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.