LESSON 4 CONSTRUCTIVISM in education10.pdf

Constructivism in education as explained by the proponents

1. LESSON 4
Constructivist Theory in
Teaching Social Studies
by DR. ELMO P. ADOR

2. Objectives
Analyze Constructivism as an educational philosophy
Examine the implications of Constructivism in the Social
Studies Curriculum

3. Introduction
Generation Z or post-millennial comprise
a significant number of Filipino learners.
The said generation was born and grew
up with technology thus, they are called
thedigital natives. This context poses a
challenge to educators around the world
morespecifically on their effectiveness
and efficiency in engaging learners to
acquire the necessary knowledge, skills
and attitude of Social Studies
curriculum.

4. This brings us to the discussion of constructivism as an
essential educational philosophy and its role in the
effective delivery of any discipline or learning area, in
this case, the Social Studies program.

5. Think
Constructivism has become the parlance of
educators, teachers, education policy-makers, and
curriculum specialists for the last three decades. Much
has been said about this educational philosophy,
including the impact of its implementation on the lives
of both teachers and the learners.

6. For one, constructivism changed the landscape
of classroom instruction. It presented multiple
challenges in developing learning standards,
designing instructional models, deciding
appropriate pedagogical approaches, and
determining assessment tools and processes

7. Interestingly, however, constructivism was so
prominent that many practitioners overused and
misused it. Various misinterpretations regarding its
classroom application surfaced. As such, it is good
to be clear on the basic ideas that it espouses.
Constructivism is a theory of learning that
has roots in both philosophy and psychology.
The essential core of constructivism is that
learners actively construct their own
knowledge and meaning from their
experiences(Fosnot,1996;Steffe &Gale,1995):

8. This core has roots that extend back to many years
and many philosophers, including
Dewey(1938),Hegel (1807/1949),Kant (1781/1946),and
Vico (1725/1968). Philosophically, this essence relies
on an epistemology that stresses subjectivism and
relativism, the concept that while reality may exist
separate from experience, it can only be known
through experience, resulting in a personally unique
reality.Von Glasersfeld (1984,1990)proposed three
essential epistemological tenets of constructivism
to which a fourth has been added in light of recent
writings.

9. The Basic Tenets of Constructivism
Knowledge is not passively accumulated, but rather, is the
result of active cognizing by the individual;
Cognition is an adaptive process that functions to make an
individual's behavior more viable given a particular environment;
Cognition organizes and makes sense of one's experience, and is
not a process to render an accurate representation of reality; and
Knowing has roots in both biological/neurological
construction, and social, cultural, and language-based
interactions (Dewey,1916/1980;Garrison,1997
1998;Gergen,1995;Maturana &Varela,1992).

10. The above tenets acknowledge the learner's active
role in the personal creation of knowledge, the
importance of experience(both individual and
social)in this knowledge creation process, and the
realization that the knowledge created will vary in its
degree of validity as an accurate representation
of reality. These four fundamental tenets provide
the foundation for the basic principles of the
teaching, learning, and knowing process as
described by constructivism. As will be seen,
however, these tenets may be emphasized
differently, resulting in various “degrees“ or
"types” of constructivism.

11. As mentioned earlier, the concept of constructivism
is not new. In fact, its basic premises are somehow
articulated by various thinkers and authors though
differently fashioned.
For one, Giambattista Vico, in his treatise
titled “De antiquissima ltalorum
sapientia”(1710),explored its essence when he
coined the phrase “verum est ipsum factum.” He
reiterated the idea that, in order to know
something, one must know the parts and how they
have been fit together.

12. In the modern period, more specifically in the
field of psychology, the idea of cognitive
construction was first fashioned into a
comprehensive theory by James Mark
Baldwin(1861-1934)and Jean Piaget (1896-
1980).They were able to map the procedures
and operations on the constructions of a "stable
experiential world," having access only to sensation
and to the operations of the mind.
For us to better understand the concepts of
constructivism, let us examine the various schools of
thought under this paradigm.

13. Types of Constructivism
It is essential to point out that constructivism is not a
unitary theoretical position; rather, it is a continuum
or spectrum. The assumptions behind this continuum
vary along several dimensions and have resulted in the
definition and support for multiple types of
constructivism.
Typically, this continuum is divided into three
broad categories which include Cognitive
Constructivism, Social Constructivism, and Radical
Constructivism.

15. A. Cognitive Constructivism
This is typically associated with information processing
and relies heavily on the component processes of cognition.
It emphasizes that in order to acquire knowledge, an
individual has an active role in cognizing any stimuli
that formed part of his/ her experiences. Adaptive process
is essential in this kind of knowledge creation. It maintains
the idea that an independent yet knowable reality exists.
This differentiates cognitive constructivism from radical and
social constructivism.

16. Thus, knowledge is the result of accurate
internalization, construction, and reconstruction of
external reality by any individual capable of doing so.
The internalization of process and structures
corresponds to the processes and structures that
exist in the real world. These internalization,
construction, and reconstruction are what we call
learning; learning that creates accurate internal
models or representations that reflect external
structures that exist in the "real"world.

17. This perspective on learning focuses on:
(a) the processes of learning;
(b) how "experiences“ are represented or
symbolized in the mind; and
(c) how representations are organized within the
mind.

18. Overall, the construction of knowledge is
considered primarily a technical process of creating
mental structures but has little bearing on the
nature of the subjective knowledge within the
mind.
Cognitive constructivism contributed significantly to
empirical findings regarding learning, memory, and
cognition, including schema theory, working memory
models, computational models of learning and
memory, and neurological models of brain function.

19. Likewise, this theoretical development has
led to successful instructional applications such
as the use of advanced organizers, concept
maps, teaching for transfer, elaborative practice,
teaching for automaticity, and the use of
reading
strategies(e.g.,SQ3R;Survey,Question,Read,Recite,R
eview)and problem-solving strategies(e.g., IDEAL;
Identify problems, Define goals, Explore
strategies, Act, Learn).

20. B. Radical Constructivism
Radical constructivism, on the other hand,
believes that the acquisition of knowledge (e.g., ideas,
concepts, processes, insights, etc.) is an adaptive
process that could be attributed from the active
cognition of an individual translating an experientially
based mind.

21. It maintains that there is an internal nature of
knowledge. Also, it recognizes the existence of an
external reality that is unknowable to the
individual (von Glasersfeld. 1990,1996)since our
experience with external forms is mediated by
our senses, and the latter is not adept at
interpreting an exact representation of these
external forms (e.g., objects social interactions).

22. Thus, while knowledge is constructed from
experience, the way it is constructed is not an
accurate representation of the external world or
reality (von Glasersfeld, 1990,1995).It means that
knowledge is not objective truth, rather a viable
model of experience(von Glasersfeld,1995).These
models are created within an individual and
influenced by various contexts.

23. Staver(1995)precisely articulately this idea when
he said that“ knowledge is knowledge of the
knower, not knowledge of the external world;
improving knowledge means improving its viability
or fit in, but not match with, an external
world"(p.1,126】.

24. C. Social Constructivism
Social constructivism as a school of thought lies
between the transmission of the knowable reality of
the cognitive constructivists and the construction
of a personal reality of the radical constructivists.
Social constructivism “upholds the social nature of
knowledge and that knowledge is the result of social
interaction and language usage, and thus is a shared,
rather than an individual, experience“ (Prawatt
&Floden,1994).

25. Moreover, social interaction occurs within a
socio-cultural context, resulting in knowledge that
is bound to a specific time and
place(Gergen,1995;Vygotsky,1978). Bakhtin
(1984)explained this position by saying that
"truth is not to be found inside the head of an
individual person; it is born between people
collectively searching for truth, in the process of
their dialogic interaction”(p.110).

26. Thus, truth is considered not an objective reality as
espoused by cognitive constructivists nor the
experiential reality as argued by radical
constructivists, but rather is a socially constructed
truth which evolved from co-participation in
cultural practices (Cobb&Yackel,1996,p.37).

28. Constructivist Pedagogy
Due to the breadth of constructivism's theoretical
underpinnings, pedagogies vary among
practitioners. Among these differences, however,
there were identified eight factors that are
essential in constructivist's pedagogy(Brooks
&Brooks,1993;Larochelle,Bednarz,&Garrison,1998;St
effe &Gale,1995).

29. Before we begin enumerating and explaining these
principles, it is best to clarify that these are not
solely constructivist in nature.
1.Authentic and real-world environments are
necessary for learning to take place.
Authentic environments are essential in
realizing“ learning experiences "for it provides
actual learning contexts. It provides the activity
upon which the mind operates. Also, knowledge
construction is enhanced when the experience is
authentic.

30. 2. Social negotiation and mediation should be
taken into account in any form of learning.
Social interaction is a vital element of
learning for it provides socially relevant skills and
knowledge. In the age of globalization and cultural
heterogeneity, learners should be exposed to
various opportunities of interaction in order for
them to develop the necessary knowledge, skills,
and values such as tolerance, social adaptation,
flexibility, peaceful co-existence, and
collaboration, among others.

31. Language is an integral part of social mediation
since it is the medium through which knowledge
and understanding are constructed in social
situations (Spivey,1997).

32. 3. Content and skills are made significant to the
learners.
Regardless of types, constructivism emphasizes
the importance of knowledge since it serves an
adaptive function. Knowledge could enhance one's
adaptation and functioning; thus, it is necessary to
the individual's current condition and even goals.

33. 4.Learner's prior knowledge is fundamental in the
acquisition of content and skills.
All learning begins within an individual's schema
or prior knowledge. This simple yet profound
statement can unravel learning possibilities for it
allows us to examine the personal history (i.e.,
experiences, trauma, interests, contexts)of each
learner. Only by attempting to understand a
student's prior knowledge will the teacher be able
to create effective experiences, resulting in
optimum learning.

34. 5.Formative assessment should be done to
inform future learning experiences.
Constructivism asserts that knowledge
acquisition and understanding is an active and
ongoing process that is heavily impacted by the
student's prior knowledge and experiences. Sadly,
knowledge and understanding are not directly
visible, but rather must be inferred from action.

35. Thus, in order to account a learner's level of
understanding in this ongoing teaching and learning
process, a teacher must continually assess the
individual's knowledge. This type of assessment is
needed to accurately design the appropriate series
of experiences and activities for students.
Formative assessment here functions as “assessment
for learning.”

36. 6.Constructivism encourages learners to become
self-regulated, self. mediated, and self-aware.
One of the basic tenets of constructivism is the
idea that individuals (learners) are active in
knowledge and meaning construction, deconstruction,
and reconstruction. This cognitive exercise
requires individuals to manipulate and organize
experiences, regulate own cognitive functions,
integrate new meanings from existing ones, and form
awareness of current knowledge structures.

37. As Brown & Palincsar (1987 espoused,“
Metacognition is considered an essential aspect of
learning and consists of (1)knowledge of cognition
(i.e., knowing what one knows knowing what one
is capable of doing, and knowing what to do and
when to do it)and (2)regulation of cognition (i.e.,
the ongoing task of planning, monitoring, and
evaluating one's own learning and cognition)."

38. 7.Teachers should act as guides and facilitators of
learning.
The teacher's role plays a major part in
students‘ learning. In the cognitive constructivist
perspective, teachers create experiences where
students participate, leading them to knowledge
processing and acquisition. Thus, teachers are seen
as the “guide on the side” instead of the “sage on
the stage.”

39. On the other hand, social and radical
constructivism supports the idea that the teacher is
to guide students to an awareness of their
experiences andsocially agreed-upon meanings.
This metaphor indicates that the teacheris to
motivate, provide examples, discuss, facilitate,
support, and challenge learners in order to realize
optimum learning.

40. 8.Teachers must employ multiple perspectives
and representations of content.
If learners are provided multiple perspectives
or lenses in examining a particular phenomenon
or event, he/she can have the raw materials
necessary to create and develop varied
representations.

41. This, in turn, allows him/her various routes from
which to retrieve knowledge which in the long run
develops his/her capacity to use more complex
schemas relevant to the experience. These
perspectives provide the student with a greater
opportunity to develop a more viable model of their
experiences and social interactions, thus making
their existence more meaningful.

42. Linking Constructivism to the Social
Studies Curriculum
The nature of social studies as a learning
program complements the ideas of constructivism as
a learning philosophy. The ethic of freedom,
identities, and civic competence works well with
what constructivism is espousing. Combining both
ensures the development of a holistic 21
st
century
Filipino learner.

43. "Tell me and I forget. Show
me and I remember. Involve
me and I understand."