could be taught
at any stage of development in a way that fits the
child's cognitive abilities.
Bruner emphasized social factors and early
teacher’s and parent’s influence on this. He
believed that learning and problem solving
emerged out of exploration.
Part of the task of a teacher is to maintain and
direct and direct a child’s spontaneous exploration.

10. 2. Structure of Knowledge
Bruner emphasized the role of structure in
learning and how it may be made central in
teaching.
Structure refers to relationships among factual
elements and techniques. This will depend on
different factors, and their will be many ways to
structure a body of knowledge and many
preferences among learners.

11. Understanding the fundamental structure of a
subject makes it more comprehensible. Bruner
viewed categorization as a fundamental process in
the structuring of knowledge. Details are better
retained when placed within the context of an
ordered and structured pattern.
To generate knowledge which is transferable to
other context, fundamental principle or pattern
are best suited.
The discrepancy between beginning and advance
knowledge area is diminished when instruction
enters on a structure and principles of
orientation.

12. 3. Effective Sequencing
No one sequencing will sit every learner, but in
general, the lesson can be presented in increasing
difficulty.
Sequencing, or lack of it, can make learning easier
or more difficult.
4. Reinforcement
Rewards and punishments should be selected and
paced appropriately. He investigated motivation for
learning. He felt that ideally, interest in the subject
matter is the best stimulus for learning.
Bruner did not like external competitive goals such
as grades or class ranking.

13. Categorization
cognitive maps.
Bruners’ believed that perception,
conceptualization, learning, decision making and
making inferences all involved categorization.
Categories are “rules” that specify four things
about objects.
4 T hings
1. Criterial Attributes
Required characteristics for inclusion of an
object in a category.
2. The second rule prescribes how the criterial
attributes are combined.
3. The third rule assigns weight to various properties.
4. The fourth rule sets acceptance limits on attributes.

14. 3. The third rule assigns weight to
various proper ties.
4. The four th rule sets acceptance
limits on attributes.
some attributes can var y
widely, such as color.
Others are fixed.

15.  There are several kinds of categories:
1. Identity Categories
 Categories include objects cased on their attributes or features.
2. Equivalent Categories
 Equivalence can be determined by affected criteria, which render
objects equivalent by emotional reaction, functional criteria, based
on related functions or by formal criteria, for example by science,
law, or cultural growth.
Example:
• An apple is still an apple whether it is green,
ripe, dried (identity).
• It is food (functional), and it is a member of a
botanical classification group (formal).

16. 3. Coding Systems
 Categories that serve to recognize sensory
input. They are major organizational variables
in higher cognitive functioning.

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