This document summarizes the constructivist learning theory and its key figures. It discusses Jean Piaget's cognitive stages, Jerome Bruner's view of participatory learning, and Lev Vygotsky's social cognition theory including the zone of proximal development. The document outlines constructivism's view that learning is an active process where students construct their own understanding through experience. It provides implications for constructivist classrooms, including collaborative work, hands-on activities, and facilitating student-led discussions and conclusions with or without technology.
2. Key People Associated With
Constructivism
Jean Piaget – Cognitive stages/schemas
Jerome Bruner – Constructive learners
are participatory learners
Lev Vygotsky – Developed social
cognition; ZPD
John Dewey – Advocate for child-centered
instruction; progressive education
3. Jean Piaget
Psychologist who
developed the
cognitive learning
theory
He felt that children
were active learners
and did not need
motivation from adults
to learn
He developed four
cognitive stages
(sensory-motor,
pre-operational,
concrete operational
and formal
4. Lev Vygotsky
Educational psychologist that was
interested in children’s cognitive
development
He believed that learning was
influenced significantly by social
development
He proposed that children have a
Zone of Proximal Development,
which is the difference between
the problem solving ability that a
child has learned and the potential
that the child can achieve from
collaboration with a more
advanced peer (collaborative
learning)
5. Key Points of Constructivism
Theorists believe that students learn
by doing
Students create or construct their own
understanding of a topic
Learning is an active, constructive
process
New information is linked to prior
knowledge
Subjective (different for each person)
Learning is an active, contextualized
process of constructing knowledge
rather than acquiring it
6. Classroom Implications for
constructivism – What the teacher
does
Without Technology
Assigns group collaborative work
Gives assignments that build upon students’
previous knowledge
Teacher’s role is to facilitate discussion, not
lecture to the class
Asks students questions that will lead them to
develop their own conclusions
Modeling, coaching and scaffolding
Assigns KWL charts and mind-mapping
Assigns hands-on activities
7. Classroom Implications for constructivism-
What the teacher does
With Technology
Create collaborative online projects
Lesson formats that incorporate
technology and constructivist
methods, such as WebQuest
Virtual field trips by using internet
connection and a projector
Provide virtual simulations of real life
situations
Create lessons that utilize databases,
spreadsheets, publishers, electronic
mail, and word processors.
8. Classroom Implications- What
students do under the
constructivism theory
With Technology Without Technology
Work in collaborative Work in collaborative
groups groups
Have digital pen-pals Do assignments that
lead them to their own
Interactive conclusions, for
assignments example: science fair
projects.
Creating graphs,
charts, and tables Analyze, predict, and
justify their ideas
using computer
programs Generate varying
hypotheses about
Utilize and interact natural phenomena
with the SmartBoard
9. Our opinion about constructivism
for our own classrooms
We would implement constructivist learning
based theories in our own classroom
Group work and hands-on activities are
beneficial to many students
Using critical thinking skills to develop their own
conclusions and justify their ideas enhances
their learning development
10. References
Shelly, G.B. & Gunter, G.A. & Gunter, R.E. (2012). Teachers
Discovering Computers; Integrating Technology In a
Connected World. Massachusetts: Cengage Learning.
(2007.) Index of Learning Theories and Models. Retrieved
from: www.learning-theories.com.
[Untitled photograph of children working in groups] Retrieved
April 11, 2013:
http://becs126.edublogs.org/files/2009/04/classroomphoto.jp
g
[Untitled photograph of Lev Vygotsky] Retrieved April 11,
2013: http://www.goodtherapy.org/famous-psychologists/lev-
vygotsky.html
[Untitled photograph of Jean Piaget] Retrieved April 11, 2013:
http://nursingcrib.com/wp-content/uploads/jean-
piaget1.png?9d7bd4