Social Constructivism

The term constructivism is used both in relation to how people in general come to knowledge, and to how knowledge is developed during research.

Constructivism as a theoretical perspective on teaching and learning

Constructivism is a label given to a range of theories about student learning and pedagogy. So constructivism may be central to a conceptual framework informing a study into teaching and /or learning, and could be adopted as a theoretical perspective in such a study.

Constructivisms as theoretical perspectives?

There are different flavours of constructivist thought.

Perhaps the most common is what might commonly be called personal constructivism, which focuses on the individual learner/knower.

However, so called social constructivism, which focuses on the social interactions in the construction of knowledge, is also very influential.

A further variation is called constructionism which also has a social focus, in particular considering collaboration between people working together.

Social constructivism

Social constructivists focus on the role of social interaction in the construction of knowledge and worldviews. Vygotskyy described how an individual draws upon the culture, and is aided in that enculturation process by others already inducted into the culture. Vygotsky suggested that the thinking of the individual first occurred in the social plane (between that individual and others) which acted as a model that was internalised to occur in the personal plane. Some read Vygotsky to claim that this is always the case, i.e. all of our structures of thought began interpersonally before becoming available as internal mental resources.

A related theoretical perspective is activity theory. Vygotsky saw (1) a person striving to obtain (2) an object or goal, using (3) meditational artifacts as tools as an activity system (i.e. 1+2+3). Activity theory considers the rules associated with the activity, the community in which it takes place, and the division of labour involved.

Knowledge in social constructivisms

Some form of social constructivism are consistent with personal constructivist perspectives in treating knowledge within individual minds, but focusing on the social activity that supports knowledge construction. Other social constructivists reject the notion (or at least the primacy of the notion) of personal knowledge, and see knowledge as socially situated.

Social constructivism and critique

Whilst some social constructivist are interested in processes of teaching and learning and the role social interaction plays, other social constructivists adopt this perspective as a basis for critiquing widely accepted concepts and ideas. The social constructivist is aware that many of the ways people see the world are socially mediated constructions, and so are not necessary ways of understanding the world. A common idea at one time was ‘women’s work’ (i.e. work that was inherently suitable for women - and excluding much work traditionally undertaken by men). This idea was a social construction which has been challenged. In this country teaching was often seen as women’s work, but work they should give up once they married!

In the education system in many countries we have, or have had, ‘top sets’, school prefects, head boys/girls, mixed ability teaching, homework, detentions, special needs children, gifted learners, ‘prep’, houses (even in day schools), matriculation... A social constructivist will consider these as social inventions, not inevitable developments.

Schools in England - a suitable case for critique

In the 1940s in England, it was decided to create a school system with grammar schools, technical schools and secondary modern schools. Later it was decided it would be better to have comprehensive schools. At some point it was decided that community schools were a good idea, schools that  provided community facilities as well as education for children - in Cambridgeshire village colleges were built. In the late twentieth century city technology colleges were invented, and specialist schools. Presently the government favours academies and free schools - and university technical colleges. Each of these types of school reflect a social process to re-imagine how schools should be organised, managed - and indeed conceptualised - and (for those with political power) to persuade others of that vision.

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