This document discusses constructivism and social constructivism as learning theories and how computers can support these paradigms. It defines constructivism as students building their own learning through personal discovery of knowledge. Social constructivism adds that knowledge is constructed within a social context through students discussing and discovering meanings. The computer can be used as an information tool, constructive tool, co-constructive tool, and situating tool to support these theories. As a co-constructive tool, students can collaboratively build shared understanding through tools like electronic whiteboards.

3. In this lesson, we shall again
look at the computer, but this
time from another perspective,
the computer as the teacher’s
handy-tool. It can support the
constructivist and social
constructivist paradigms of
constructivist learning.

5. It was introduced by Piaget (1981) and
Bruner (1990). They gave stress to
knowledge discovery of new
meaning/concepts/principles in the
learning process.

7. This is an effort to show that the
construction of knowledge is
governed by social, historical and
cultural contexts. In effect, this is to
say that the learner who interprets
knowledge has a predetermined
point of view according to the
social perspectives of the
community or society he lives in.

8. The psychologist Vygotsky stressed
that learning is affected by social
influences. He therefore suggested the
interactive process in learning. The
more capable adult (teacher or parent)
or classmate can aid or complement
what the learner sees in a given class
project.

9. In addition, Dewey sees language
as a medium for social
coordination and adaptation. For
Dewey human learning is really
human languages that occurs
when students socially share, build
and agree upon meanings and
knowledge.

11. Learning
Framework Constructivism
Social
Constructivism
•Assumption •Knowledge is
constructed by the
individual.
•Knowledge is
constructed within a
social context.
•Definition of Learning •Students build their
own learning.
•Students build
knowledge influenced
by the social context.
•Learning Strategies •Gather unorganized
information to create
new concept/principle
•Exchange and share
from ideas, stimulates
thinking.
•General Orientation •Personal discovery of
knowledge.
•Students discuss and
discover meanings

13. Based on the two learning
theories, the teacher can employ
the computer as a/an:
a. As an information tool
b. A communication tool
c. A constructive tool
d. As co-constructive tool
e. As situating tool

14. a. Information Tool
The computer can provide vast
amounts of information in various
forms, such as text, graphics,
sound and video. Even multimedia
encyclopedias are today available
on the internet.

15. b. Constructive
ToolThe computer itself can be used for
manipulating information, visualizing one’s
understanding and building new knowledge.
The Microsoft Word computer program itself
is a desktop publishing software that allows
uses to organize and present their ideas in
attractive formats.

16. c. Co-constructive
ToolsStudents can use constructive tools to work
cooperatively and construct a shared
understanding of new knowledge. On ways
of co-constructive is the use of the
electronic whiteboard where students may
post notices to a shared
document/whiteboard. Students may also
co-edit the same document from their
homes.

17. • The Computer-Supported International
Learning Environments (CSILE) is an
example of an integrated environment
developed by the Ontario Institute for
studied in Education.

18. d. Situating
ToolBy means of virtual reality (RS)
extension systems, the computer can
create 3-D images on display to give
the user the feeling that are situated in
a virtual environment. A flight simulation
program is an example of situating tool
which places the user in a simulated
flying environment.

19. • Multi-User domains or Dungeons (MUDs) MUD
Object Oriented (MOOs), and Multi-User Shared
hallucination (MUSHs) are example of situating
systems MUDs and MOOs are text-based virtual
reality environments on the Internet. When users
log on to a MOO environment.