Video Introduction

In the following video, John Abbott describes constructivism in learning. As you watch it, try to be cognisant about how you relate your understanding of Dr. Abbott's words to your own personal experiences (you may need to watch it twice).

Follow up: As you watched Dr. Abbott speak, did you relate his words to your own personal experiences? Did you already have a concept of "constructivism"? If so, did Dr. Abbott's words fit into your framework?

Constuctivism and the Learning Environment

Constructivism, as any learning theory, has  benefits as well as weaknesses in a teaching and learning environment.  

Some basic principles of constructivism: 

Constructivist principles prescribe...

• a movement away from  teacher dominated transmission of instruction
• an understanding that knowledge is constructed through a person’s cognition and not passively received from the environment
• socially interactive activities and group/cooperative learning
• learning as an active process
• building on what the learner already knows; the learner's world view acts as a framework
• cognitive conflict to serve as an internal motivatior for the learner to want to find the answer

“ . . . the primary message of constructivism [is that] students who are engaged in active learning are making their own meaning and constructing their own knowledge in the process” (Gagnon Jr. & Collay, n.d., p. 2).  

Constructivism has been strongly promoted by such theorists as Piaget, von Glasserfeld and Vygotsky.  The emphasis has been placed on the learner taking responsibility to gather knowledge and construct new meaning.  “ . . . constructivists do well to remind us that not everything taught is caught” (Matthews, 1994, p. 145).  Knowledge is developed through experiential learning.  Hands on activities are prominent in the teachings through constructivist methods.

Discussion

Dr. Abbott contends that there is no such thing as "objective" learning.  In Driscoll (2005) it is stated that objectivism is the view that

• "...knowledge [exists] independently from the learner"

• "Knowledge is represented in the individuals mind as an ever closer approximation of how the world really is."

Alternatively, consructivist theory asserts the subjectivist view that " knowledge constructions do not necessarily bear any correspondence to external reality."

Questions:

1. What is meant by "knowledge constructions do not necessarily bear any correspondence to external reality"?

2. Do you believe that knowledge is always subjective? 

3. Are there any situations that knowledge is not subjective?

• Constructivism Symposium Discussion Group.   

 Previous Page   -   Next Page