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.
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