This document discusses constructivism as it relates to knowledge construction and concept learning. It outlines key aspects of constructivism including influential figures like Piaget, Bruner, Vygotsky, and Dewey. It describes individual and social constructivism and characteristics like learners constructing understanding based on prior knowledge and learning being facilitated by social interaction. The document also discusses organizing knowledge through concepts defined by features, prototypes, and exemplars. It provides tips for effective concept learning including defining concepts, using examples, and relating concepts to each other. Finally, it discusses applying constructivism by making learning hands-on and relating topics to real life.

1. Knowledge Construction /
Concept Learning
CHRISTINE MAY P. PETAJEN

2. Outline of the Report
• Concept of Constructivism
• Principles of Constructivism
• Key Influential Figures in Constructivism

3. • Two Views of Constructivism
– Individual Constructivism
– Social Constructivism
• Characteristics of Constructivism
– Learners construct understanding
– New learning depends on current understanding
– Learning is facilitated by social interaction
• Meaningful learning occurs within authentic
learning tasks

4. • Organizing Knowledge
– Concepts
• Concepts as Feature Lists
• Concepts as Prototypes
• Concepts as Exemplars
• Making Concept-Learning Effective
– Schema and Scripts
• Applying Constructivism in Facilitating
Learning

5. CONCEPT OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

6. • It is a theory of knowledge that argues that
humans generate knowledge and meaning
from an interaction between their
experiences and their ideas
• Focuses on knowledge construction

7. • Based on a type of learning in which the
learner forms, or constructs, much of what he
or she learns or comprehends

8. KEY INFLUENTIAL FIGURES IN
CONSTRUCTIVISM

9. Jean Piaget
developed four
cognitive stages that
showed how children
construct new
knowledge as they
moved through
different schemas by
building on what they
already knew.

10. Jerome Bruner
- Believed that constructivist
learners are participatory
learners
- His theory incorporated the
theoretical concept of
cognition
- teachers should start
discussions in class to build
upon questions and
answers

11. Lev Vygotsky
- Created social cognition
learning which asserts that
culture is the prime
determinant of a child’s
social development.
- He proposed the zone of
proximal development,
collaborative learning,
scaffolding, and anchored
instruction (technology
based learning where
students build on what they
already know).

12. John Dewey
- A part of the progressive
education movement
which focused on
educating the whole entire
body of a child, socially,
mentally, and physically
- Dewey was known as a
pragmatist, who only
believed the truth of
theories if the theory
actually worked

13. PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

14. –It takes time to learn

15. –It takes time to learn
–Learning is an active process
in which the student
constructs meaning

16. –It takes time to learn
–Learning is an active process in which
the student constructs meaning
–People learn to learn

17. –It takes time to learn
–Learning is an active process in which
the student constructs meaning
–People learn to learn
–Learning involves language

18. –Learning is a social
activity

19. –Learning is a social activity
–Learning is contextual

20. –Learning is a social activity
–Learning is contextual
–The act of constructing
meaning is mental

21. –Learning is a social activity
–Learning is contextual
–The act of constructing meaning is
mental
–Everyone needs knowledge
to learn

22. –Learning is not the passive
acceptance of knowledge it
takes work

23. –Learning is not the passive acceptance
of knowledge it takes work
– Motivation is a major aspect
of learning

24. • Individual Constructivism
• Social Constructivism
2 Views of Constructivism

25. INDIVIDUAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
•also called cognitive constructivism
•emphasizes individual, internal
construction of knowledge

26. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
•knowledge exist in a social context and
is initially shared with others instead of
being represented solely in the mind of
an individual

27. CHARACTERISTICS OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

28. Learners construct understanding
• Learners are not just empty vessels waiting to
be filled up
• Learners are active thinkers who interpret new
information based on what they already know
• Learners construct knowledge in a way that
makes sense to them

29. New learning depends on current
understanding
• Background information is important
• It is through the present views or scheme that
the learner has, that new information will be
interpreted

30. Learning is facilitated by social interaction
• Learning communities help learners take
responsibility for their own learning
• Teachers play the role of facilitator rather than
an expert who has all the knowledge

31. Meaningful learning occurs within
authentic learning tasks
• Involves a learning activity that entails
constructing knowledge that is akin to the to
the knowledge needed when applied in the
real world

32. ORGANIZING KNOWLEDGE

33. Concept
a concept is a way of grouping or categorizing
objects or events in our mind.

34. Concepts as feature lists
learning a concept involves learning specific
features that characterize positive instance of
the concept

35. Defining Feature
characteristic present in ALL instances
Correlational Feature
present in many positive instances but not
essential for concept membership

36. Concepts as Prototypes
prototype is an idea or visual image of a typical
example. It is usually formed based on the
positive instances that learners encounter
most often.

37. Concepts as Exemplars
exemplars represent a variety of examples. It
allows learners to know that an example
under a concept may have variability

38. MAKING CONCEPT-LEARNING
EFFECTIVE

39. a)Provide a clear definition of the
concept

40. a) Provide a clear definition of the concept
b)Make the defining features very
concrete and prominent

41. a) Provide a clear definition of the concept
b) Make the defining features very concrete and
prominent
c) Give a variety of positive
instances

42. a) Provide a clear definition of the concept
b) Make the defining features very concrete and
prominent
c) Give a variety of positive instances
d)Give negative instances

43. e)Cite a “best example” or a
prototype

44. e) Cite a “best example” or a prototype
f) Provide opportunity for learners
to identify positive and negative
instances

45. e) Cite a “best example” or a prototype
f) Provide opportunity for learners to identify
positive and negative instances
g)Ask learners to think of their own
example of the concept

46. e) Cite a “best example” or a prototype
f) Provide opportunity for learners to identify
positive and negative instances
g) Ask learners to think of their own example of
the concept
h)Point out how concepts can be
related to each other

47. SCHEMAS AND SCRIPTS

48. SCHEMA
is an organized body of knowledge about
something
SCRIPT
is a schema that includes a series of predictable
events about a specific activity.

49. APPLYING CONSTRUCTIVISM IN
FACILITATING LEARNING

50. • Aim to make learners understand a few key ideas
in an in-depth manner, rather than taking up so
many topics superficially.
• Give varied examples
• Provide opportunities for experimentation
• Provide lots of opportunities for quality
interaction

51. • Have lots of hands-on activities
• Relate your topic to real life situations
• Do not depend on the explanation method all
the time.

53. Fin.