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.