Hey, hey, HEY! It's been a while since I last posted, but that's because there's been A LOT going on in ED 307! Over the past two weeks, I've been looking at constructivism- it's a learning theory, and I've researched some of its main theorists and this awesome model of learning that helps implement it!
Let's dive right in! Constructivism is a learning theory which was developed upon the premise that learning is effective when it is active. Basically, it prompts us to continually reflect and reevaluate on our life experiences and pre-existing conceptions of a topic, and by re-shaping and molding our thought, we can create our own individualized understanding and meaning of the world we live in. It's really awesome because it COMPLETELY changes the classroom dynamic! The students are no longer passively receiving information, which has been shown ineffective time and time again in the 21st Century. The most important component of Constructivism is view of the students as CREATORS of their own knowledge! This theory has early views in Socrates- who would kind of play Devil's Advocate to his students by asking them questions which made them find weaknesses in their reasoning. This is found in constructivism when students use what they already know and re-shape that knowledge to create a new meaning. But the two main theorists who are attributed with the creation of constructivism are Jean Piaget and John Dewey (I know you've heard of this guy before!). Piaget believed that we learn through the construction of one logical structure after another, and he proposed that children's minds work differently than adults'. Dewey proposed that knowledge is gained through experience, and he developed INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING. This is huge because it a type of learning that is based on student interests and questions! After these two trail blazers, Lev Vygotsky introduced the concept of socializing in school (so you can thank him for group work and group discussions!), and Jerome Bruner proposed that curriculum change based on the notion that learning is an active process that builds on itself. Now, I know what you're asking right now- What's the difference in the constructivist classroom and a traditional classroom? Well, of course, I have the answer! Curriculum is different in how it is presented and what is valued. In traditional views, presentation begins with parts of a whole and emphasizes basic skills; Whereas, constructivism emphasizes big concepts, beginning with the whole and expanding to include the parts. The value in traditional views is placed on adherence to a fixed curriculum, and in a constructivist classroom, pursuit of student questions and interests is valued. The students are no longer viewed as passive recipients of information, but instead they take their knowledge into their own hands and construct their own logic and reasoning. They work in groups, not independently, and learning is interactive, not repetitive. The teacher's role is now interactive and rooted in negotiation. They have dialogue with their students and guide them through their endeavors. Lastly, assessment is no longer just getting the right answers on a test. It is student work and observations in addition to tests. Process is stressed just as equally as much as the product. And, How am I to implement this? Well, you're in luck! The PAR model of learning is the Present, Apply, Review approach to teaching, which emphasizes student responsibility. In the present component, the learning goals and objectives are explained along with the relevance and importance of learning the topic. The material is presented using learning strategies like the following: listening to the teacher, watching videos and demonstrations, independent learning, and/or teaching by asking. The teacher can check learning in progress by asking questions or looking at student work. In the apply component, group discussions, student presentations, and critiquing examples are some of the strategies used. The teacher should also make sure to praise and encourage effort, progress, and completion. In the final component, Review, what has been learned is summarized and classified with key points emphasized in a review. Some strategies used in this component are. Q&A's, mind mapping, reiterating key points, and peer explaining of key objectives. I created a you tube video which outlines constuctivism, the PAR model, and an example of a topic presented with the PAR model. I hope you'll view that and have enjoyed this post! Good luck with constructivism and PAR!
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AuthorHi! My name is Kassi, and I am currently a Math Ed student at Athens State University. This blog will take you through my adventures in ED 307! I hope you enjoy! |