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Cognitive View of Learning

By Cynthia Joffrion

Dated: Jul 24, 2010

The focus of the constructivist theory is on the process of constructing learning and the understanding

through active engagement or communication of the learners.

The focus of the constructivist theory is on the process of constructing learning and the understanding

through active engagement or communication of the learners. Essentially, constructivists put the means of

learning in the control of the learner (Ormrod, 2008). The theory is based on Piagets research related to

the way learning takes place. He believed that reality is not absolute, and human beings construct

knowledge based on their perceptions of the world (Fosnot, 1996). Other theorists that contributed to the

current constructivist view include Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner, Howard Gardner, and Nelson Goodman.

Overall, the theorists believed that the constructivist theory of learning and development occur whenlearners interact with the environment and people around them (Hunt, 1969). Therefore, the constructivist

view empowers students to follow their own interests and make the connections necessary to form new

ideas. The theory rests on the assumption that knowledge is constructed by learners as they attempt to

make sense of their experience, and the learner should have the ability to have control of the learning

process.

The goals of constructivist-centered instruction are problem solving, reasoning, critical thinking, and the

active and reflective use of knowledge. The constructivist views the goals of learning as embedding

learning in complex, realistic, and relevant environments; providing for social negotiation as an integral

part of learning; supporting multiple perspectives and the use of multiple modes of representation;

encouraging ownership in learning; and nurturing self-awareness of the knowledge construction process

(Driscoll, 2005). All of these goals are considered by the instructor to facilitate an environment that

encourages active participation, interactivity, open communications, and pleasant conditions. This is

accomplished through a learning community that encourages reciprocal teaching activities that include

discussions, group projects, presentations, and experiential activities to provide an environment that fosters

higher level learning.

These principles and goals of teaching and learning for constructivists are threaded together by the

interaction between the teacher and the student. The students role related to instruction should be that of a

participant in the construction of their own knowledge. This theory is reflected in Deweys concept of

experience as the interaction of the person with her or his environment reflects this belief (Gertek, p. 83).

Students should theory the classroom as a place where they can transform themselves. The term

transform implies renewing and awakening oneself intellectually, professionally, and personally. Inaddition, students must adopt the belief that they are responsible for their own learning. Students must

actively take information and conceptualize it into their own reality. The will naturally promotes a change

within the role of the teacher and the student.

The teachers role related to instruction and student success should be fostered by the ideal that students

are motivated by their own internal perceptions, needs, and characteristics. Brook describes the

constructivist teacher as one who places value on the students point of view and then behaves in an

interactive manner, mediating the students (p. 17). Students are not motivated by external demands,

expectations, and environmental conditions, but by an interaction of the two. Therefore, the teachers

primary role is to provide an environment which fosters creativity and learning for the students.

Constructivist theorists such as Vygotsky and Dewey believed that learners do not learn in isolation from

others, and cognitive psychology has gradually established that people naturally learn and work

collaboratively in their lives (Petraglia, 1998). The importance of interactivity in the classroom through the

active learning process is emphasized in the constructivist theory (Brooks & Brooks, 1993; Fosnot, 1996).

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It is the responsibility of the teacher to provide and environment to allow learners to chart the course of

their learning. Also, the learners instructional environment must foster an environment that is conducive

to learning and creativity

Category Education, Research

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