Constructivist Learning

Constructivist learning is method of showing children the world that has intrigued me since before I knew there was a name for it, and I am quite excited to find that it is something that is actually studied and practiced, and not simply the crazy idea my parents had that happened to meet our family's educational wants and needs. That aside, the video "How Can We Believe Our Eyes" does an excellent job of illustrating some aspects of constructivist learning. These include:

Discovery Learning: Students in the classes utilizing constructivist learning were given lightbulbs, wires, batteries, and various other supples, and were then essentially told to figure out how the lightbulb works, instead of simply reading about electricity in the textbook and then being told how to build a completed circuit step by step.

Guided Discovery: The teacher in each of these classes acted as more of a learning coach, a term often used in Unschooling communities, instead of a step-by-step instructor. Students' with questions were guided towards the answers as was necessary, but never simply told what to do next. The teachers very deliberately let the students find their own way, and this would allow for a much more thorough understanding of both what works and why it works.

Inquiry-based Learning: The teachers in these classes asked the students open-ended questions, and encouraged them to think not just about what is working, but why it seems to work while other techniques do not.

Social Constructivism: Class discussion was an important part of the constructivist learning used in these classes. Students shared their ideas about why certain attempts to light the bulb were successful, and built on the discoveries of their peers as needed.

Cooperative Learning: Students worked on the lightbulb activity in small groups, facilitating thinking aloud as students reasoned through problems in a friendly environment where they can learn from their mistakes, as well as from their peers.

I've always believed that learning by doing, by figuring out the solution to the puzzle, as it were, yeilds the most powerful results, for me at least. After viewing these videos and coming to understand the concept of constructivist learning from an academic perspective had lead me to consider my postsecondary teaching, as well as the task of homeschooling my future children, in new ways. When teaching my children, I'll need to be careful how I explain new concepts, and ever aware of what my children are taking away from the lesson. Did they soak up irrelevent details, or do they understand the underlying concept as a gestalt? Do they see the trees, or the forest? In the Psychology classroom, I will need to make sure that my lectures focus not on Psychology as a series of set-in-stone rules for the mind, but rather on Psychology as a series of questions whose answers are constantly being built upon by new discovery. I should not, for example, simply tell my students how classical conditioning works, but let them reason their own way through why Baby Albert is terrified of little white mice and what this has to do with learned behaviors.

Constructivist Learning

· What are features of constructivist learning?

Constructivism is based on the idea that students construct their own knowledge through information they gather from their interaction with the other people and with the world around them.This view learning takes into consideration the fact that, usually, students don’t share the same background experiences and, accordingly, interpret new information in different ways.

· Using the case of how electricity works to light a light-bulb, describe at least 5 aspects of constructivist learning/teaching that are demonstrated in Can we believe our eyes?

Relinquishing control of student learning: In this video the teacher doesn’t state concepts to be understood and memorized but offers students questions for consideration. In this process, the student controls the pace at which they gain knowledge and pretty much control the overall pace of the course.

Allowing students’ interests to drive the process of knowledge construction: In this video students are motivated through a hands on activity with tangible results to succeed at learning the concept. These students feel they are facing a challenge they can solve and become interested in getting to the bottom of the problem in search for an answer.

Letting students make intellectual choices for themselves: As the students are given questions and guidance to solve the problem instead of straight answers, they have to use their creativity and recall previous knowledge in order to lean a new concept. The teacher offers guidance but the ultimate choices of what tools or ideas to try and in what order lies on the students’ hands.

Students learn from others: In this video the students are not asked to figure out the solution by themselves. Sharing information is not seen as cheating but as collaboration. Also, students are not placed on a competitive track where the first to find the solution is a winner but are given the chance to assist each other and learn from others’ mistakes and ideas.

Students actively construct their knowledge: These teachers give the students a problem that is appropriate for their age, the tools to figure out the concept and enough guidance without giving away definitive answers. This makes the students accountable for gathering data and constructing a concept all by themselves. In the process, they (i.e. students) look at the problem from different angles, recall past experiences, share ideas and use other strategies as they gather elements that would become a final answer and concept.

· Based on what you learned from all the videos, what socio-cognitive and constructivist ideas might you need to consider when planning your own lessons within your own domain of knowledge?

The library is full of chances for independent work and for building new knowledge from past experiences. Constructivist concepts could work great when teaching students effective research skills. I could guide them as they gather data, discriminate among sources, check for credibility and the like without telling them what to do but asking them why they chose one source over another, why do they trust that information, etc. Allowing students to interact amongst themselves is determinant: as human beings we are rarely isolated from others so learning how to share information from an early age as a mean to come up with new concepts and solutions is surely useful beyond the concept I’m teaching them at the moment.

Constructivist Learning

1. What are features of constructivist learning?

Constructivist learning is when students learn from their personal experiences with others and their environment.

Five aspects of constructivist learning/teaching that are demonstrated in Can we believe our eyes are :

1. Discovery learning because each student was given a light bulb, battery and wire to put together.
2. Guided Discovery because the teacher aided them and gave them hints so they could find out what made the light bulbs light up.
3. Cooperative Learning because the students had to work together to find the solutions. It was a challenge for them
4. Individual Constructivism because the students had to create and express their own ideas to explain what happened,
5. Inquiry-Based learning because the teacher asked open minded questions to aid them in their learning and hands on activities.


2. Based on what you learned from all the videos, what socio-cognitive and constructivist ideas might you need to consider when planning your own lessons within your own domain of knowledge?

It is important to remember children’s brains are like sponges. So when planning my lessons in my classroom I have a lot of things to remember and consider. Some of the ideas I plan on using are guided discovery and inquiry based learning because I believe it is great for children to learn this way. Using hands on learning is great for children of all ages. Students do need some guidance but they need to get their hands dirty so to speak in regards of learning. Experimentation is necessary so students can take charge in their learning. These are some of the ideas that I will consider when planning my own lessons.

Constructivist Learning

Constructivist learning is students learning from their personal experiences with others and the environment.

Students were given a light bulb, a battery, and a wire and they were tasked to come up with a way to light the light bulb. In these videos there were many features of constructivist learning. The teacher asks questions and provides hints but does not give the answer. The students worked in small groups. Social skills were present since the students had to talk to each other in the group. Individual accountability was expresses by interviewing Jennifer about the battery and bulb. She was convinced the bulb had to be in the stand but was proven wrong. The students were asked to write down all their observations. The students took charge of their learning and, consequently, they suggested in the video that they will remember the lesson more than if the teacher had lectured to them.

I work in the library now and we constantly showing students how to use the OPAC and the setup of the library in order to find books in the library. By asking the students questions about their interests, I am enabled to ask questions that they can answer thus utilizing individual accountability. I would consider Discovery Learning to explain how non-fiction and fiction books are arranged on the library shelves. Social skills are another idea that is used in the library. Students are always discussing with their peers about books on certain subjects in the library.

Constructivist Learning

(1). What are the features of constructivist learning?

The basic idea behind constructivist learning is that students will “construct” their own learning experiences based on personal experience, their interactions with others, and their environment.

During the video, Can we believe our eyes?, the following constructivist learning aspects were demonstrated:

1. Discovery learning – students were given the tools for making the light bulb light, but had to try and figure out how to make it work on their own.

2. Guided discovery – the teacher provided answered questions and provided some guidance without providing instruction.

3. Inquiry-based learning – teacher asked open ended questions as well has asked the students why they thought the certain configurations worked vs. the other configurations.
4. Social Constructivism – students shared why they thought the circular pattern of the configuration worked to make the light bulb light.

5. Cooperative Learning – the entire exercise was set up so that the students worked in pairs/partners together. It was also helpful in holding the different parts during the experimental portion in figuring out the different configurations.

(2). Based on what you learned from all of the videos, what socio-cognitive and constructivist ideas might you need to consider when planning your own lessons within your own domain of knowledge?

As a future Media Specialist, I think a great way to apply this approach would be in guiding students on how to locate reputable reference materials from different electronic sources (internet, databases…). First the exercise could be set up for pairs or small groups. Then, the students would be tasked to locate a certain number of reputable reference materials for a certain topic. The Media Specialist would need to be available to answer questions and ask open ended questions or maybe even provide hints. After the exercise was over, students could share how they found their resources, how they confirmed the information was reliable and what they learned that would help them the next time they needed to perform this type of research.

Another aspect I learned from the second video where the children were modeling the adults, is that our behaviors and communication are being absorbed right along with our lessons. So if we are distracted or irritated, then our students are picking up on this and learning from how we are handling the situations. I think as adults we always think of this when working with small children, but we really need to remember that this type of behavior is part of the entire learning exchange and our behavior can have an impact (positive or negative).

Constructivist Learning

What are the features of constructivist learning?

• Constructivist learning is basically learning by doing and using a lot of prior knowledge.

Using the case of how electricity works to light a light bulb, describe at least 5 aspects of constructivist learning/teaching that are demonstrated in Can we believe our eyes?

1. Students are working in small groups allowing them to share ideas while learning.
2. Students are learning by doing, or having a hands-on experience.
3. The teacher is encouraging students to come up with answers to questions on their own rather than answering questions himself.
4. The teacher instructs students to come up with several different methods to get the light bulb to light.
5. Students are then asked to write/report their findings.

Based on what you learned from all the videos, what socio-cognitive and constructivist ideas might you need to consider when planning your own lessons within your own domain of knowledge?

• I think the most important and interesting concept is constructivist learning. I would love to use this as often as possible in my classroom. Not only are students learning by doing, making the knowledge more likely to stick with them, but it is also making learning fun.

Constructivist Learning

Constructivist learning occurs when a student uses his experiences with others and with the environment in the understanding of a new concept. The student’s perceptions of the world around him influence and facilitate his learning.

Aspects of constructivist learning/teaching that are demonstrated in the video include:
1) Discovery learning – rather than having the students memorize facts about the light, the teacher had her students experiment with the light bulbs until they found their own solution.
2) Guided discovery – the teacher gave hints and directions, nudging the students toward the solution.
3) Inquiry-based learning – the teacher posed questions for the students to consider in their task of making the light bulbs work.
4) Social constructivism – the students discussed their experiences with each other, which enhanced their ability to complete the task successfully and broadened their understanding of the concept.
5) Cooperative learning – students worked together to accomplish greater understanding of the problem and come up with the solution.

Based on what I learned from all the videos, I intend to utilize guided discovery in the library. When a student asks me for books or information about a certain subject, instead of finding it for them -- even though it would take less time if I did it that way -- I will have them find it, as I guide them through the process. I plan to approach my role in the library as a teacher, showing young library users how to search for and find information themselves.

Constructivist Learning

What are features of constructivist learning?
Constructivist learning focuses on experiencing and emulating to learn as opposed to simply being told or reading about how things work. The idea is that we understand more if we experience it for ourselves. This is something that we have done since infancy and if we can see for ourselves that something works we will be more likely to remember it (as well as to even believe it) than if we simply have to take someone else's word for it.

Using the case of how electricity works to light a light-bulb, describe at least 5 aspects of constructivist learning/teaching that are demonstrated in Can we believe our eyes?
In the video Can we believe our eyes, we can see constructivist learning and teaching being used in several ways including:
1. The teachers distribute lab materials so that students can learn how to complete an electric circuit for themselves.
2. The teachers refrain from giving direct answers and allow students time to discover the answers for themselves.
3. The students are encouraged to explore for themselves not only what methods work but multiple ways that an electric circuit could work. In the video, one teacher asked for 5 different ways to make the lightbulb light up.
4. Students are encouraged to work with each other in informal settings to talk out their thinking in a casual environment among their friends who they are comfortable with.
5. Students observe for themselves how the circuit works in some of the classes by looking at an existing light bulb and deconstructing it. This allows them to see what works and emulate it in their lab assignment, learning from what they experienced.

Based on what you learned from all the videos, what socio-cognitive and constructivist ideas might you need to consider when planning your own lessons within your own domain of knowledge?
I got a great deal out of this video. It has been one of the biggest eye-openers to me in this class so far. I have always believed in taking time to make sure that students understand concepts before moving on but currently with all the required standardized testing, this can be very difficult to pull off. As I will have an advantage of being a non-traditional classroom teacher and instead working in a school library, I will be able to use this constructivist learning method and apply it to students either in clubs that work in the library or with students who come to the library for more help on concepts. I believe that with my position in a school I can use this method to ensure students completely understand concepts where in the classroom they might be forced to move on due to time limitations.

Constructivist Learning

In the video, there were many constructivist teaching/learning techniques that were demonstrated.
1. Small groups- this creates a positive social environment in the classroom. This will ensure that the students will feel comfortable around their peers and be motivated to ask and answer questions.

2. Using hands-on exploration- This will allow the students to investigate on their own. By creating and testing their own hypotheses, the students will learn to to revise and refine their own ways of thinking.

3. The teacher’s role- Let the students express their ideas and lead the experiment.

4. Listen to others and how they reason their answer.

5. Teachers need to understand the process in which students learn by learning with them.

I will need to consider the diverse needs of each learner. By making a lot of my lessons learner-centers, my students will be able to think at a higher level.

1. What are features of constructivist learning?

Constructivist learning focuses on using prior knowledge and experiences to activate learning. The video we watched demonstrated the use of constructivist learning and teaching. Students were giving the following lesson: Using the case of how electricity works to light a light-bulb, describe at least 5 aspects of constructivist learning/teaching that are demonstrated in Can we believe our eyes? The small groups used in this lesson allowed students to actively participate in what they were learning. It also promoted discussion, which gives students the ability to teach the lesson as they are learning. Students had individual learning experienced through their own examination of the problem.

2. Based on what you learned from all the videos, what socio-cognitive and constructivist ideas might you need to consider when planning your own lessons within your own domain of knowledge?

Since my knowledge is different than the students’ knowledge, I feel it’s important to adapt lessons to work with students’ prior knowledge. Finding the students’ prior knowledge before beginning the lesson is important. It will also allow the students the chance to discuss the knowledge they have and possibly learn from their peers’ knowledge. Now that I know what the students know, I can explain the important points that they need to continue with the lesson.

Constructivist Learning

Learning was enhanced by social and individual constructivism in the video. Students were given a light bulb, a battery and a wire and were asked to figure out how to make it work. This activity uses discovery learning to motivate the students. The students received questions and hints from the teacher to help them develop a hypothesis for inquiry based learning. The teacher guided the students and this makes the learning technique more effective. The students also learn through social constructivism by working in pairs as well as cooperative learning. I felt like the video Children See, Children Do shows how children easily pick up from what adults and other children do. I know in the kindergarten class I work in we are having some issues with a student pitching fits and now we have two other students who have started behaving the same way when they don’t get their way! It is so important for the teacher to deal with this issue in a positive way and I wish the teacher I am with would have handled this situation the correct way in the beginning instead of letting it escalate to what it has become. Children learn quickly what they can get away with and who will let them by with it! As a teacher, it is so important to set rules and live by them. Don’t give in to them just to avoid someone pitching a fit because if you do, you are not doing the student any good but really making it harder on yourself and teaching the student that no matter what they do, they can have their way…which is definitely not how life works!

Constructivist Learning

1. What are features of constructivist learning?

Constructivist learning theory involves the belief that students construct their own learning through actively engaging, interacting with others, thinking out loud, and experimenting within their environment with various methods of solving a problem. Students are affected by their environment, any previous knowledge they bring with them, and other students and teachers. They don't simply "learn" whatever they are told or shown - it is much more complicated than that, because what they are shown and told is filtered by whatever ideas they had before the lesson as well as being influenced by their immediate surroundings and other people. They need to actively engage their minds and think deeply in order to remember things rather than just being told.

• Using the case of how electricity works to light a light-bulb, describe at least 5 aspects of constructivist learning/teaching that are demonstrated in Can we believe our eyes?

Students are engaging in hands-on learning, interacting physically with their environment, manipulatives and the subject at hand. This is helping them form an internal model of the problem and solution and giving them a sense of ownership. If they are simply told, the knowledge is more outside them and they don't have that sense of ownership that they feel when they can figure it out for themselves.

The teacher is being patient, giving the students time to figure out the lesson for themselves. He is holding back the answer, rather than telling them. The same lesson could be taught in a very short time if the teacher simply told the students how it works, but the students would not have a deep understanding if the subject were skimmed over. I think that as rushed as teachers are today and as much as they are expected to cover in a short amount of time, it is a sacrifice for teachers to allow the amount of time needed for a deep understanding of the topic, and this is a great benefit to the students of a teacher who devotes the necessary time to a topic.

The teacher encourages students to try different experiments and approaches in coming up with the answer (making the bulb come on) rather than simply telling them how to do it. This makes the students think deeply and internalize what they are learning. The teacher tells them that the things they learn that don't work are also very important because it's helping them come up with the answer.

Students are working in groups so they can think out loud and bounce ideas off each other and they can take risks in trying different things and taking risks verbally in their discussion. Hearing what the other students have to say and being able to voice their own thoughts gives them the freedom to explore the topic more deeply and cement their knowledge. This cooperative learning helps students construct their inner knowledge.

Students are asked to write about what made each configuration work or not work. The process of writing will help a student think even more deeply, organize their thoughts, create their internal model of the problem and solution, and make sense of what has been learned.

2. Based on what you learned from all the videos, what socio-cognitive and constructivist ideas might you need to consider when planning your own lessons within your own domain of knowledge?

I especially like the cooperative learning and hands-on aspects of constructivism. I think it would be great in the library setting to have students work in pairs or groups to complete projects or activities. I feel strongly about combating the old-fashioned idea of a library being a place for students to be quiet and still - and being quiet and still all the time does not fit in with constructivism theory either. I think it is important for students to engage with other students and interact with each other and their environment in order to learn and enjoy themselves (hopefully they can do both!). While I'd like to have a portion of the library devoted to quiet reading or studying, I'd also like a large part of the library to be used for hands-on group activities and group or pair discussions. I want students to feel free to explore their surroundings and all the library resources and systems. There are too many people out there - adults - who are afraid of libraries, don't know how to use them, and feel intimidated about exploring or asking. I think part of that may be because generations of us have been shushed and given the stink-eye for talking or interacting with anyone in a library! I'd like to use constructivist methods such as group discussions, group investigations, reciprocal teaching, and discovery learning to carry out fun lessons and activities. Not only will the constructivist methods help the students learn, but will create good memories of the library and the things they learned there. I'll plan read-alouds, book discussions, group investigations for research projects and more.

The socio-cognitive video showing children imitating adult's bad behavior was disturbing, and an eye-opener. While those were extreme examples, as an educator, I will always keep in mind that children are learning from everything they see and hear - and that can include things we don't want them to learn as well as what we do. Watching the video brought back bad memories of my middle-school band teacher having tantrums which included screaming and throwing chairs. It did work to get us to quiet down, but that's the only thing I remember from that class. I wonder how many of the others who were in that class still remember that thirtysome years later! I would hate to think the only thing children take from me is a memory of me doing something wrong! I know that children will learn something from observing me - so I always want to make sure it is what I want them to see, hear and learn.

Constructivist Learning

1. CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING: ANALYSIS OF VIDEO

Constructivist learning is about students learning based on their knowledge and past experiences. Learning is also based on personal experiences with others. Learning that supports this theory includes exploratory and independent learning where the teacher acts more like a facilitator rather than a presenter.

The video we watched included many examples of constructivist learning/teaching. I noticed when the teachers used methods to support constructivism they did not lecture. Students contributed to the discussion and helped teach the lesson as they learned. Students were asked to experiment on their own in small groups. The small groups allowed all students to participate actively. In addition, no direct answers were given – just guidance. Independent learning took place too as students explored the problem and learned as they solved parts of it. Finally, it was problem – based. The problem presented here was, “How does a light bulb work?” Students were given a single problem and had to figure out a solution.

Students learn and build on what they know. But they ignore what doesn’t fit into their thought process. If there is a piece missing from their experience, to what the teacher teaches, the information is lost. All steps must be covered. Constructivism helps to ensure this happens and that students really understand information and processes.

2. IDEAS I WILL USE IN THE FUTURE

Planning my own lessons, I should not take into account my own knowledge as much as students knowledge. I recognize that students have different experiences. So starting at a very basic point in a lesson and making sure no steps are skipped is very important to learning a concept. I understand that small groups can be very effective and that students need to be involved in finding an answer instead of just given the answer by an instructor. Learning by doing is a successful method of teaching and I feel strongly about implementing this type of environment in my classroom in the future.

How Many Students Does It Take To Turn A Light Bulb On?

In the video, Can We Believe Our Eyes, students learn how to make a light bulb work. We first see students learning about circuits and electricity in the traditional manner through a lecture focusing on reciprocal teaching consisting of summarizing, generating questions, clarifying information, and predicting results. The teacher also seems to use the IRE pattern of lecturing: initiate, respond, and evaluate. Most importantly, the lecture is teacher-centered as the conduit of information and, as a result, focuses on lower levels of learning: rote memorizing of facts to answer questions, and understanding. However, when the brightest student was asked to apply the knowledge a month later, she was unable to do so and reverted back to her initial assumptions prior to the lesson on electricity and circuits.

When the lesson on lighting a light bulb was restructured to allow for students to construct their own knowledge through experiences (Moreno 298), the constructivism method of teaching and learning were far more successful. The lessons were based on problem-based learning where students were presented with an ill-defined problem (lighting a light bulb with only a wire(s) and battery) that must be solved in collaborative groups (Moreno, 313). The teacher provided the materials and well-timed hints or directions (Moreno, 300) to promote guided discovery so that students could find the solution to the ill-defined problem, or through discovery learning, which is found to be more successful than memorizing rules and explanations (Moreno, 299). We see confirmation of this finding when we reflect back on the initial teacher-centered light bulb lesson. The students worked individually and in small groups, discussing possible next steps and solutions as they worked toward a solution. The cooperative learning environment promoted positive interdependence and individual accountability as the students took ownership of their problem solving method (Moreno, 306). The classroom environment became a community of learners (Moreno, 303) where individuals work together to make sense of the problem at hand. Throughout the process and during self-evaluation of their discoveries, students articulated how they solved the problem and what they learned. They added on information to each so that the complete concept of electricity, circuits and lighting a light bulb was constructed. Further, students felt that their learning was deeply embedded and would be remembered for years to come.

One of the most important ideas I learned was that we may teach students but it doesn’t mean that they have learned the information even though they may do well on the end-of-unit assessment which tend to focus on rote knowledge and basic comprehension. Students’ notions that they bring to the lesson impacts their ability to learn. The value of solving a problem individually or with a small group has far greater impact on learning and remembering the information than if a teacher presents the answer. It is difficult to stand in front of a class and ask open ended, ill-defined questions and wait for the answer. There are many quiet minutes as brains process. There are random answers and repeated answers as students cling to what they think is the answer. I recently watched first graders try to divide a square and rectangular post-it into equal thirds. They initially learned to divide a circle into equal thirds. The students wanted to use the same method (y-shaped lines) to divide the square and rectangle, but could see it didn’t work. Continually, they erased and drew a similar shape time and time again. I prompted students to try a new way of thinking and dividing since the current method wasn’t working. Eventually a few students began to try vertical or horizontal lines. Initially these lines weren’t dividing the shape equally but they moved towards equal divisions. Those students that figured it out, taught other students how to do it. These students were then able to replicate the divisions on a new post-it and explain why the new method worked. This was a very difficult, ill-defined problem. The students rose to the challenge, worked together, and solved the problem. They all were very excited about what they learned.

Moreno, R. (2008). Educational Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 8, Assignment 2

Constructivist learning is a learner-centered environment where students have ownership of their learning. The students are able to take charge of learning versus the teacher lecturing straight from the book. The students are actively engaged into the lesson through hands-on instruction.
Using the case of how electricity works to light a light- bulb, I noticed many constructivist teaching/learning techniques that were demonstrated.
First, using small groups this creates a positive social climate in the classroom. This is great for the students to feel comfortable around their peers to ask and answer questions. Second, using hands-on exploration will allow the students to investigate. By creating and testing their own hypotheses will teach the students to revise and refine their own ways of thinking. Third, the teacher role is to let the students express their ideas and to hold back answers and let the students take the lead. Don’t teach by telling. Fourth, listening to others and how they reason (even if they have difficulty putting together their reason). Fifth, teachers need to understand the process in which students learn. This means going through the process of learning with your students.

I will need to consider the diverse need of each learner. Also, when planning my own lessons within my classroom I will make as many lessons, as possible, learner-centers. Therefore, the students will be able to think at a higher level. Moreover, I will give more time for mastery to be gained.

Constructivist Learning

          In constructivist learning, the teachers’ role changes from imparting information to students to asking them questions and guiding them through explorations and hypotheses to new learning. Students take responsibility for and a more active role in their learning through experimentation and discovery. The various example classrooms in the "Can We Believe Our Eyes?" video demonstrated several forms of constructivist learning, including discovery learning, guided discovery, problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning, and cooperative learning. Each of the science classrooms in which students were given the task of getting the light-bulb to light using the wire, battery, and bulbs illustrates discovery learning. Rather than memorizing facts and explanations for circuits and electricity from a teacher lecture, the students could work for themselves to discover a solution that explains how light-bulbs work using this approach.
          Through the discovery learning process, the teachers also used guided discovery by staying involved, asking questions, and prompting students to consider new factors and reflect on what has or hasn’t work in order to keep them on track. The students did not always understand the basis of their observations about the light-bulbs and circuits, but the teachers used questions and hinting to keep the students focused and allow them to make the discovery for themselves rather than being told an answer by the teacher. Similarly, the Seattle teacher who gave her students materials (wire, batteries, light-bulbs) and a goal of finding four configurations to get the bulb to light used problem-based learning. Many of the students were able to create a couple of configurations, but the need to find four separate configurations led them not only into discovering how electricity works in the light-bulb, but also discussing the light-bulbs themselves and electrical currents.
          Jennifer, the honors student in the physics class, demonstrated inquiry-learning in her follow-up interview when she discussed and tried to explain and draw how light-bulbs work with electricity. The interviewer was able to help her through the inquiry process about a topic she had supposedly learned over the past month, using hypotheses, experiments, discussion and reflection to help her practice and understand electrical circuits and how light-bulbs work. In all the classroom scenarios in the video, the students were engaged in cooperative learning to work through the task they were given. The students all worked with partners and/or small groups, talking through their ideas and preconceptions about the concepts being studied, as well as discussing possible solutions and why some ideas would or would not work.
          After watching all the videos, I think one of the important general ideas I will need to consider and act on as a future teacher is not to presume that a lecture format and/or other method of telling students information are an appropriate and effective way to teach students and understand what prior knowledge and conceptions they have about the topic we are learning. As someone who experienced very little constructivist classroom learning, I am accustomed to lectures or other forms of telling information to teach to skills and concepts, but as the videos demonstrate, children learn by seeing and doing, and teachers have to take into account students’ prior understanding and guide them to deeper understanding/new concepts so that the learning is meaningful and actually modifies their preconceived notions. I do not want to fall into the trap of teaching solely how I learn (or learned), so I want and know I need to incorporate constructivist ideas and activities in my future lessons.
          I think discovery learning, problem-based learning, and cooperative learning groups all lend themselves well to my future field of the library/media center, and the library resources can be used in collaborative lessons with other subject area teachers using constructivist learning approaches. Students can learn and practice research skills, explore new topics, and work together in small groups or partners to discuss their ideas and new learning. I also think modeling will be an effective tool for teaching students how to use various library resources.

Socio-cognitive & Constructive Learning

To me, constructivist teaching is a method where the teacher simply guides his or her students into finding the answers to a problem on their own. There are many different ways of achieving this, some of which were illustrated in the video, Can We Believe Our Eyes?

In the first scenario with the student, Jennifer, the teacher gave his students light bulbs so that they could follow along with his description of how electricity flows through it to make a circuit (1). He then had the students try to light one bulb on their own, and then three bulbs on the same circuit (2). A month later, Jennifer was asked to perform the same task, but she was unable to do so because she did not retain the information. After reviewing the materials and observing the circuit, she was then able to reteach herself how to recreate the activity (3). Jennifer also shared with the interviewer some ideas that she had that might help her teacher teach this lesson better.

The next example that used a light bulb was taught by a teacher who simply guided her students into finding the answers to their own questions by having them experiment with the problem until they were able to figure out how to light the bulbs the right way (4). One way the teacher did this was by having the students feel the heat on the batteries and write down why that happened (5). By the students actually learning this firsthand, they will likely retain the information longer that if they had just been told or shown.

The video about Albert Bandura showed me that people (especially children) imitate what they see other people doing. The video, Children See, Children Do, illustrates that the things we demonstrate to children are not always nice and there is no way to protect them from negativity unless we are proactive in not acting in a negative manner. Therefore, above all else, even above the lessons I teach, I am going to have to be diligent about the way I portray my negative emotions when I am around my students. If I get irritated with a student, I will need to learn to deal with that in a positive way. I also am going to need to be understanding with my students because I'm sure that some of them will come from negative households and they will bring that negativity into the classroom.

Constructivist learning and its use in a school media library setting

In the video learning was promoted by both individual and social constructivism.  By giving the students a light bulb, battery and wire the teacher promoted discovery learning by asking them to solve the issue of how to make the light bulb light.  The teacher then provided hints and asked questions for guiding the students to the desired conclusion. These questions about how they might go about getting the light bulb to work led students to make hypotheses for inquiry-based learning.  Thus making the teacher’s guided learning technique was more effective at promoting the retention of a concept.

Journal work and having the students write down what they think might happen is a form of cognitive constructivism and helped the students begin with the knowledge that they already possessed.  It set the stage for the students to apply and introduce new information into that preconceived setting.

By pairing the students in small groups to explore the light bulb lesson together social constructivism is used and the children partake in cooperative learning.  This also encourages interaction and the introduction and assimilation of new information. 

 In a school media setting I will use the constructivist learning techniques by taking into consideration the student’s held beliefs and allow them to start from where they are currently in their preconceived ideas.  I will have the students use what they know to construct their understanding of the concept.  In order to promote retention of information I will allow students to experience their own research.  Instead of simply asking a question and giving them the answer.

I will have students conduct their own trial and error and reach their own conclusion.  By guiding the student by asking probing questions that encourages thinking in the way that you feel as the teacher will lead them to the desired conclusion I hope to encourage their curiosity and a deeper way of thinking instead of simply reiterating what they are told.  I will also make certain that the students are given the necessary materials for success and encourage self efficacy. 

In a library setting this might appear in a lesson of giving them a question and having them get into small groups to write down their preconceived ideas of how they might find an answer. I would then have them work together to find ways to do the research and find the answer.  During the lesson I would check on each group and ask guided questions to help them acquire the desired information.

I think this method is very effective because it promotes curiosity and allows the students to use creative thinking and be engaged in learning.  This leads to a deeper understanding of a concept and better long term retention.

Constructivist Learning

Constructivist learning is primarily centered around the student and makes them begin to take ownership of their own learning. They begin to learn new ideas through lessons that are designed to challenge them overtly and not just spoon feed them the new information. The students work in a structured and supportive environment with their peers to investigate the solutions to problems or answers to questions, which really personalizes their learning experience. This is a great way to ensure the students are internalizing the new information and processing it in a way that will make sense to them at the moment, as well as in the future.

In the video, there was an ongoing lesson about the lighting of a light bulb with high school physics students. As the one teacher from Saugus, MA pointed out, this was a lesson he had taught many times in five minutes, but the new information may not have been learned correctly nor retained for future use. The idea of implementing the constructivist style of learning in a science setting is a smart way to handle this type of because already the idea of hands on learning has been implemented through experiments. The students are able to focus on their “individual” constructivist learning through the small group lab work because they have been asked to answer a question through “discovery” (Moreno, p. 299). Another aspect of constructivist learning in this scenario was clearly that of guided discovery (Moreno, p. 300). The teachers in all of the scenarios were not giving direct answers rather they were asking more questions in return of the students to force them to think even deeper to try to make sense of the new knowledge. The experiment also clearly demonstrated John Dewey’s contribution to the constructivist theory in the teacher remained the outsider promoting “inquiry based learning” (Moreno, p. 300). The teachers remained ever involved in the small group discussions to ensure the students remained on the right track to reaching their learning goals. By forcing the students to work on solving this problem in small groups it gave them a sense of being safe to explore their own feelings, as well as encouraged them to open up socially to their peers. This is a bonus in constructivist learning because the social aspect of this learning theory is at the heart of its success. The video also showcased instances when the students were talking through their own mistakes and generating new ideas to correct those mistakes. This is an aspect of constructivism identified by Moreno wherein she states group work enhances understanding “because [the students] are encouraged to clarify and organize their own ideas, elaborate on what they know, discover flaws in their reasoning, and entertain alternative perspectives that may be as valid as their own” (p. 302).

I think being a school library media specialist (SLMS) would lend itself well to using the constructivist theory of learning because much of what is taught in the library setting could be construed as research or experimenting. The use of small groups to answer research questions and develop information seeking skills is completely appropriate in that using each other to come up with efficient ideas is great. The students will be able to develop skills in their groups to use in their content area classes and they can work on the social development skills in the mean time. If the kids are working on an independent project for a class they would still be able to pick the brains of a classmate to make sure they are on the right track and being the SLMS, I would not necessarily have to give the answer to the student straight up. There is a way to encourage the constructivist learning by asking the student pointed questions to keep them on the right track.

Socio-cognitive learning is probably not something I would focus heavily on when developing lessons or curricula. It has strengths in that it helps the students develop a positive attitude about their own capabilities in learning and also helps them set learning goals. These are good building blocks for a successful educational journey. If this theory were to be used, it is a good idea to focus on helping the students develop their self-regulation skills and make sure they are continuously moving in the right direction, which is feeling good about their accomplishments.

Moreno, R. (2010). Educational psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Constructivist Learning

What are features of constructivist learning? Before answering that question, I think it will serve justice if we knew how constructivist learning is defined. Contructivist learning is more of a theory of knowledge and how humans generate knowledge and meaning from an interaction between their experiences and their ideas. The video "Can we believe our eyes" portrays numerous ways of constructivist learning. The students in the video were gaining knowledge through their experience with making a light bulb operate. Engaging and challenging the learners conveyed an implicit aspect of of constructivist learning in a way that each student found themselves understanding in a way that they never have. Being that the students were able to talk amongst each other and converse with the teacher showed them a lot of social constructivism from a learners point of view as well as a teachers point of view.

Speaking of social constructivism leads me to speak on what I would do if I were in the shoes of the teachers from the video "Can we believe our eyes". Being that my main lesson plans would consist of mathematics, general statistics, I think discussing statistical parameters used by the U.S government would be a good socio-cognitive idea. However, for a constructivist idea, I would use a lesson that involved the students getting into groups and working together to gather data, do calculations, and brainstorm conclusive ideas. The purpose of these learning aspects would be to convey a purpose of statistics, so that the students can better understand the material rather just remember for the moment.

Constructivist Learning

According the Moreno text, constructivist learning involves the social influences on a student, such as culture, history and direct interaction with others. It also involves how students construct knowledge within themselves, as well as how they co-construct knowledge with others. When looking at the video, I think that five aspects of constructivist learning/teaching that are represented include:

1. discovery learning
2. inquiry-based learning
3. cooperative learning
4. classroom discussions
5. Problem-Based learning.

Discovery learning is demonstrated in the Seattle high school when the teachers ask the students to find four different configurations of lightbulb, battery and wire that will successfully illuminate the bulb. The teachers help lead the students to the answers by asking them questions and suggesting that they write down each configuration attempted, whether it worked or not. However, the teachers don't just simply give their students the answers. It is up to the students to figure out the configurations on their own.

Inquiry-based learning is also demonstrated by the above example, as it was mentioned that the teachers use questions to engage their students curiosity and encourage them to attempt new configurations. Inquiry-based learning is also demonstrated earlier in the video when one of the representatives from the video's production team is shown working one-on-one with one of the students from the school in Massachusetts. During that segment the teacher asks questions of the student to gauge her understanding of the lesson, as well as get her to think more about the process. The teacher also asks her to draw pictures of her concept of the lesson and then asks her to explain her reasoning for the drawing. Also, through the use of a bulb, wire and battery, the teacher asks the student to demonstrate how a circuit works and if the circuit that she created will successfully light the bulb. Through the use of all of the questioning, drawings and the actual creation of a circuit, the teacher was able to help the student understand that the circuit will work, even without the piece that holds a lightbulb in place.

Cooperative learning is demonstrated in the Seattle classroom, as the students work in groups to help each other discover which configurations will be successful in lighting the bulb. There were examples of students helping other students in a smaller group setting, as well as the teacher calling on students to demonstrate their understanding of the lesson to the entire class.

Problem-based learning is also demonstrated in the Seattle classroom. The problem posed to the class was to make the lightbulb glow with a battery and just one wire, when using two wires would make the experiment much simpler. The teachers also ask the student to provide four successful configurations of a circuit. As mentioned in the discovery learning example, the teachers don't provide the students with any easy answers as to how to create a circuit with only one wire. Instead they provide the basic information that the students need to know and the ask them questions, so they the students will think about their problem and how to successfully overcome it.

Examples of classroom discussions are demonstrated in both classrooms shown in the video. Both groups of teachers allow their students the freedom to ask questions and interact with each other, which helps to promote an open classroom and generates thoughtful discussion. As was mentioned in the previous examples, when the student seem to get stuck on a specific concept, the teachers in the various classrooms ask their students more questions to encourage additional thoughts on the lesson. The only information that is ever given out are the basics of how a circuit works.

Since I am studying to become a school media specialist I feel that both the inquiry-based learning and cooperative learning aspects of constructivist learning/teaching would be appropriate in a library setting. Inquiry-based because it is a way to help guide a student on the search for what they looking for by asking them questions about their topic, such as:

• what is your information need?
• where have you already looked or what have you already tried?
• are you happy with the results for far?

By asking the student these questions, instead of simply pointing them to exactly what they are looking for, the student will learn from their search process and, hopefully, become successful at it. The next time a student needs to perform additional searches, they should be confident to complete them on their own. Cooperative learning because the library environment is such an open environment that it encourages cooperation among students and faculty. Teachers and librarians can help their students use the library, as well as students helping students in the event that some students are more comfortable in the setting that others. I have visited a local middle school media center on several occasions for past assignments and there have been many moments in which students have helped their peers to understand the lesson they were being taught. I'm sure that any of the above mentioned teaching and learning styles would be appropriate for the library setting, it's just that inquiry-based learning and cooperative learning are the first two that came to mind as natural matches to the library environment.