Cognitive Psychology:

Constructivism Learning
Connections
What is the relationship between
Constructivism and Development Theories?
q Physical
q Cognitive
q Moral
q Social
q Emotional
q Bioecological
Connections
n Funds of Knowledge
q Culture
q Societal Factors
q Academic Indicators

historically accumulated and culturally developed

bodies of knowledge and skills essential for
household or individual functioning and well-being*

Ethnographic Analysis
Constructivism Defined
n Active, constructive
process

n Activity –
q Group 4-5
q Define
q Uniquely Present
Definition
Constructivism
n Based on work by Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner,
Gardner, Dewey, and Goodman.

n Constructivism has a number of variations

which share some defining characteristics
(Cognitive, Social).

n Constructionist emerges from constructivism

q Seymour Papert
q MakerSpace
Bruner
n Do we want ”little libraries” of information or
“thinkers”
n Language is the Mediator
n “active process in which learners construct
new ideas or concepts based upon their
current/past knowledge”
q Exploration
q Inquiry
q Real Life
 Discovery Learning
n In order to grasp the structure in information,
students must actively identify ( discover ) key
principles rather than simply accepting a teacher s
explanations.
n Inquiry Based;
n Problem Solving Situations
n Trial and Error

n Summerhill School, England

q “Discover” Philosophy
Piaget
n Developmental or Cognitive Constructivism
n Individual interacts w/ environment
q cognitive change takes place only when previous
conceptions go through a process of disequilibration
in light of new information
q adapt change through two sub-processes
n assimilation
n accommodation
q leads back to equilibration or frustration until
equilibration
Piaget
Adaptation

Assimilation Accommodation
Preexisting Mental Schema No Preexisting Mental Schema

No Restructuring Tried Restructuring

Add or Combine New Change own Belief Or

Knowledge to Schema Schema to “Accommodate”

F
New Information.
ru

Fr
s

us
tra

tra
Equilibration
ti

tio
on

n
Assimilate Accommodate

n Your challenge student in your n Your challenge student

class is quiet for the whole behavior must be a change of
class period. You notice this is heart; The student will be an
out of character and must be active learner.
an off day. The student will be
back to normal next class
period.

True or False?
Vygotsky
n Social Constructivism
n Expert in conducting clinical interviews of children
n Stated mistake of behaviorism was extending the
discovery of conditioning processes in animals to
explain human behavior
n Psychology distinctly different from biology
n Higher mental functions are not part of the biology
q Verbal thought, intentional memory,
consciousness, self-awareness
q Constructs
Social Constructivism
n Social Learning
q Interactions with others
n Zone of Proximal Development
q Range of tasks can do w/ guidance w/ adult
n Cognitive Apprenticeship
q On the job training
n Mediated Learning
q Scaffolding
Constructionist
n Seymour Papert
n “Learning is most effective when part of an
activity the learner experiences as
constructing a meaningful product.” Papert
q Learning by Making
q Logo

n MakerSpace Movement
Logo Programming Language Sites
Can you move the Turtle? Make a Design?
n http://www.calormen.com/jslogo/
n http://www.transum.org/software/Logo/
n http://logo.twentygototen.org/
n http://www.logointerpreter.com/
Dewey & Goodman
n Dewey –
q Progressive Education
q Experiential; Exploration of Thinking & Reflection; Interactions
w/ Environments; Democracy

n Goodman –
q Induction (Grue)
q Constructing relationship between knowledge, art,
understanding, & logic
q Taxonomy of Symbol Systems (pictures, performances,
musical scores)
q Later in life became an art dealer
Constructivism
n Learners must build their own
knowledge…it cannot be given to them.

n Each individual has a unique perception,

and through cumulative experience of and
negotiation among individuals general
conceptual growth is achieved.

n Mastery is never achieved because

perceptions are continually changing.
Constructivism: Characteristics
n Meaning of the world s entities,
properties, and relations is determined by
human perception.
n Complexity of the environment is a major
factor in determining the potential depth
of the knowledge acquired.
Constructivism: Characteristics
n Active Learners:
n Multiple Perspectives: Reinvention
n Collaborative Learning: Negotiation
of knowledge
Constructivism: Characteristics
n Knowledge Construction
n Rich Authentic Context
n Motivation
q Why Question
n Complexity
n HOTS
q Creative & Critical Thinking
n Metacognitive Development
Wordle: http://www.wordle.net/create
Educational Implications
n Teacher serves as a guide on the side
rather than as a sage on the stage !
n Social nature of learning.
n Assessment occurs in the context of teaching
and often takes the form of a product or
performance… student self evaluations
encouraged.
n Teachers ask questions, then listen to students
explain their thinking processes.
q Teachers are learners and teachers.
Instruction
n Students treated as active learners.
n Pose problems that are relevant and from
different perspectives.
n Collaboration (versus cooperation)
n Assessment integrated throughout.
q Complete versus correct answer

q Assess in terms of instruction

Instruction
n Adapt curriculum to individual learner.
n Top-down instruction: big ideas first
q Begin with complex problems to

solve and discover the basic skills

required
n Technology-Rich Environments
q Social Learning Environments
q iPadology Bloom’s Taxonomy
Howie Cohen; https://cohenovate.com
Resources
n Logo Programming: https://turtleacademy.com/
n MakerSpace Movement:
http://www.makerspaceforeducation.com/
n Dewey: http://dewey.pragmatism.org/

n Other resources in D2L.