Constructivist Learning
Bruner's constructivist theory is based upon the study of cognition. One of the major themes in this theory explains that ‘learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge (Kearsely 1994a).’ Thus, cognitive structures help the learner by providing meaning and organisation to their experiences, as well as help the learner to think beyond the information given.Moreover, Bruner believes that the instructor should try to encourage students to make hypotheses, make decisions, and discover principles by themselves (Kearsley 1994a). Hence, the instructor's task is to ‘translate information to be learned into a format appropriate to the learner's current state of understanding’ and to organise it in a spiral manner ‘so that the student continually builds upon what they have already learned.’
Some of the points in Bruner’s theory of instruction (1966, as cited in Kearsley 1994a) show how to bring an abstract idea or concept to the learner and thus provide motivation for a learner to tackle a task based on difficult-to-grasp material:
• Design the instruction based on the experiences and contexts that make the student willing and able to learn (readiness)
• Structure the explanations or activities so that the concept can be easily grasped by the student (spiral organisation)
• Ensure the structure of explanations and activities are designed to facilitate extrapolation and fill in the gaps (going beyond the information given)
From this theory, knowledge is subjective, constructed by each learner through combining their existing knowledge and beliefs, along with new stimuli. Knowledge is constructed by learners through a mental process of development through which learners construct meaning and knowledge. And meaning is derived from current knowledge and beliefs, and is individually built. Piaget’s notions of assimilation and accommodation describe how learning takes place (1977). ‘Assimilation refers to the integration of perceptions into existing mental models; accommodation involves the alteration of mental models to explain perceptions that would otherwise not be understood (1977).’ Piaget asserts that learning occurs by an active construction of meaning, not by passive acceptance. He explains that when we, as learners, encounter an experience or a situation that conflicts with our current thinking, a state of disequilibrium is created. Consequently, we must then change our thinking to restore balance. To do this, we need to make sense of the new information by associating it with what we already know. In other words, we need to attempt to assimilate it into our existing knowledge base.
Apart from constructivist learning, Naismith et al. (2006, p. 10) believes that situated learning is also necessary. ‘Situated learning involves experiences that promote learning within an authentic context and culture (2006, p. 10).’ Furthermore, in order to transform learners from mere passive recipients of information to active builders of knowledge we must give them an environment that helps them to participate in the learning process, plus provide them with the appropriate tools to work with that knowledge. For example, mobile devices give us a unique opportunity to have learners embedded in a realistic context at the same time has having access to supporting tools.
So if an instructor uses the principles of both constructivist and situated learning, a learner should get some understanding of an abstract idea so he/she will be more motivated to display the knowledge gained from this topic through an activity.
Benefits of Constructivism
It’s no secret that children learn more and enjoy learning more when they are actively involved, rather than just being passive listeners of information. Hence, education works best when it focuses on thinking and understanding, rather than on rote memorisation. Constructivism concentrates on teaching children how to think and understand (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004).Constructivist learning is also transferable. In constructivist classrooms, students create organising principles that they can transfer to other learning settings (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004).
Moreover, constructivism gives students ownership of what they learn, since learning is based on students' questions and explorations, and often the students have a hand in creating the assessments, as well. ‘Constructivist assessment engages the students' initiatives and personal investments in their journals, research reports, physical models, and artistic representations. Engaging the creative instincts develops students' abilities to express knowledge through a variety of ways (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004).’ Consequently, the students are also more likely to retain and transfer the new knowledge to real life.
By setting learning activities in an authentic (i.e. real-world context), constructivism stimulates and engages students. Students in constructivist classrooms learn to question things and to apply their natural curiosity.
Lastly, constructivism promotes social and communication skills by creating a classroom environment that enables students to collaborate and exchange ideas. So, students need to learn how to articulate their ideas clearly, along with how to collaborate on tasks effectively in group projects. Therefore, students must exchange ideas and learn to ‘negotiate’ with others, evaluating their contributions in an amicable way. In the real world, these skills are essential to help them survive in a variety of experiences where they will have to cooperate and navigate among others’ ideas.
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