In a classroom the constructivist view of learning can lead towards a number of different teaching practices. Students are encouraged to use active techniques and reflect on and talk about what they are doing and how their understanding is changing. The teacher will then guide the activity presented to the student and have them build on it by encouraging learning and reflection. The constructivist teacher will provide tools such as problem-solving and inquiry-based learning activities where students can formulate and test their ideas, draw conclusions and pool their knowledge in a collaborative learning environment. Constructivism removes the student from a passive to an active participant in the learning process. One of the best ways to understand what constructivism is and what it means in your classroom is by seeing examples of it at work. Does any have any examples that they could share with the class?
Recently my students have been practicing volume of 3-D objects (Algebra II) and properties of fluids (Physics). I am fortunate that I have the same students in both classes. Over the past few days, they have been investigating how much water they can drop on the surface of a coin before it spills over. They have been challenging each other to see who can "stack" the most drops. In the end, they must tell me the total volume of the water they "stacked" and what percentage of the experimental amount they were able to "stack". This is requiring them to use volume of a sphere, surface area, and experimental design - without them realizing it. I don't tell them how to accomplish the task, just what information i want from their results.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth I really like the way you explain this concept. I think every teacher should incorporate this type of learning because I think if kids are kept in an active learning environment where they are engaged in the learning process they would experience a more postive learning experience.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to add, although I have never been a teacher in education, I have taught CCD classes for many years. In doing so, I always incorporate activities where the children can engage and enjoy learning about stories in the bible. I find that the children learn better when they participate actively. I think this in some way can be considered a constructivist learning evironment.
ReplyDeleteRequest a visit to a Montessori classroom. It is amazing to see 3 year olds independently choose an activity, gather materials, find a workspace, complete the activity, and put each material back in its place. The moveable alphabet is an example of an activity in a 3-5 year old classroom. Individual letters are printed on small wooden tiles. Students phonetically create words, then sentences, paragraphs, etc. Students write what they create in a notebook. The teacher will find individual time to review and guide the students to the next level. Students can choose how long they work on activities.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I appreciate the way you summarized constructivism's affect on students' role in learning in, "Constructivism removes the student from a passive to an active participant in the learning process". Recently, my students participated in creating a documentary that documented the effects of immigration on their life in a border town. This documentary was being created for submittal into a national contest. We only had two weeks to plan, script and film this documentary. My role in this project was solely as facilitator. I provided them with basic organizational tools, such as story boards and blank filming schedules. I also provided them with the camera and access to the computer lab for filming and editing, other than what I have mentioned the students took ownership of this project and created a fantastic documentary. I enjoyed witnessing their process in creating backdrops, cue cards, etc and their problem solving.
ReplyDeleteOne activity that I liked using with my students every year was a stock market game. In the game the students learned research skills, math, and economics. They were responsible for researching and buying stock based on the market. My role was to help guide them as to where to find information for research, but they were responsible in their teams to make decisions for what stock and at what prices. It was really fun to see how the students who made money would tell the other students, and then they would buy the same stock at a higher price.
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