One of the most amazing things about the human mind is its ability to connect vast amounts of information in complex networks. These webs, or frameworks, are so complex that we have only recently begun to understand the process that one goes through when assimilating and accommodating new information. Assimilation an
d accommodation are two of the ideas that Dr. Orey (Laureate, 2008) discusses when talking about constructivism and constructionism in educational psychology. While constructivism states that every learner builds an understanding of the world based on their experiences and perceptions of concepts, constructionism takes this a step further and says that learners are more attentive when they actively create products in order to create those perceptions and experiences themselves (Laureate, 2008). Project learning, formulating and testing hypotheses, and engaging in self-directed learning with the intention of solving a problem are all examples of constructionist approaches to learning.
Why is this kind of learning experience important? Well, simply put, the students are in control of their own learning and are creating, through experience, their own understandings of the world around them. They are using content knowledge, decision making processes, analytical skills, creating an understanding of the history of the problem or issue, and expanding their vocabulary (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). All of these are high level thinking skills and are challenging
processes for any student to engage in. The accommodation of new information gained through these processes help expand the student’s schema and provide new ways of understanding the world. This is never an easy process, but it is more relevant to the lives of the students when choice is involved and self-direction is included because the students are beginning from a unique perspective of their world.
This is also a situation where technology has been able to help students. As Hubble et al. (2007) point out, “New developments...allow students to spend more time interpreting the data rather than gathering the data” (p. 203). As students are faced with more and more information, the ability to quickly assemble the information into a meaningful format has become necessary for them to be able to construct meaningful bridges between the information in front of them and the information in their own minds. When students engage in generating and testing hypotheses, they are really engaging in constructionist learning because they are identifying a problem and working to solve that problem through engaging with data. If the data is overwhelming and not easily identifiable, the student spends valuable time trying to gather the data and sort it into a meaningful arrangement before they are able to analyze and interpret it. Projects like creating a concept map or participating in a lab allow a student to formulate ideas and then test those ideas and create connections between data.
As new information becomes available, students are able to modify their hypotheses to allow for growth in learning. This is something that one sees with NASA simulation programs for students and the kinds of project based learning activities listed
on Apple’s teacher site. By including students in problem based and project based learning the students can explore information that challenges their schema in meaningful, hands-on ways. As students construct their own understanding of the information they discover, they need to have the opportunity to share that information with their peers and with the teacher. The use of spreadsheets for data collection and graphs for data sharing allow students to explore the differences in data with others in a quick and meaningful way. Collaborative concept mapping also allows for sharing of information and the creation of new knowledge pathways.
It is important to note though, as the University of Helsinki (emTech, 2010) points out, constructivist and constructionist models
may not be beneficial to students without an intentional, systematic process that is well thought out by an instructor. Simply providing students with projects to do or problems to solve does not necessarily mean that they will construct the “right”
knowledge from the activity and, therefore, teachers need to have a very good understanding of the instructional goals of a project before turning the students loose on it.
As with any educational theory, constructivist/constructionist learning and teaching is a tool that can be used in conjunction with other theories and practices. To rely completely on one school of thought would be to limit the overall effectiveness of instruction for the students. The real skill in being an educator is determining when and where constructionism is best suited to the specific educational goals that a teacher has in mind. Discovering information and creating products is absolutely one of the best ways to engage students in meaningful learning, but at the end of the day the students still need teachers to help guide them and make sure that those products/projects are demonstrating a growth in understanding. In the same way, using a spreadsheet or a simulation can be an effective use of technology, but just like with other technology, if the wrong technology is used for a project the technology can become the focus of the learning instead of the information. Having said that though, technology is allowing students to quickly manage much more information than was possible even ten years ago and the kinds of products that are available now, such as websites, podcasts, and multimedia presentations, allow students to
build a much vaster, much more interactive network of ideas and products than ever before. The minds of students are always under construction, but just as in the real world, they need a foreman to oversee that the construction is done in the right ways.
emTech. (2010). Constructivism, instructivism, and related sites. Retrieved from http://www.emtech.net/construc.htm
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program seven. Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Hi Sean-
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting as we progress through this class that we are revisitng theories that we studied while becoming teachers.
As I reflect on my time as a teacher, I see how each of these theories has manifested itself in my classroom. Your reference to the University of Helsinki drove that point home. No theory is useful if it is practiced in isolation. In fact, as teachers, we are the perfect example of constructionism. Teachers are the sum total of their experiences in the classroom. We are constantly growing and learning from what happens every day.
As you look back at your career, what theory stands out as your principal tool?
Margaret Theonnes
To Margaret:
ReplyDeleteYou know, looking back over my career it is a little difficult to tell. In the five years I have been teaching, I have only had the same kind of assignment for two years in a row. Every year we had additional classes, modified schedules, and new curriculums to teach. Everything I have done has been a mixture of many different theories, but with my new approach to teaching with technology, I am probably closer to the ideas of constructionism this year. I have had the students working on more of a project basis this year and have been working with the idea of having student products as my guiding principal. This has put me in conflict with the idea of preparing students, in some ways, for the state assessment but I think that the kind of teaching I am doing is much more in line with life skills than those tested on our state assessment.
The quotes about the response to constructionism on the site provided by Kathryn helped me to get centered again. I think one of the dangers of constructionism is that it can become easy to manage instead of teach while students are working to create a product. I know that I have slipped into that mode once or twice this year.
At the end of the day I think that we need all sorts of instructional theories to guide us, otherwise we provide a one size fits all approach to teaching which isn't good for our students or for ourselves.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteYou stated "Why is this kind of learning experience important? Well, simply put, the students are in control of their own learning and are creating, through experience, their own understandings of the world around them." While I do agree 100% with you, I am concerned that giving the students the freedom to "learn what they want" is going to throw traditional teaching methods and concepts out the window. I do believe that 21st century technology is what today's society will turn into, but as an educator, don't you feel like we should still have control over what the students are learning? I think I am struggling with this whole letting go thing. :)
KV
To KatieV:
ReplyDeleteI do struggle with letting go as well. What I have found though is that in many cases the students don't really know what they want to learn about. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to give my students a free write (where they can write about whatever they want) only to have the majority of my students beg me to pick a topic for them. I think that for the majority of the students since their schema is kind of limited, they want the structure and boundaries that teachers provide.
Here is an example from my own classroom...Last week I wanted the students to recognize the persuasive techniques that are used commonly in speeches. We had a short lesson where we read two speeches from J.F.K. After we discussed and compared the speeches we went to the computer lab and the students independently found speeches on their own. My more motivated students took off and found speeches from athletes or musicians. Most of my students found speeches from presidents and needed help doing this. Most of them wanted me to walk them through Discovery Online Streaming and they felt a lot more comfortable repeating what we did in the class.
Turning them loose doesn't mean sending them off without a direction to explore. It means giving them freedom within a framework and allowing them limited freedom of choice. At least that is what it means to me.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the help in explaining how its not letting them loose, its more of a freedom within a framework. I need to get better and letting go a little more. Thanks for the response.
KV