Constructivist Teaching, Issue 390This fastback examines the theory and practice of constructivist teaching and suggests how teachers can decide what form of constructivist teaching they might want to use. Constructivist teaching theory is explored under the headings "knowledge" and "humans." According to constructivist theory, knowledge is constructed by humans, it is conjectural and fallible, and it grows through exposure. Humans have a built-in aversion to disorder and have internal knowledge structures that guide perceptions, understanding, and action. Five elements of one conception of constructivist teaching practice include; activating prior knowledge, acquiring knowledge, understanding knowledge, using knowledge, and reflecting knowledge. The four types of constructivist teaching that emerge from these five elements are application, discovery, extension, and invention. Examples of these types are given. The next section focuses on beliefs and their importance in deciding about constructivist teaching and which forms to use. In the last sections, threats to implementation and the future of constructivist teaching are discussed. (Contains 14 references.) (ND) |
Common terms and phrases
acquire knowledge acquiring and understanding acquiring phase activated prior knowledge Anansi application teaching balloon behavior behaviorist beliefs cause students classroom cognitive collective constructions concepts Constructing knowl constructivism content coverage content or skills convergent activity critique dents dialogue direct instruction divergent activity edge Education elements emerge example existing knowledge structures existing structures explore extension teaching fastback folktale foundational knowledge four types goal graph paper humans ideas internal knowledge structures invention teaching journals last activity learning occur one's existing outcomes personal knowledge Phi Delta Kappa procedural knowledge Pythagorean Theorem quantum numbers reactive students reproduction result right triangle S-R unit scaffolding share solar system Somalia square root static electricity story students acquire students and foundational students and knowledge students engage summarizing tasks teacher needs teacher provides techniques theory third-world countries threats to implementation type of teaching types of constructivist understanding phase view of knowledge view of students Zahorik Zaire