The document summarizes key aspects of constructivism as a learning theory. It discusses prominent theorists like John Dewey and how they influenced education. It also provides examples of how constructivism would be applied in a classroom, with students learning by doing, collaborating, and connecting lessons to real-world situations. The teacher acts as a facilitator of experiences. The document ends by explaining how constructivism fits with the author's own teaching style in career and technical education.

1. EME 2040 Learning Theory
Presentation:
Constructivism:
A New Worldview
By Therese Kirkendall
Spring 2012

2. Menu
What:
Constructivism: What is it?
Who:
Key figures: Jerome Bruner, John Dewey, Maria Montessori, David
A. Kolb, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky
How:
How it would be observed or used in the classroom (What would
the teachers do using this theory? What would the students do?)
My Classroom:
How the learning theory would fit into your classroom and your
philosophy of education.
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3. Constructivism
What
• Learning is a search for meaning. Therefore, learning must start
with the issues around which students are actively trying to
construct meaning.
• Meaning requires understanding wholes as well as parts. And
parts must be understood in the context of wholes. Therefore, the
learning process focuses on primary concepts, not isolated facts.
• In order to teach well, we must understand the mental models
that students use to perceive the world and the assumptions they
make to support those models.
• The purpose of learning is for an individual to construct his or her
own meaning, not just memorize the “right” answers and
regurgitate someone else’s meaning. Since education is
inherently interdisciplinary, the only valuable way to measure
learning is to make the assessment part of the learning
process, ensuring it provides students with information on the
quality of their learning.
(On Purpose Associates, 2011) Next

4. How Constructivism Impacts Learning
• Curriculum–Constructivism calls for the elimination of a standardized
curriculum. Instead, it promotes using curricula customized to the
students’ prior knowledge. Also, it emphasizes hands-on problem
solving.
• Instruction–Under the theory of constructivism, educators focus on
making connections between facts and fostering new
understanding in students. Instructors tailor their teaching strategies
to student responses and encourage students to
analyze, interpret, and predict information. Teachers also rely
heavily on open-ended questions and promote extensive dialogue
among students.
• Assessment–Constructivism calls for the elimination of grades and
standardized testing. Instead, assessment becomes part of the
learning process so that students play a larger role in judging their
own progress.
(On Purpose Associates, 2011) Menu Next

5. Key Theorist
John Dewey (1859-1952)
• American psychologist, philosopher, educator, social critic and
political activist
• developer of the philosophy of pragmatism, “a movement
consisting of varying but associated theories” “distinguished by
the doctrine that the meaning of an idea or a proposition lies in its
observable practical consequences” ((American Heritage
Dictionary, 2011)
• Graduate of University of Vermont, Ph.D. from John Hopkins
University ((Field, 2005)
• Taught at a high school, University of Michigan, University of
Chicago, and Columbia University, where he retired from
teaching in 1930 ((Field, 2005)
• Significant works include: Logic: The Theory of Inquiry, Art as
Experience, Freedom and Culture , Theory of Valuation, and
Knowing and the Known ((Field, 2005)
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6. Dewey’s Influence on Education
• teaching and curriculum must be designed in ways that allow
for individual differences
• education should be designed on the basis of a theory of
experience and its two central tenets -- continuity and
interaction
• Continuity refers to the notion that humans are sensitive to (or
are affected by) experience
• Interaction builds upon the notion of continuity and explains
how past experience interacts with the present situation, to
create one's present experience
(Neill, 2005)
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7. John Dewey’s Influence on Adult Education
“An occupation is a continuous activity having a purpose. Education
through occupations consequently combines within itself more of the
factors conducive to learning than any other method.”
“An occupation is the only thing which balances the distinctive
capacity of an individual with his social service. To find out what one
is fitted to do and to secure an opportunity to do it is the key to
happiness. Nothing is more tragic than failure to discover one's true
business in life, or to find that one has drifted or been forced by
circumstance into an uncongenial calling.
“The only adequate training for occupations is training through
occupations.”
John Dewey. Democracy and Education. 1916
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8. In the Classroom
In the Classroom:
• Students learn by doing: the student becomes more actively
involved in the learning process than in traditional, didactic
education
• Learner based instead of teacher based
• Learners learn to think critically and learn to build on what
they already know.
• The teacher’s role is facilitator, “experience provider”:
arranges particular sets of experiences which are conducive
towards particular educational goals.
• Teachers encourage students to discover concepts by
themselves.
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9. Classroom Implications
• The teacher provides the tools for games, simulations, role
playing and research. Teachers also arrange for outside
opportunities for real world experiences.
• Technology can be used for online research, virtual
field
trips, projects, communication, tutorials, exams, and a
multitude of other tools.
• The students collaborate to utilize tools for
projects, research and discovery. Collaboration involves
conversation and learning from one another.
• Technology provides an infinite number of tools to
research and create projects and provides connection
to not just the real world, but the whole world.
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10. In My Classroom
Constructivism in My Classroom
• Knowledge and theory are reinforced by skills application in
the clinical classroom.
• Collaboration and teamwork are expected and
encouraged .
• Role playing, problem based learning and case based
learning are methods utilized in the classroom.
• These methods and tools are connected to real world
situations.
• Internships connect all classroom experiences with real world
situations.
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11. Constructivism and My Teaching Style
• Adult Career and Technical Education existed before the
Constructivist, Pragmatist or Experiential Learning theories, in
the form of apprenticeships.
• “Learning by doing” is an absolute essential in CTE.
• Making connections between learning and the “real world” is
another absolute essential in vocational education.
• Constructivism and Experiential Learning fits both my learning
style and my teaching style. I learn best by doing and teach
better by guiding and facilitating my students and their
learning experiences.
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12. References
American Heritage Dictionary. (2011). Pragmatism. Retrieved from American
Heritage Dictionary of the English Language:
http://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=pragmatism
Field, R. (2005, July 14). John Dewey (1859—1952). Retrieved from Internet
Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/dewey/
Neill, J. (2005, January 26). John Dewey, the Modern Father of Experiential
Education. Retrieved from Wilderdom:
http://www.wilderdom.com/experiential/ExperientialDewey.html
On Purpose Associates. (2011). Constructivism. Retrieved from Funderstanding:
http://www.funderstanding.com/theory/constructivism/