From youtube website.
Behaviorist and cognitive theories focus on the learning process and operant conditions that can make learning easier or more difficult. However, these theories based on the assumption that working principles of all brains are alike and similar input will produce similar output. On the contrary, we know that understanding of each student is unique, and the same input may result many different output. Therefore, students learn best when they build stuff and learn themselves with firsthand experience (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).
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| From http://carolyn.jlcarroll.net/Construct.html website |
Seymour Papert is a mathematics professor in MIT who developed constructionist learning theory and invented Logo programming language (Seymour Papert, 2011). In his theory, Dr. Papert stated that people learn with designing, constructing, creating or building stuff. Additionally, sharing the product, explaining the results, and making it a public entity reinforce the learning effectively (Thurmond, 1999a). Together with his Epistemology and Learning group, Dr. Papert explored usage of constructionist learning in education. They created three main themes and named them as “learning through design”, “learning in communities” and learning about systems” (Thurmond, 1999b). Kafai, & Resnick (1996) published a book that explains how to use constructionist theories and gave examples. The main idea behind the constructionist learning theory is that students will build stuff and create their own firsthand experiences themselves. In this method, teacher starts with a topic, and students discover the main idea and detail their ideas themselves through discovery learning (Culatta, 2011). Therefore, a constructionist learning strategy must engage students and let them investigate, create, and solve problems themselves. Click here for further information about how to use constructionist theory in class and “learning by design”.
To be precise, one of strategies that involve constructionist learning theory is generating and testing hypotheses. In this strategy, teacher asks students to generate and test their own hypotheses, and explain their conclusions clearly in front of class or in public. Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski (2007) state that; “there are six tasks that teachers can use to help students generate and test hypotheses are using system analysis, problem solving, historical investigation, invention, experimental inquiry, and decision making.” All these tasks require research. Additionally, students may need to collect and analyze data. Therefore, students can use spreadsheets for data processing. Meanwhile, students have to build stuff, investigate about a problem, create and solve related problems. In other words, students will learn themselves, while generating and testing their own hypotheses, and, this is called constructionist learning.
Another example of constructionist learning is problem based learning. In this strategy, teacher asks a question; students do research, and try to find out solution of the problem themselves. Finally, they defend and share their result and solution in front of the class. An example of this strategy is “what’s wrong with the water?” project in Samstonian (Glazer, 2001). In this project, students investigated the problem in river water, and tried to figure out the reason behind pollution that killed fishes. Students conducted tests, worked as a team, and created their own solution and conclusion. You can see their result with clicking here. Their teacher guided them and acted as facilitator. Therefore, this activity is a good example of problem based constructionist learning strategy.
In conclusion, thanks to technology, students learn extra information from different sources such as Internet, television, software, books and families. Therefore, prior knowledge of students is so rich when compared to previous generations. Additionally, students can reach information easier than before with using the internet. Moreover, today’s curriculum includes more topics and skills than before. Hence, teachers cannot know and prepare individualized curriculum that address each student. At the other hand, teachers have educational technology tools and supporting materials to ease teaching and learning. Therefore, it is time to change the centre of mass of education from teachers to students. We must trust our students, and we must give them freedom to learn with using their own way. It is time to change our classroom environments from teacher centered learning environment to student centered learning environment. It is time to share responsibility of education with students. It is time to reevaluate our teaching strategies and start using constructionist learning theories in class. You will be surprised to see that your students can think out of the box and create innovative solutions to the problems.
In conclusion, thanks to technology, students learn extra information from different sources such as Internet, television, software, books and families. Therefore, prior knowledge of students is so rich when compared to previous generations. Additionally, students can reach information easier than before with using the internet. Moreover, today’s curriculum includes more topics and skills than before. Hence, teachers cannot know and prepare individualized curriculum that address each student. At the other hand, teachers have educational technology tools and supporting materials to ease teaching and learning. Therefore, it is time to change the centre of mass of education from teachers to students. We must trust our students, and we must give them freedom to learn with using their own way. It is time to change our classroom environments from teacher centered learning environment to student centered learning environment. It is time to share responsibility of education with students. It is time to reevaluate our teaching strategies and start using constructionist learning theories in class. You will be surprised to see that your students can think out of the box and create innovative solutions to the problems.
Culatta, R. (2011). Constructivist Theories of Learning. Retrieved from Innovative Learning Web site: http:/?/?www.innovativelearning.com/?educational_psychology/?constructivism/?index.htm
Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Kafai, Y. B., & Resnick, M. (1996). Constructionism in practice: designing, thinking, and learning in a digital world. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program seven. Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Seymour Papert. (2011). Retrieved from Wikipedia Web site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Papert
Thurmond, A. (1999a). Constructionism. Retrieved from The San Francisco State University Web site: http://online.sfsu.edu/~foreman/itec800/finalprojects/annmariethurmond/defconstructionism.html
Thurmond, A. (1999b). Constructivism and Constructionism. Retrieved from The San Francisco State University Web site: http://online.sfsu.edu/~foreman/itec800/finalprojects/annmariethurmond/home.html
2 comments:
I liked the connection you made to the game of "telephone" and how the brain processes information. This is very much related to learning, since while all students may hear the same information and be taught the same knowledge, what the brain chooses to hold on to and the connections that are made differs from child to child. Bits and pieces get lost in translation, much like the the familiar game of telephone. That's why, by shifting from a teacher centered classroom, to a student centered environment, children are able to construct their own knowledge in an engaging and meaningful way. Combined with the use of technology, constructionist approached are even more effective as teachers are no longer the sole source of information, creating even more venues for learning.
Nicole, This is exactly what I mean. Quality of teachers are not some, and students were unlucky if teacher's knowledge was not enough. Today, students not only depend on knowledge and quality of their teachers but also on other resources such as internet and software. Therefore, teachers must leave the stage to the students whenever appropriate. Some people may think workload and importance of teacher is less in constructionist theory, but, it is not correct. Teachers must prepare resource for students, evaluate their work, and guide them while building their stuff. Finally, must explain the misunderstood points and correct their mistakes. In conclusion, students will learn better with doing, but teachers will work harder to supervise them. Still, this is so engaging, and I am sure that both teachers and students will love constructionist learning strategies.
Zulfi
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