1. eTools & Beyond
Promoting Constructivist
Learning in the Virtual
Environment

2. Big Ideas
• What is constructivism?
• What are its implications for the classroom?
• How do we use the resources available to
promote this type of learning in the virtual
environment?
o In math
o In other subjects

3. Learning is…constructed.
• squerkle example
• Did you form theories? Did you test those
theories and find yourself needing to revise
them? How would your understanding of a
Squerkle differ if I had only told you a
definition?

4. Learning is…active.
• eTools/virtual manipulatives

5. Learning is…reflective.
• Students reflect on ideas in a blog.

6. Learning is…collaborative.
• jigsaw info—make a wiki
• Google docs/sites

7. Learning is…inquiry-based.
• webquest
• Example: http://asterix.ednet.lsu.edu/~edtech/
webquest/canequest.htm
• In our environment: extra credit? extension for
gifted students; supplemental activity posted
to message board. Students can share their
work with classmates. modify an existing
assignment? Obviously more flexibility in
elem.—finished curriculum early?

8. Learning is…evolving.
• definition of a circle in 1st grade, 5th grade,
10th grade?
• real life examples
• not a polygon; can measure radius and
diameter.
• set of points equidistant from a center point,
central angle, arc length

9. Constructivism is a psychological
theory of knowledge (epistemology) [1]
which argues that humans generate
knowledge and meaning from their
experiences. Constructivism is not a
specific pedagogy, although it is often
confused with constructionism
• active learning-class discussion,
think-pair-share, one-minute paper
(webmail follow-up)

10. Taking is to the Virtual Environment
We are in a unique position to implement
constructivist teaching and learning
strategies in the virtual environment,
where teachers and students have a
wealth of computer and Internet-based
resources available.

11. • p. 23 Piaget’s basic assumptions
• -children are active and motivated learners
• children construct knowledge from their
experiences
• zone of proximal development; scaffolding;
student’s individual level of development;
where they can potentially be.

12. Facilitating active learning in
virtual environment
• eTools: with an activity designed to have students
‘discover’ or deduce mathematical truths/patterns
from their own experience. (Squerkle (p.234)
example first?)
• example from eTools
• Show Illuminations—example from a different grade
level.
• People are actively involved in their own learning (p.
194)

13. • p. 201: declarative knowledge—knowledge that
relates to the nature of “how things are” (as opposed
to procedural—how to do things).
• Rehearsal (rote memorization) rel. ineffective
• More effective: meaningful learning—connect to
prior knowledge; organization—make connections
among pieces of new info; elaboration—adding
additional ideas to new information based on prior
knowledge; visual imagery—forming a mental
picture (**5 chinese words example). p. 209
• p. 212: using mnemonics in the absence of relevant
prior knowledge

14. • p. 192: construction of meaning: provide
experiences that will help students make
sense of the topics they are studying
• active involvement in learning: plan activities
that get students actively thinking about and
using classroom subject matter.

15. p. 210 Procedural knowledge involves large mental component, then
also physical behavior.
• procedural knowledge often begins as
declarative knowledge, more laborious
process, mental/verbal cues, but eventually
student can do procedure without going
through all the mental steps.

16. p. 231 Knowledge Construction as
a Social Process
• Livelesson discussion/breakout rooms;
message board responses; blogs;
webmail/student partners

17. • Students may get caught up in readings and
assessments, and have trouble seeing the
‘big picture.’ Use Livelessons to pose
questions and get students constructing their
own meaning for what is being studied.
• Allow collaborative opportunities where
students share their own understandings

18. 3rd - 6th Grade iTexts
• EnvisionMATH iTexts (link found in math lessons on
planner).
• Multimedia glossary
• eTools

19. eTools: Interactive, Virtual Manipulatives to support
conceptual learning of math
• The 3rd-6th grade
eTools support most
of the topics covered
in the curriculum.
Here is just one
example: Using a
virtual spinner to
efficiently conduct
probability How do the size & number of sections on
investigations. the spinner affect the results? How do
our predicted results compare to actual
results?

20. NCTM Illuminations
• Illuminations 3-5 - Activities and
resources for students and teachers.
• Illuminations 6-8 - Activities and
resources for students and teachers.
• Illuminations 9+ - Activities and
resources for students and teachers.
• Illuminations Across the Grades -
These activities and resources cut
across grade levels.
• Illuminations Pre-K-2 - Activities and
resources for students and teachers.
Illuminations 6-8: Isometric Drawing
Tool

21. Social Constructivism
• wiki, message board, ning community, blog,
epen pals, editing partners; literature circles in
breakout sessions; problem solving team in
breakout sessions. Peer tutoring (learning by
teaching). Jigsaw puzzles•wiki. VoiceThread,
flickr, etc.

22. Not the cure-all for improving
learning outcomes.
• Research indicates that constructivist
methods can lead to an increase in higher
order thinking skills, but not necessarily
performance on traditional recall tests. This is
a good argument for using varied teaching
strategies that combine constructivism with
other proven methods.

23. Resources Used
• Omrod, Jeanne Ellis. Educational Psychology: Developing Learners, 4th edition. Pearson Education, Inc.
2003. Upper Saddle River, NJ.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(learning_theory). Constructivist (learning theory).
Accessed on 27 Feb. 2009.
• http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index.html. Educational
Broadcasting Corporation 2004. Concept to Classroom: Workshop: Constructivism as a
Paradign for Teaching and Learning. Thirtenn.org. Accessed on 1 March 2009.

24. Further Exploration
• Webquests explained & many, many
examples