1. Constructivism
IP&T 301
Suzy Cox

2. Visual Metaphor for
Learning
• Do you agree with this?

3. Definition of Learning
• Learning is an active process in which
learners construct their own meaning
based on prior knowledge and
experience.

4. Roots of Constructivism
• Piaget
• Vygotsky

5. Types of Constructivism
• Individual Constructivism
• Social Constructivism

6. Role of Prior Knowledge

7. Prior Knowledge
• Schemas
– Draw a house!
• Scripts
• Personal theories
• Interpretations

8. Houses

9. Top-down v. Bottom-up

10. Conceptual Change
• Easy or difficult? Why?
• Example

11. Promoting Change
1. Identify existing misconceptions
before instruction begins.
2. Convince students that their existing
beliefs are inadequate.
3. Motivate students to learn correct
explanations.
4. Monitor what students say and write
for persistent misconceptions.

12. Discovery Learning
Video

13. Authentic Activities
• http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/e
• http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/KingsParkES/te
htm

14. Jerome Bruner
To instruct someone... is not a matter of getting
him to commit results to mind. Rather, it is to
teach him to participate in the process that
makes possible the establishment of
knowledge. We teach a subject not to produce
little living libraries on that subject, but
rather to get a student to think
mathematically for himself, to consider
matters as an historian does, to take part in
the process of knowledge-getting. Knowing is a
process not a product.

15. Process of Education
Structure Readiness
Intuition Motivation

16. Readiness

17. How?

18. Implications
• Children should be provided with
study materials, activities, and tools
that are matched to and capitalize on
their developing cognitive capabilities
• Incorporate all three methods into
instruction where possible.

19. Implications
• Present others’ ideas
• Emphasize conceptual understanding
• Promote dialogue
• Create a community of learners

20. The 5 Es
• Engage
• Explore
• Explain
• Elaborate
• Evaluate

21. Assignments
• Read Ch. 10 (pg. 332-361)
• Reading Quiz #5
• Extra Credit: Project-based Learning
• Theory Presentation – Albert Bandura