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MODULE 6: CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING THEORIES

“The essence of creativity is figuring out how to use what you already know in order to go beyond what you
already think.” - Jerome Bruner

For constructivist “Learning is an active process.” Given the right assistance and learning
environment, learners can make representations of objective reality. They can construct knowledge when new
information is interconnected with the previous knowledge. After studying all the lessons in this module, you
should be able to:

 explain the development of learners following the concepts of the different theories;
 assess classroom scenarios or situations where learning theories are applied;
 recommend appropriate dealings with learners applying the different theories.

LESSON 1: BRUNER’S CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY

Jerome Bruner believes that learning is an active process where learners can create new ideas or
concepts using their current or past knowledge about things, events, or situations. He emphasized
categorization in learning; to perceive, to conceptualize, to learn, and to make criticism are to categorize (to
form categorization).

Categorization involves perception, conceptualization, learning, and decision- making.

Four Major Aspects (that moderate the process of learning) to be addressed during the teaching and
learning process

1. Predisposition toward learning. Readiness of the child to learn is the important aspect to consider in
learning concepts and skills.

2. How a body of knowledge can be structured so that it can be most readily grasped by the
learner. Lessons are learned easily and effectively if these are arranged in order.

3. The most effective sequences in which to present material. Presentation sequencing is a part of a
teacher’s innovation in teaching.

4. The nature and pacing of rewards and punishments. Rewards and punishments should be given
appropriately and should be explained why these are employed.

Bruner’s Principles of Instruction

1. Instruction must be concerned with the experiences and contexts that make the student willing and able
to learn.

2. Instruction must be structured so that it can be easily grasped by the student (spiral organization).

3. Instruction should be designed to facilitate extrapolation and or fill in the gaps (going beyond the
information given).

LESSON 2: GESTALT THEORY

Gestalt came from a German term that means pattern or form. Gestalt psychology was introduced in
1912 by Max Wertheimer, a German psychologist who believed that a whole is more than just the totality of its
parts. The focus of this theory was on grouping (Bulusan et.al.).

Laws of Grouping Derived from this Theory

a. Law of Similarity. Elements that have the same or nearly similar features are grouped together.

b. Law of Proximity. Elements that are near to each other are grouped together.

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c. Law of Good Continuation. Elements that define smooth lines or even curves are grouped together.

d. Law of Closure. Elements that fill- up missing parts to complete an entity are grouped together.

e. Law of Good Pragnanz. It is sometimes referred to as the law of good figure or the law of
simplicity. This law holds that objects in the environment are seen in a way that makes them appear as
simple as possible.

f. Law of Figure/ Ground. It is a type of perceptual grouping which is a vital necessity for recognizing
objects through vision.

Major Principles of Gestalt Theory of Learning (Koffka, 2013)

1. The learners should be encouraged to discover the underlying nature of a topic or a problem.

2. Gaps, incongruities, and disturbances are essential stimuli for learning.

3. Instruction should be based upon the laws of organization.

Implications of the Gestalt Principles in the Teaching and Learning Process

a. Law of Proximity

Related concepts or lessons should be taught aligned or closely to each other.This is the reason
why subtraction is taught after addition, multiplication after subtraction then division after multiplication.
Imagine teaching addition then jumping directly to polygons.

b. Law of Similarity

Similar lessons or contents should be grouped together to make learners develop understanding
more efficiently and effectively. This is the reason why lessons are grouped into units: Unit I is for
human body, and Unit II is for energy and motion.

c. Law of Good Continuation

Lessons should be presented in such a way that learners will see these as connected and
continuous. Now you know why we have the "Review" part of the lesson plan.This way, students will
realize that their new lesson actually has continuity and is related to what they already know or to the
previous lesson.

d. Law of Closure

When a concept or topic is incomplete thus isn't "closed", incomplete information may make
learners want to discover what’s missing, rather than concentrating on the given instruction. If students
find a math algorithm confusing because a certain question is left unanswered or a step isn't clear, they
will tend to concentrate on that confused part of the process rather than the total process as a whole.
This is why students get "lost". Thus, make the lesson complete. Present it clearly, simply and always
be ready for students' clarifications.

e. Law of Good Pragnanz

It states that when things are grasped as wholes, the minimal amount of energy is exerted in
thinking. In short, make your lesson holistic, complete and most of all simple.

f. Law of Figure/Ground

For a figure to be perceived, it must stand out from the background. Emphasis should be done
on important aspects of the lesson. For example, teachers should vary the tone of their voice or write
boldly or underline the important key words of the lesson.

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LESSON 3: MEANINGFUL VERBAL LEARNING & SUBSUMPTION THEORY

This theory is developed by David Ausubel. It emphasizes how individuals learn large amounts of
meaningful material from both verbal and textual presentations in a school setting. The use of advance
organizers is a useful way of learning.

Subsumption means to place or incorporate something within something larger or more

comprehensive.

Four Processes by which Meaningful Learning can Occur (Ausubel et al., 1978)

1. Derivative subsumption: a new learned concept is an example of a concept that you have already
learned before.

2. Correlative subsumption: a new learned concept is an extension or modification of a previously

learned information.

3. Superordinate subsumption: what was learned are specific examples of a new concept.

4. Combinatorial subsumption: a new concept is combined with a prior known concept to enrich both
concepts.

LESSON 4: COOPERATIVE AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning allows many opportunities to develop learners’ interpersonal skills. It would give
them experiences on how they can properly interact with the others and at the same time listen and learn from
their groupmates. It is also a type of constructivist teaching because it allows the creation and innovation of
knowledge through group interaction and active participation of each member

Cooperative learning has the following features:

1. students are actively engaged, thus, developing in each member, a cooperative spirit;

2. each member is challenged to give his or her best because it can create a healthy and competitive
spirit;

3. it allows learners creativity and innovation because they interact with people their age, peers, or
classmates;

4. it develops positivity like open-mindedness, humility, and give-and-take attitude, as well as listening
skills;

5. it reduces pressure from work and creates a positive classroom atmosphere.

When teachers use cooperative learning as an instructional strategy, proper guidance should be
established. Clear instructions should be given before the groupings. Expectations and outputs should be
made clear so that the learners will not be wasting their time during their groupings. Cooperative learning
usually follows three stages:

1. teachers assign learners to groups;

2. tasking is a vital component of cooperative learning;

3. the working time and task collaboration should be an active process.

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Experiential Learning

Actual hands-on activities are still the most effective means of learning. Experiences that are direct and
purposeful are still the learners’ best opportunity to master a concept or a skill. Direct and purposeful
experiences ate rich experiences that the senses bring, from which ideas, concepts, generalizations are
constructed (Dale, 1969). Realities can be brought to the classroom through the planned activities of the
teacher. In planning the delivery of a lesson or topic, the way experiences are processed and used in the
classroom makes it easier for the learner to internalize what has been taught. They can see and feel that what
is being learned is a part of their real-life situations. Experiences through the planned activities of the teacher
are a way of achieving a goal or objective in learning. Learning by doing, then, is an essential element in
discovering and constructing new knowledge and concepts.

Contrived experiences are substitutes for real things, objects or situations. Examples of these are
models, mock-ups, specimens, simulations, and even games. These are brought or performed in the
classroom because not all real things can be brought to the classroom. Substitutes such as these can also
bring near-to-real experiences to the learners. In addition, experiential learning can also take the form of
dramatized experiences like plays, pageants, tableau, pantomime, puppets, and role-playing. Learners enjoy
when they take active roles in experiential learning activities. Teachers challenge them to come up with their
creative styles of presentation. With all their access to varied information combined with their experiences,
creation and construction of new concepts are seen visibly.

REFERENCE

Source: Bulusan F., Raquepo M., Balmeo M., Gutierrez J., (2019). Facilitating Learner- Centered
Teaching. Sampalok Manila, RBSI

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