integrating constructivist principles

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Integrating Constructivist Principles

by Woody Dowling

From the 1995 ATI Workshop - Wednesday, July 12, 1995 (updated June '98)

http://americanart.si.edu/deptdir/ressub/rscprgdir/subject_categories.html

Dr. Jones is unable to join us today. Lacking the depth of knowledge and the practical

experience of Dr. Jones, I hope you will bear with me if the presentation is not the

discussion we anticipated. Much of my talk is based on Dr. Jones' publication

Designing Learning and Technology for Educational Reform.

What is constructivism ?

It is inappropriate to define a term using the term itself; nevertheless, constructivismis often explained in terms of the social construction of knowledge. This

"construction" of knowledge concept makes a distinction between memorization of

facts and formulas and how people actually learn things.

In brief, we use our senses to gather and assimilate information; we call on our

"experiential intelligence" to make sense of the new information and we layer new

material on an existing conceptual base. This construction of knowledge is largely

unconscious until we are confronted with new information that is inconsistent with

our existing conceptions. This is called cognitive dissonance. Research shows that

genuine understanding is most likely when our brains resolve cognitive dissonance.

As teachers, you recognize this phenomenon when your student says: "Ah hah!" and

you see a light bulb over her head.

Constructivism is anchored on cognitive psychology but from a practical perspective

has roots in the "progressive" model of John Dewey. Many of the curricular

implementations of constructivism are really not new.

Brooks & Brooks define constructivism this way:

It's a theory about knowledge and learning. Drawing on a synthesis of

work in cognitive psychology, philosophy and anthropology, it definesknowledge as temporary, developmental, socially and culturally

mediated, and thus non-objective. Learning from this perspective is

understood as a self-regulated process of resolving inner cognitive

conflicts that often become apparent through concrete experience,

collaborative discourse, and reflection. [p. vii]

Brooks & Brooks offer an interesting comparison of the visible differences between

"traditional" classrooms and "constructivist" classrooms.
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Traditional Classrooms Constructivist Classrooms

Curriculum is presented part to

whole, with emphasis on basic skills

Curriculum is presented whole to part with

emphasis on big concepts

Strict adherence to fixed curriculum

is highly valued

Pursuit of student questions is highly valued

Curricular activities rely heavily on

textbooks and workbooks

Curricular activities rely heavily on primary

sources of data and manipulative materials

Students are viewed as "blank

slates" onto which information is

etched by the teacher

Students are viewed as thinkers with emerging

theories about the world (As Howard Gardner puts

it "cognitive apprentices")

Teachers generally behave in a

didactic manner, disseminating

information to students. (A sage on

the stage)

Teachers generally behave in an interactive

manner, mediating the environment for the

students (A guide on the side)

Teachers seek the correct answers to

validate student learning

Teachers seek the student's points of view in orderto understand students' present conceptions for use

in subsequent lessons (scaffolding)

Assessment of student learning is

viewed as separate from teaching

and occurs almost entirely through

testing

Assessment of student learning is interwoven with

teaching and occurs through teacher observations

of students at work and through student

exhibitions and portfolios

Students primarily work alone Students primarily work in groups

How do you integrate?Now that you know it when you see it, the question then is: how do you integrate

constructivist principles into the classroom? Howard Gardner suggests "projects."

From his bookThe Unschooled Mind,

In the course of their careers in the American schools of today, most

students take hundreds, if not thousands, of tests. They develop skill to

a highly calibrated degree in an exercise that will essentially become

useless immediately after their last day in school. In contrast, when one

examines life outside of school, projects emerge as pervasive. ... A

project provides an opportunity for students to marshal previouslymastered concepts and skills in the service of a new goal or enterprise.

The knowledge of how to draw on such earlier forms of representation

or understanding to meet a new challenge is a vital acquisition. [pp.

216-218]

A powerful approach is putting the student to work on an authentic task that is

meaningful. Judi Harris calls this type of project a "Social Action Project." Judi,

formerly at the University of Nebraska/Omaha, has a lot of good ideas and many

examples of student activitiesusing network resources.

Engaged Learning
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~jbharris/Virtual-Architecture/http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~jbharris/Virtual-Architecture/http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~jbharris/Virtual-Architecture/


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After you have designed and implemented projects, team taught, etc.; how can you

tell if you are successful in bringing about engaged learning? The Brooks and

Brooks comparison can be useful. Beau Jones, et. al., also offer some indicators:

What it looks like in students,

What tasks look like,What assessment looks like, and

What social interactions look like.

What does it look like in students?

Well... a sure sign is that engaged learners are energized by learning. True learning is

fun! Engaged learning is intrinsically motivating. Engaged learners take responsibility

for their own learning. They set goals and can self-regulate their progress toward the

goal. Actually, some have trouble with self-regulation and you have to make them

stop working!

Engaged learners are strategic learners, they are consciously aware of the process of

building on prior knowledge, resolving cognitive dissonance and so on. They can play

with ideas assuming multiple perspectives, seeing both sides of an issue for example.

Engaged learning is often collaborative either with peers and even with the teacher as

a co-learner. Sometimes the learner becomes the teacher.

What do the tasks look like?

They are challenging. They are complex and require real growth. Don't dress up busywork as a project!

Tasks are authentic; that is, students can see a correlation to the "real world." There

are lots of projects where data and even recommendations about pollution, etc have

been acted on.

Tasks are often multidisciplinary. In the real world - authentic problems are complex

and rarely involve a single discipline.

Student roles involve tasks normally associated with apprentices, explorers,

practitioners, and producers of knowledge.

Another indicator of engaged learning is the nature of social interaction. Work is often

cooperative rather than competitive. Teachers use the Socratic method and facilitate.

A guide on the side, not a sage on the stage.

Group work often draws on the strength of each member. The kinesthetic learner may

do a physical demonstration or a dance interpretation, the linguistic learner may make

an oral presentation, and so on.

What does assessment look like?


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Now you have constructivist projects, the engaged learners are performing complex

tasks, and the roles of the students and teachers have shifted. How do you assess this?

You don't give a test.

Tests often reveal what a student can memorize, but not necessarily what she knows.

If students are assuming active rolls, one way to assess knowledge is by looking atwhat the learner can do with the knowledge. That means looking at products or as we

in the museum business say "artifacts."

What is an artifact? It could be: a survey, an inventory, a journal, an illustration, an

oral presentation, a demonstration, a model, a portfolio, a web sites.

Technology facilitates integration

The notion of student web sites segues to the issue of how technology can facilitate

the integration of constructivist principles. You have probably seen the cartoon of thedog at the computer explaining that "on the Internet they don't know you're a dog."

Well, they also may not know, or more importantly care, that you are a middle school

student. At least so far, the Internet has been a very tolerant medium of exchange.

Learners of all ages are free to participate in discussions, projects, and related

activities with peers and often with professionals. The number of self-selecting

communities of interest is not infinite but it is astounding. Given the fact that Internet

was initially driven by colleges and universities, these communities of interest often

follow academic interests.

One of the most powerful ways technology can help is by facilitating collaboration

across time and space. In effect, with a little work and perhaps a fast modem or directconnection, a student's interest can be pursued until it reaches a satisfactory ending.

Finally, and perhaps most closely associated with constructivism, is the opportunity to

do "real work." In many respects the Internet is still a frontier. There are lots of

opportunities for students to gather information, build databases, create activities for

others, and so on. I invite you again to read the articles by Judi Harris for examples

and inspiration.

integrating constructivist principles

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