Introduction
As educators we are in charge of teaching hundreds of students and ensuring that they are grasping the actual contents of the lessons we are teaching. What we need to ask ourselves is, “What defines that our students are learning?” The constructivism theory of learning changes the way we answer this question. No longer is getting the “right” answer the sole determining factor of whether a student has learned a particular lesson. In this theory learners create and drive their own learning. The role of the teacher is vastly changed as the teacher becomes an instigator of learning instead of the leader.
Background
The constructivist view on learning has greatly changed the way theorist think about a person’s learning process. For hundreds of years the thought of how one “processes” learning was the focus on all research regarding how a person functions during learning. The constructivist view changes all previous thoughts on learning while maintaining some compatibility with other thoughts. It is a theory with more than one perspective which gives it multiple view points while maintaining the main focus on the learner.
There are many theorists who have contributed towards the constructivist theory. Two of the primary theorists, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky had different contributions to this theory. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development provides some basis for understanding the stages a learner developmentally goes through. His theory essentially sets the basis for the importance of understanding at what levels students function in order for a student to fully benefit from learning- an important concept for educators to realize. Piaget’s theory of education states a student’s cognitive development must be understood, a student must be kept active, incongruity must be created to challenge the student and social interaction must be provided to promote cognitive development.
Stemming from Piaget’s theory, Vygotsky extended on the concepts of constructivism by emphasizing that the social environment acts as a facilitator of development and learning. Vygotsky’s theory stressed the interaction of interpersonal (social), cultural-historical, and individual factors as the key to human development (Tudge & Scrimsher, 2003). Vygotsky believed that all upper mental functions begin in the social environment- a thought that was controversial (Vygotsky, 1962). Another key concept of Vygotsky’s theory was the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) as the “distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86). This concept explains the learning relationship that is created when a teacher and learner work together to achieve a task that they could not do independently due to their individual lack of knowledge needed to complete said task. While the ZPD has been somewhat distorted in its meaning over the years, the overall thought on how the social environment plays a role in the ZPD is still significant. The interaction that is created through social environments can have a major impact on one’s mental development which is an important concept.
Vygotsky’s emphasis on the interactions between persons and their environments creates a form of dialectical (cognitive) constructivism (Schunk, pg. 242). While his claims have a lot of truth, the degree to which he believed the social environment affected higher mental functions has been questioned. This stems from research which has shown that children develop certain knowledge well before they can have cultural experiences (Bereiter, 1994) and are biologically predisposed to acquire certain concepts which are not dependent on the environment (Geary, 1995). Despite Vygotsky’s overly strong beliefs in the effect of the social environment on learning, certain concepts of his theory should still be considered when developing a learning environment. His thoughts on the social environment as having a primary role in learning provides educators with new ideas on how their classroom environments and lessons should be set-up to encourage social interaction.
Constructivism Environment Based upon Vygotsky’s theory, educators can create learning environments that can assist students to reach new levels of learning. Taking from Piaget’s theory to understand that not all students function at the same level is equally important for an educator to realize. Even more importantly, we need to remember that God created each of us uniquely in our mother’s womb (Psalms 129, NIV). When creating lesson plans, it is important that a teacher is aware of their students’ individual learning abilities as well as their uniqueness as an individual. For example, if we are teaching children with special needs, we will need to modify our lessons to meet their individual challenges. This may mean that we spend longer periods of time on more challenging lessons. Knowing our students’ individual capabilities is especially crucial if we hope to keep all students engaged in learning. We cannot expect all students to completely understand a lesson at the same speed or depth as their classmates, yet we should accept each student’s contribution as equally important. In doing so, this may mean that we will need to break our classroom up into different sections of learners with similar abilities. We should encourage those who may be struggling to interact with those who are more advance in an effort to engage them and encourage the peer-to-peer learning. This will require that we closely monitor these groups to ensure that they are working effectively and be open to making changes when we see them not being effective.
While teachers must cover certain curriculum, if following a constructivist model, it should still be possible to allow students meaningful choice and autonomy within the classroom environment (Watson, 2001). A constructivist teacher should encourage their students to engage in dialogue with both the teacher and others and should allow their students contributions to help drive the lesson. They should also encourage their students to think about a particular concept instead of simply just teaching it. The historical thought on teaching is that teachers teach the lessons and students are to learn what the teachers provide them. Under the constructivists view, we should plant the seeds of learning and allow our students to grow from these seeds. Giving our students the ability to come up with their own conclusions based upon information that they constructively devise through discussions and their own metacognitive thinking will provide the students with skills that they can utilize beyond the classroom. The social interaction they will gain through discussions and debates will help them when dealing with others outside of the classroom. Allowing them to think about solutions will also teach them problem solving skills that will assist them throughout life.
When planning lessons, placing our faith in God and the ability He gives us to lead others should always remain our first focus. As a constructivist teacher we should also follow the individual elements of the TARGET (task, authority, recognition, grouping, evaluation, time) concept. Following this theory will definitely take more time to plan then the traditional plan where teachers simply just teach the students. Having to take the time to develop the initial activity (task), deciding on how students will be involved in the activity (authority), deciding how to keep students motivated through the task through rewards and incentives (recognition), figuring how students will work in groups or individually on the task (grouping), how we will monitor and asses the students learning (evaluation) and properly allowing the time necessary to complete the task (time) will all be very time consuming, but well worth the effort. If we use each of these concepts when planning our lessons, we will provide our students with enriching learning experiences.
Reflection
In learning about the constructivist theory, one gains a new insight into the importance of not just lessons being taught but the environment in which they are being taught. Thinking back to classroom environments where teachers allowed the students to become part of the lesson through discussions and group activities and where “hands on” training was incorporated makes me realize that they were utilizing a constructivist viewpoint. It also makes me recall how much fun those classes were and how I still remember some of those activities thirty plus years later. This obviously points to the conclusion that this method of teaching can definitely impact a student’s learning abilities and hold a lasting impression.
Having the ability to provide students with a learning environments that encourage them to be active participants is the most appealing part of the constructivism theory. Utilizing many of the instructional applications provided in Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective (Schunk, 2000) such as discovery teaching, peer assisted learning, discussion and debates are all very fascinating and exciting to me. Being able to interacting with my students, allowing them to share their thoughts on particular subjects and watching them work together with their peers to reach common goals encourages me to provide such an environment where the students will help facilitate the lessons being taught.
In order to effectuate the constructivist environment, I will need to allow plenty of planning time for lessons so time management will be crucial. Flexibility will also be necessary when you are allowing student interaction through discussion and questioning. There will be times when lessons may take longer and discussions may stray off course. Encouraging the students daily will be one of the key concepts I want to ensure happens in my classroom. Children are under so much pressure and ridicule these days that they need to be encouraged. Knowing that they have a place where they can receive such encouragement and positive support will undoubtedly support their learning efforts. Conclusion Constructivism is striving to change the classroom environment and our way of both teaching and learning. Education is about change and if a student’s life hasn’t been changed for the better, than they haven’t truly gained an education (McCullough, 2008). This thought sums up how we need to see our purpose as educators. Utilizing the constructivist ideas provides us with the tools to help change our students’ lives by giving them autonomy and purpose in their educational experience. Pairing the constructivism applications with the guidance provided to us in Scripture can create an atmosphere that will provide a positive and productive learning environment.