Student-centered instructional strategies

Quality teachers respect learners: Thus, they

rely on constructivist teaching & learning
approaches

Student-centered instructional strategies

Cooperative Learning, Group Learning, & Discussions

Constructivist theory
Inquiry/Problem-solving
Discovery learning
Experiments

Approach:
What is?
Whats the focus?
Whats the teachers role?
Whats the learner's role?
What are the benefits?
How is it structured?
How might it impact your philosophy/values?

Constructivism Problem-based learning

(chap.

11&12)

What is constructivism?...p. 17, 206 &526

Theoretical support and teaching strategies
consistent with constructivism p. 399
What we need to know about problem-based
learning.p. 402
Teacher & Students roles .. p. 410
Discussions. p. 429
Promoting thinking skills 432
The learning environment.p. 416
Other items in the rubric will be explored as we discuss the
above

Project (PBL)
Read chap. 11 (Problem-based learning) &
chap 12 (discussion) and do the following:
Identify a teaching project/lesson plan/activity/topics
based on what you know about constructivism (Civil
war, Writing, Biomes, wind energy, food groups,
story telling, addiction)
As you prepare your project, use the knowledge
gained from Chap. 11&12 to answer the following
questions:

Why did you choose this project?

What is your (teachers) role?
What are the students roles?
What challenges do you think might arise?
What is your solution to expected challenges
How might this project influence your philosophy?
What else (Aha? Confusion?, etc) would you like to discuss?

Constructivism

Never doubt that a small

group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed, it
is the only thing that ever
has ~Margaret Mead~

Constructivism
Is a theory or a philosophy about teaching
and learning that supports the notion that:

Learners must be independent thinkers (cognitive)

Learners create their own knowledge
Learners should be independent thinkers
Learners expected to understand in addition to
knowing
Learners are expected to question, question
Learners work in teams
Learning is active & student-centered
Learning is evident is Behavioral change (do)

Constructivism

Traditionally, teachers
present knowledge to
passive students who
absorb it. No wonder
students are often
bored ~Orlich, et al, 2007)

Constructivism
What is constructivism?
I cannot teach anybody anything. I can
only make them think ~ Socrates- 469399B.C.~

Teachers cant make children learn because

children learn through problem-solving ~
Ms. Linch 11/9/2010

Constructivism
Teaching strategies:
Primarily Problem-based such as: ..pp. 400

Discovery learning (Jerome Brunner)

Inquiry learning (Richard Suchman)
Reflective/experiential learning (John Dewey)
Inductive learning (Greeks) that focuses on:
Inductive reasoning= specific to general and/or
Deductive reasoning= general to specifics)

PBL eliminates learners boredom by

engaging H.O.T.S.

Constructivism
The big picture is:
Problem
Freedom to think
Respect
Solutions and developing more problems
Understanding in addition to knowing
Creativity

Constructivism & creativity

Creativity is allowing people to make
mistakes Nancy Freudenthal, 2007
The permission and freedom given to our
children to be creative is the single most
important difference between American
and other education system Mike Enzi, 2007

Constructivism
There

are nine and sixty

ways of teaching these days,
and everyone of them is right
~ Claude M. Fuess, 1939~

Theorists Greeks
SOPHISTS.. Traveling teachers who
believed in knowledge transmission
through lectures and modeling.
SOCRATICS.. Believed learning was an
internal vs. external experience
I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only
make them think ~ Socrates- 469-399B.C. ~

1700s Educators
Knowledge is constructed by the
knower.

Human mind is capable of constructing

its own meaning- knowledge (Von Glaserfeld,
1993)

Theorists ..p.399..
John Dewey 1920s--- Learning should mirror practices in a
Democracy problem-solving .. (ask for their input;
democracy is messy)
Children are innately curious went to school.. We
domesticate them
Thus need meaningful, purposeful and real-life learning
experiences vs. abstract learning
Learning should address social and intellectual challenges
and opportunities
Reflective thinking

Theorists
William Kilpatrick1920s
A disciple of Dewey
Supported project-based learning driven by
learners interests
Jean Piaget 1950s
Children are innately curious
Thus, will explore and investigate their world
through:
Experiments, Discoveries, Manipulation of
objects and discussions
They construct cognitive representations of
their experiences (schemata)

Jerome Brunner 1950s

Father of discovery learning
Hands-on or active involvement promotes
learning
Learners prior experiences are crucial
Scaffolding--- learners should be assisted as
needed (ZPD)

Richard Suchman..1960s
Associated with inquiry/ problem-based learning
Learning should be based on problem (puzzling)
situations
Supported:
Active learner involvement
Inductive (specific to general) thinking
Discovery learning
Learner-constructed knowledge

Lev Vygotsky1970s
Learning is a product of discrepancies between existing
and new experiences
Learning is connective---link of new knowledge to exiting
knowledge
ZPDgap between what a learner can do alone and with
help of others
Learning is enhanced in a social/team/cooperative setting

Constructivism
It is the supreme art of
the teacher to awaken joy
in creative expression
and knowledge ~ Albert Einstein1879-1955~

Teachers
Are experts, but they refrain from pouring knowledge
into learners minds
Help learners relate new knowledge to existing
schemes
Expect knowledge application
Expect construction of new knowledge
Are interactive type of questions ..p.434
Present curriculum from whole to parts
Seek students points of view

Teachers
Rely heavily on primary resources
Use authentic assessment (interwoven with teaching and
has a variety of approaches)
Help learners construct knowledge through
Inquiry learning (Ask a lot of questions)

Convergent v. Divergent questions

Avoid dead-end, chameleon, fuzzy, put-down,
and programmed answer questionsp.440
Wait time .. P. 435 (A+P+C)

Knowledge construction cont..

Teachers help learners construct knowledge
through:
Authentic experiences
Collaborative activities
Discussions & reflections
Increased participation by:
using U-shaped and circle space..p.441
Using cooperative strategies such as
Think-pair-share, Buzz groups, Beach
ball, etc. p.450

Constructivist Classroom
Emphasis on themes and big concepts
Learners question ideas, concepts,
principles, knowledge etc.
Respect for primary resources and
manipulatives
Students are thinkers
New theories are developed and tested
Teachers are managers and facilitators

Constructivist Classroom
Learners ideas are implemented when
necessary
Authentic assessment is the norm
(portfolios, exhibitions, presentations, oral
discussions etc. )
Team learning is the primary approach to
teaching and learning
Five Es (Engage, explore, explain,
elaborate, and evaluate) are followed.

Teaching Strategies
Teaching strategies consistent with
constructivist theory are problem-based
such as:
Discovery learning
Experimental/inquiry learning
Classroom discussions/strategic learning

Constructivist teacher
Teaching is a process that continues well
after your first, third, or twentieth year. Its
what keeps it interesting. Teachers must be
thinkers and decision makers who take full
responsibility for their classrooms and
students. Its a continual search for
knowledge. Teaching relies on the judgment
of its individual practitioners its called the
art of teaching ~ Kathleen Lange, 5 grade teacher in
th

Tennessee

Learners
Learn largely on their own through structured
discovery, experimentation and inquiry learning
Think for themselves Independent & selfregulated
Are respected thinkers
Knowing is encouraged as a process
Independent problem-solving & problem builders
Manipulation resources & information
Ask a lot of questions
Highly involved in their own learning

Advantages
Increased:
Self-regulation
Reading comprehension
Curiosity and cognition
Self-esteem and motivation to learn

Increased H.O.T.S
Reduces achievement gaps
Increased knowledge retention
Preferred by learners (Guthrie et al., 2004)

Problems/Accommodation

Time consuming
Noise level
Power and control teachers perception
Culture.. Learners dependence on
teachers
Assessment may not teach to the test
Individual differences (chap. 2)
Unsolved problems are identified.

Lesson Planning
Planning for constructivism is informed by
5 Es
Engage
Explore
Explain
Elaborate
Evaluate

Lesson Planning
Using the template provided, please
prepare a constructivist lesson plan on
a topic of your choosing
Please remember to apply the
lesson planning knowledge already
gained in this course.