does this theory differ from traditional ideas about teaching
does constructivism have to do with my classroom?
is the history of constructivism, and how has it changed over
are some critical perspectives?
are the benefits of constructivism?
this theory differ from traditional ideas about teaching and learning?
As with many of the methods addressed in this series of workshops,
in the constructivist classroom, the focus tends to shift from
the teacher to the students. The classroom is no longer a place
where the teacher ("expert") pours knowledge into passive students,
who wait like empty vessels to be filled. In the constructivist
model, the students are urged to be actively involved in their
own process of learning. The teacher functions more as a facilitator
who coaches, mediates, prompts, and helps students develop and
assess their understanding, and thereby their learning. One
of the teacher's biggest jobs becomes ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS.
And, in the constructivist classroom, both teacher and students
think of knowledge not as inert factoids to be memorized, but
as a dynamic, ever-changing view of the world we live in and
the ability to successfully stretch and explore that view.
The chart below compares the traditional classroom to the constructivist
one. You can see significant differences in basic assumptions
about knowledge, students, and learning. (It's important, however,
to bear in mind that constructivists acknowledge that students
are constructing knowledge in traditional classrooms, too. It's
really a matter of the emphasis being on the student, not on
|Curriculum begins with the parts of the
whole. Emphasizes basic skills.
||Curriculum emphasizes big concepts, beginning
with the whole and expanding to include the parts.
|Strict adherence to fixed curriculum is
||Pursuit of student questions and interests
|Materials are primarily textbooks and workbooks.
||Materials include primary sources of material
and manipulative materials.
|Learning is based on repetition.
||Learning is interactive, building on what
the student already knows.
|Teachers disseminate information to students;
students are recipients of knowledge.
||Teachers have a dialogue with students,
helping students construct their own knowledge.
|Teacher's role is directive, rooted in
||Teacher's role is interactive, rooted in
|Assessment is through testing, correct
||Assessment includes student works, observations,
and points of view, as well as tests. Process is as important
|Knowledge is seen as inert.
||Knowledge is seen as dynamic, ever changing
with our experiences.
|Students work primarily alone.
||Students work primarily in groups.
Workshop: Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning
Explanation | Demonstration | Exploration | Implementation | Get Credit
Concept to Classroom | About the Series | Resources | Sitemap | Credits
Thirteen | Thirteen Ed Online | thirteencelebration.org
© 2004 Educational Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.