Constructivism as educational theory

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Abstract

Constructivism is a major referent in education, although it has been understood in various ways, including as a learning theory; a philosophical stance on human knowledge; and an approach to social enquiry. In terms of informing teaching, constructivism has variously been seen by different commentators as a basis for progressive, mainstream or failed approaches to pedagogy. This is unfortunate, as the different ways the term has been interpreted have confused debate about the potential of constructivism to contribute to planning effective teaching. This chapter sets out the basis of one version of constructivism: that which is informed by findings from both cognitive science, and from educational studies exploring learners’ thinking about curriculum topics and about classroom processes. A key concept here is the way in which new learning is contingent on features of the learner, the learning context and the teaching. This version of constructivism (which has been widely embraced) offers a theoretical basis for designing effective pedagogy that is accessible to classroom teachers.

The chapter will explain that although constructivism understood this way certainly offers the basis for learner-centred teaching, it is far from ‘minimally-guided’ instruction, as caricatured by some critics. Rather, a feature of this approach is that it does not adopt doctrinaire allegiance to particular levels of teacher input (as can be the case with teaching through discovery learning, or direct instruction) but rather the level of teacher guidance (a) is determined for particular learning activities by considering the learners and the material to be learnt; (b) shifts across sequences of teaching and learning episodes, and includes potential for highly structured guidance, as well as more exploratory activities. When understood in these terms, constructivism provides a sound theoretical basis for informing teaching at all levels, and in all disciplines.

Keywords

• constructivism
• learning theory
• contingency in learning;
• designing instruction
• evidence-based pedagogy.

Content:

• Introduction
• A constructivist perspective on learning
• Meaningful learning
• Personal meaning-making
• Elements of a constructivist theory of learning
• Key constructivist premises
• The genetic element
• Pre-wiring and pre-dispositions
• Cognitive development
• Implications for teaching: intuitive theories, and alternative conceptual frameworks
• Concept development and teaching
• Two types of concept
• Modern ideas about concept development
• The zone of next development
• Scaffolding learning
• Conceptual trajectories and student-centred teaching
• Constructivism and approaches to teaching
• The myth of minimally guided instruction?
• Discovery learning and constructivist perspectives
• Constructivism and enquiry learning
• Constructivism as optimally guided instruction

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