Learning Theory: Con

1. Learning Theory:
Constructivism
Alexis M. Jaclyn T.
Nicole C. Morgan D.
Andrew L.
Judith O.

2. Key Points of Constructivism
• Students learn by doing. When students vigorously
participate in any type of learning process by using critical
thinking skills to complete a problem, they will do so by
their OWN understanding of the problem.
• Based on a type of learning where the learner practices what
they already know and what they can understand on their
own
• Motivation is key!!

3. More Key Points of Constructivism
• Learning takes time
• In this type of classroom you’ll see:
– Lots of group learning involving learning strategies and are
allowed time to ponder
– Great supply of resources to help reason understanding and
learning
– Teachers guiding students into the creation of new ideas

4. John Dewey
• Created a laboratory school
where students engaged in
hands-on learning
• Advocated learning through
real life experiences
• Believed that interaction and
experience were crucial to
education

5. Maria Montessori
• Advocated letting
students experienced an
environment up close and
personal
• “Education…is acquired
not by listening to words
but by experiences upon
the environment”

6. David A. Kolb
• Wrote the books “Learning
Styles Inventory Technical
Manual” and “Experimental
Learning: Experience as the
Source of Learning and
Development”
• He created the Experiential
Learning Model and its 4 parts
with Ron Fry

7. Class Implication: Teacher
• The teacher needs to find different ways to start a
conversation or discussion in the classroom.
• The teacher needs to ask the right questions to get the
students to open their minds in order to develop their own
ideas about the topic.
• The teacher can’t directly answer questions about the
topic, they have to allow the students to think for
themselves.

8. Class Implication: Student
• The student needs to be able to have a creative
and innovative thought process.
• The student must discover principles, facts, and
concepts for themselves.
• The student needs to answer their own
questions, influence by his or her
background/culture/worldview.

9. Our Thoughts
Constructivism is an important theory to incorporate into any
classroom, but it should not be the only theory implemented as it can be
a difficult theory to maintain. Students are encouraged to think for
themselves in order to learn new concepts instead of just being
bombarded by information. A way to use constructivism in the
classroom is through the use of group assignments where students are
asked to really analyze information given and build upon it on their
own. It’s very important to be interactive, letting the students come up
with the conclusions on their own. Though it’s important to let students
learn on their own, it’s important as teachers to provide students with
enough information to build their knowledge.

10. Credits
• Teachers Discovering Computers Integrating Technology in a Connected World by
Shelly, Gunter, and Gunter: pg. 266-272
• http://www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/constructivistlearning.html
• http://www.msu.edu/~kalinkat/professionalpages/TechMatrixMaterials/Constructivi
smSummary.htm
• http://saskschoolboards.ca/research/instruction/97-
07.htm#The%20Constructivist%20Classroom
• http://img.scoop.it/xhpFvvJUVEEr5vnpo3p8sDl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVaiQDB_R
d1H6kmuBWtceBJ
• http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-explrn.htm
• http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-dewey.htm
• http://www.infed.org/thinkers.et-mont.htm