Constructivism Learning Theory

Constructivism learning theory is a philosophy which enhances students' logical and conceptual
growth. The underlying concept within the constructivism learning theory is the role which
experiences-or connections with the adjoining atmosphere-play in student education.

The constructivism learning theory argues that people produce knowledge and form meaning
based upon their experiences. Two of the key concepts within the constructivism learning theory
which create the construction of an individual's new knowledge are accommodation and
assimilation. Assimilating causes an individual to incorporate new experiences into the old
experiences. This causes the individual to develop new outlooks, rethink what were once
misunderstandings, and evaluate what is important, ultimately altering their perceptions.
Accommodation, on the other hand, is reframing the world and new experiences into the mental
capacity already present. Individuals conceive a particular fashion in which the world operates.
When things do not operate within that context, they must accommodate and reframing the
expectations with the outcomes.

The role of teachers is very important within the constructivism learning theory. Instead of
giving a lecture the teachers in this theory function as facilitators whose role is to aid the student
when it comes to their own understanding. This takes away focus from the teacher and lecture
and puts it upon the student and their learning. The resources and lesson plans that must be
initiated for this learning theory take a very different approach toward traditional learning as
well. Instead of telling, the teacher must begin asking. Instead of answering questions that only
align with their curriculum, the facilitator in this case must make it so that the student comes to
the conclusions on their own instead of being told. Also, teachers are continually in conversation
with the students, creating the learning experience that is open to new directions depending upon
the needs of the student as the learning progresses. Teachers following Piaget's theory of
constructivism must challenge the student by making them effective critical thinkers and not
being merely a "teacher" but also a mentor, a consultant, and a coach.

Instead of having the students relying on someone else's information and accepting it as truth, the
constructivism learning theory supports that students should be exposed to data, primary sources,
and the ability to interact with other students so that they can learn from the incorporation of
their experiences. The classroom experience should be an invitation for a myriad of different
backgrounds and the learning experience which allows the different backgrounds to come
together and observe and analyze information and ideas.

The constructivism learning theory will allow children to, at an early age or a late age, develop
the skills and confidence to analyze the world around them, create solutions or support for
developing issues, and then justify their words and actions, while encouraging those around them
to do the same and respecting the differences in opinions for the contributions that they can make
to the whole of the situation. Classroom applications of constructivism support the philosophy of
learning which build a students' and teachers' understanding.

Bruner's Theory on Constructivism

Bruner's theory on constructivism encompasses the idea of learning as an active process wherein
those learning are able to form new ideas based on what their current knowledge is as well as
their past knowledge. A cognitive structure is defined as the mental processes which offer the
learner the ability to organize experiences and derive meaning from them. These cognitive
structures allow the learner to push past the given information in constructing their new
concepts. The learner, often a child, will take pieces of their past knowledge and experiences and
organize them to make sense of what they know, then base further concepts and solve additional
problems based upon a combination of what they already processed and what they think should
be processed next.

The teacher resources used should be focused on that of encouragement, aiding and allowing the
student to uncover the main principles on their own. Communication between the learner and
teacher is the key concept. Socratic learning is suggested as the best method of communication in
this theoretical framework, as it allows the teacher to actively note any study skills the learner
verbalizes, their progression, their frustrations, and form a rubric of their current learning state
based on the dialogue. Seeing as this theory takes known information and expounds upon it, any
teacher lesson plans, teacher worksheets, or resources should in fact be constantly building the
learner's knowledge in a spiral manner.

The four major principles of Bruner's theory on constructivism encompass 1) a predilection

toward learning. The second, how a grouping of knowledge is able to be constructed to best be
understood by the learner. The third is effective manners for the teacher to present said material
to the learner, with the fourth and final aspect being the progression of rewards as well as
punishments.

Bruner is poignant about language and how this affects cognition within this theory of learning
development. It is pertinent to any success of a child to identify the differences between adult
language and the language used by children. With the child being younger, they need time to
advance not only their conceptual learning but their language as well. Thus, teachers and parents
alike are encouraged to envelop the "scaffolding" method of communication which is a strategy
aimed to simplifying tasks within learning by making smaller steps, all leading to the final
outcome. This aids in maintaining any frustration while keeping in mind what is important
throughout the learning process.

When evaluating study skills of the child, Bruner's theory suggests that the teachers be explicit
regarding organization, help the learner to focus on the larger task at hand as well as the goals,
instead of getting caught on minor details or frustrations. They are encouraged to praise the
efforts put out by the learners while reminding them, helping them focus on relevant items, and
encouraging them to practice and rehearse what they have learned. Social as well as cultural
contingencies of learning were adapted into Bruner's later work, theorizing how these affected
learning.

Piaget's Theory of Constructivism

The Theories of Jean Piaget

What is Piaget's Theory of Development?

Who Was Jean Piaget?

Jean Piaget was a philosopher from Switzerland. He was also a natural scientist that was famous
for the work that he did studying cognitive development and learning theories encompassed in
his view of "genetic epistemology". At the young age of eleven he attended high school at
Switzerland Latin wherein one of his short pieces was the start of his scientific career.

Piaget's theory of constructivism impacts learning curriculum because teachers have to make a
curriculum plan which enhances their students' logical and conceptual growth. Teacher must put
emphasis on the significant role that experiences-or connections with the adjoining atmosphere-
play in student education. For example, teachers must bear in mind the role those fundamental
concepts, such as the permanence of objects, plays when it comes to establishing cognitive
structures.

Piaget's theory of constructivism argues that people produce knowledge and form meaning based
upon their experiences. Piaget's theory covered learning theories, teaching methods, and
education reform. Two of the key components which create the construction of an individual's
new knowledge are accommodation and assimilation. Assimilating causes an individual to
incorporate new experiences into the old experiences. This causes the individual to develop new
outlooks, rethink what were once misunderstandings, and evaluate what is important, ultimately
altering their perceptions. Accommodation, on the other hand, is reframing the world and new
experiences into the mental capacity already present. Individuals conceive a particular fashion in
which the world operates. When things do not operate within that context, they must
accommodate and reframing the expectations with the outcomes.

Apart from learning theories, Piaget's theory of constructivism addresses how learning actually
occurs, not focusing on what influences learning. The role of teachers is very important. Instead
of giving a lecture the teachers in this theory function as facilitators whose role is to aid the
student when it comes to their own understanding. This takes away focus from the teacher and
lecture and puts it upon the student and their learning. The resources and lesson plans that must
be initiated for this learning theory take a very different approach toward traditional learning as
well. Instead of telling, the teacher must begin asking. Instead of answering questions that only
align with their curriculum, the facilitator in this case must make it so that the student comes to
the conclusions on their own instead of being told. Also, teachers are continually in conversation
with the students, creating the learning experience that is open to new directions depending upon
the needs of the student as the learning progresses. Teachers following Piaget's theory of
constructivism must challenge the student by making them effective critical thinkers and not
being merely a "teacher" but also a mentor, a consultant, and a coach.

Some strategies for teacher include having students working together and aiding to answer one
another's questions. Another strategy includes designating one student as the "expert" on a
subject and having them teach the class. Finally, allowing students to work in groups or pairs and
research controversial topics which they must then present to the class.
More On Piaget's Theory on Constructivism

• Adaptation- Discusses Piaget's theory on accommodation and assimilation.

• Cognitive Development
• Funderstanding- A detailed look at his work.
• Intellectual Development
• The Educational Theory of Jean Piaget- By Analyst: Sean Hughes.
• Piaget's Stage Theory of Development-From infancy to adulthood.
• The Educational Theory of Jean Piaget- An abstract.
• TIP: Theories- Over a period of six decades, Jean Piaget conducted a program of
naturalistic research that has profoundly affected our understanding of child
development. Piaget called his general theoretical framework "genetic epistemology"
because he was primarily interested in how knowledge developed in human organisms.

Vygotsky's Theory on Constructivism

Lev S. Vygotsky believed that culture is the principal determinant of cognitive progress. In
Vgostsky's theory on constructivism, knowledge leads to further cognitive development. The
societal configuration of intelligence states that the individual growth could not be
comprehended without indication to the societal and cultural context where the aforementioned
evolution is entrenched mind development is continuous.

Vygotsky focuses on the actual mechanism of the development. He excludes discernible stages
of development as theories and assumptions. Vygotsky's theory on constructivism does not
adhere to the idea that a single abstract principle is able to explain cognitive development. As a
substitute to Piaget's constructivism, he argues that knowledge is internalization of social
activity.

Mediation refers to people intentionally interject items between their environment and
themselves, so that they are able to modify it and gain specific benefits. Mediation is the key
propoent of Vygotsky's theory of constructivism. His theory offers a harmonizing viewpoint to
the behaviorist view. Vygotsky's theory of constructivism supports that the use of mediators
helps the human to alter their environment, and this is her way of interacting with the nature.
Vygotsky's theory of constructivism also supports that the use of activity mediators provides a
way in which people are able to interact with the nature. Mediation is also defined as the use of
certain tools within socially organized activity. There were two phenomena which encompasses
the mediated relationship of individuals to their environment. These are 1) Humans use language
and physical signs to change social relations into psychological functions between their minds
and their environment. The second thing was that higher intellectual progression will actually use
symbolic mediation.

Zone of proximal development (ZDP) characterizes one of the biggest differences which can be
found between Vygotsky's and Piaget's differing views of cognitive development. ZPD is defined
as the rupture between a persons actual competence (on which level a student is able to
independently solve problems), and their individual prospective development level (on which
level the student could solve the problems assuming they were given guidance from teacher).
ZPD is founded upon the psychological functions which have yet to mature but nonetheless are
in the process of maturing. The concept of ZPD as it functions within Vygotsky's theory of
constructivism supports a depiction of academic advancement based on permanence. Learning is
able to propel cognitive growth. The role of the teacher is one of a mediator for the child's
cognitive development. In Vygotsky's theory of constructivism, learning, instruction and
development are the only positive forms of instruction. These three lead the cognitive
development. Teachers must use teacher resources, worksheets, lesson plans, and rubrics all in a
combined attempt to aid the student's progress and measure said progress as the child continues
to grow in their abilities to solve problems independently. Learning that is situated within the
current developmental level is not desirable. More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) goes hand in
hand with ZDP, although in a more remedial sense. The MKO is generally the teacher, or person
of higher intellect and learning ability.

More On Vygotsky's Theory on Constructivism

• Beyond the Individual-Social Antimony in Discussions of Piaget and Vygotsky- A

discussion of the ongoing debate about the relation between the ideas of Vygotsky and
Piaget, emphasizing a cardinal difference between them.
• Historical and Contemporary Significance of Vygotsky's Sociohistorical Psychology-
Vygotsky is distinctive in the field of psychology because he articulated a profoundly
social explanation of human psychology. Whereas most other psychologists postulate
intra-organismic determinants of psychological phenomena (such as physiological
mechanisms or free will) or some interaction between intra-organismic and social factors,
Vygotsky regarded human psychology as entirely social.
• Key Theorists/Theories in Psychology- LEV VYGOTSKY
• Social Development Theory- Discusses the theoretical framework.
• Thinking and Speaking- His 1934 work.
• Vygotsky- The man and his work.
• Vygotsky's Distinction Between Lower and Higher Mental Functions- An article by
Eugene Subbotsky, University of Lancaster.