Traditional Instruction vs.
Jane A. Allen
Holly Carmona
Chris Calvin
Bonnie Rowe
This page is designed to be a starting point for anyone interested in the current on-going dialogue on the use of the learning philosophy known as constructivism. The following information and links should provide students, teachers and all those interested with current movements in education a general non-exhaustive look at one of the major contemporary influences on educational philosophy.
Constructivism defined:
According to Thomas A. Schwandt in the Handbook of Qualitative Research edited by Denzin & Lincoln (1994) constructivism is synonomous with interpretivism, constructivist, and interpretivist. A loosely coupled family of methodological and philosophical persuasions, these terms are best regarded as sensitizing concepts. Proponents of these approaches share the goal of understanding the complex world of lived experience from the point of view of those who live it.
Brooks & Brooks (1993) define constructivism not as a theory about teaching but more as a theory about knowledge and learning. Drawing on a synthesis of current work in cognitive psychology, philosophy, and anthropology, the theory defines knowledge as temporary, developmental, socially and culturally mediated, and thus, non-objective.
Jonassen (1995) defines constructivism, from the educational perspective, as learners producing and constructing their own personal knowledge. He distinguishes this from instructivism whereby the learner is the passive receiver of knowledge, as in the traditional educational model. The learning environment changes completely in the new paradigm to one that is more student centered. The teacher becomes facilitator, coach, motivator not demagogue or the gate-keeper of all knowledge.
Outside and inside educational circles you'll find numerous variations on the constructivist theories and a very lively debate such as Von Glaserfelds Radical Constructivism or the current debate on ITFORUM.
Influences on the movement:
Some view the development of the constructivist movement in education as an isolated event. Seperate from the influences of the rational experimental approach so common prior to the last couple of decades. Behaviorism which grew from empirical data collection and was born of the positivist era in research has dominated many fields, as well as education, until recently (Novak, 1998). Much of what has been learned in behavioral psychology is still valid today, although sometimes misapplied. The next influences on education and perhaps a building block of greater acceptance among educators of constructivism is the rediscovery of cognitive theory (Piaget) and later social development theory (Vygotsky) in the 1970's. Without the influences of either Piaget or Vygotsky, and the debates surrounding them, constructivism, as it currently exists in education, would not have evolved (Marlowe & Page, 1998).
Additional Constructivist/Instructivist Links
To learn more follow the bus link above!!!
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