Constructivism in Practice

Constructivism in Practice

Constructionism can be described as a theory that states students learn best when they are building on something that can share with others, specifically an external artifact (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).  When building their own artifact, students tend to be more engaged in the learning process.  This theory also allows students to take responsibility and have some control in their own learning.  By having students become active participants within their own learning, they are more likely to have a higher interest level creating a larger base of knowledge within each student.

One instructional strategy that can be utilized with the constructivist approach is generating and testing hypotheses.  This strategy allows students to perform complex tasks while applying learned content knowledge and vocabulary, all the while they are creating a better understanding of a specific content area (Pitler, Hubbell, & Malenoski, 2007).  The generating and testing hypotheses can be broken down into several different tasks with one of these tasks being invention.  For years, I have had my students take part in an 'Invention Convention'.  For this project, students were required to create their own invention that solved a problem or helped make the earth a better place.  Students had to first generate an idea as to what their invention was going to be and exactly what problem it was going to solve.  Once students decided on their invention, they then had to construct a hypothesis that could be tested with their invention.  After planning on how they were going to build their invention and sketching out the 'blueprints' for it, students then went about creating their invention in order to test their hypothesis.  Students had to then analyze the results of their testing and then decide whether or not they wanted to alter their invention based on their test results.  This project allowed students to not only create an artifact, their invention, but also gave students the freedom to generate and test their own hypothesis as to what problem their invention was designed to solve.

Project based learning is a strategy that allows students to work collaboratively at length on a project that results in the creation of an artifact (Orey, 2010).  Utilizing the project based learning strategy will allow students to choose their own activities, conduct their own research, and then perform their own analysis of the information in order to create a meaningful project (Orey, 2010).  I will be implementing this approach once testing has been completed this spring, when I have my students create their own wiki page that outlines the three branches of government, their jobs, and how the system of checks and balances.  For this project, students will be working in small groups and be responsible for their own learning on this topic.  I will provide each groups with a set of guidelines as to what their page must consist of, however, they will be responsible for researching and analyzing the information that they find on their own.  This project will create an environment that is student-centered while having an end result of each group creating their own artifact that illustrates how our government works.

The constructionist theory is a theory that teachers need to incorporate into their classrooms.  This theory places an emphasis on creating a meaningful artifact through a learning environment that places the students in charge.  By utilizing this theory, teachers will be allowing their students to take an active role in their own learning process while placing the responsibility of learning on the students while the teacher facilitates this type of learning environment.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program seven. Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Orey, M., 2010.  Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology.  Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Behaviorism

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.