My Hope
for Student Experiences in a Constructivist Classroom
Constructivism
is the learning theory that builds on a learner centered classroom where collaboration and student input are a focus of the course and students are encouraged to develop
their own original thoughts and ideas. Constructionism;
“builds on the "Constructivist" theories of Jean Piaget, asserting
that knowledge is not simply transmitted from teacher to student, but actively
constructed in the mind of the learner. Learners don't get ideas; they create
ideas.” (Orey, 2002). Instructional strategies in learner centered constructivist
classrooms work off a partnership with the students and educators solicit
feedback rather than parroting answers from a lecture to ensure student
learning. “For the constructivists, the learner is
not a passive recipient of the transferred knowledge but an active participant
of the learning process.” (Mustafa, Fatma, 2013) Technology is used in Constructivist
classrooms to enhance student learning and help student develop ideas and experiences
through the use of technology.
The vast
majority of the course work in each of my classes is steeped in
student-centered project based learning. I teach three technical courses and the students
simply cannot master the concepts and techniques without a heavy emphasis on
project based learning. In addition the
student population that I service in my classrooms are not interested in
lecture based courses and are there to touch, taste, and smell the tools both
digital and mechanical. As a teacher I work
hard to design and facilitate technology based lessons to create authentic experiences
that meet each learner’s needs. (ISTE, 2008)
As Empowered Learners in the engineering course students work through
interactive tutorials to learn basic techniques at their own pace and are then are
set free to develop their own models which based on any topic or challenge that
they are interested in. “Students leverage technology to take an active role in
choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals,
informed by the learning sciences.” (ISTE, 2016)
The idea of a progressive approach, a popular term for constructivism,
to classroom development and course instruction forces the teacher to step away
from the lecture podium and let the students drive the bus. A constructivist classroom is “defined
by collaboration, discovery, and open-ended questions.” (Kohn, 2017)
In my engineering and computer programming classrooms this will be
translated into a Genius Hour approach to the student capstone projects. Students will be given a choice or chance to
develop their project based on their own interests and the questions of; “what problem
are you going to solve and how?” for engineering and, “what do you want to tell
us about?” for web design. With a tool kit of basic skills the student are
going to take a journey of discovery to answer both questions. On that journey they will be problem solving
with their classmates, other schools, and staff to complete their project.
References
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using
technology with classroom instruction that works (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA:
ASCD. Chapter 9, “Generating and Testing
Hypotheses” (pp. 104–209)
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives
on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from
http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Main_Page
Er.
Mustafa, Er. N. Fatma, (2013) Instructional Technology as a tool in Creating
Constructivist Classrooms, In Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume
93, 2013, Pages 1441-1445, ISSN 1877-0428, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.060.
Retrieved from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042813035052
A
Kohn, (June 2017) The Failure of Failure, THE BLOG, Huffington Post. Retrieved
from: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/alfie-kohn/the-failure-of-failure_b_10635942.html
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).
(2016). Standards for students. Retrieved from
http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students-2016
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).
(2008). Standards for students. Retrieved from
http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers
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