Let us imagine that, as an introduction to that sample lesson, the students had been invited to hypothesize as to some of the factors which might have a significant impact on test performance. The students could follow up by collecting and testing the data. In this example, students would be involved in Constructivist Learning since they are offered the opportunity to inquire into their own learning. They are constructing their own understanding by creating and testing their hypotheses.
As Dr.Orey (2001) points out "Rather than viewing knowledge as truth, constructivists construe it as a working hypothesis."
Now let's assume that the teacher encourages the students to prepare ways of communicating their findings by creating a final artifact. They might, for example, create a multimedia powerpoint presentation and then they would be using Constructionism since they are involved in producing a final construct.
The type of activity described above is often referred to as Learning by Design (LBD) or Program Based Learning (PBL). Since the students are immersed in generating and testing hypotheses, they are designing their own learning. The teacher should be instigating the ideas, guiding the project, supporting the plans and assessing both the process and the final outcome. "Learning by deisgn emerges fromt eh constructionist theory that emphasizes the value of learning through creating, programming or participating in other forms of designing. The design process creates a rich context for learning (...) Through this experience, learners construct meaning and internalize the learning process. (Orey, 2001). Project based learning extends this idea by stressing the importance of student-centered, authentic learning with an emphasis on creating as a part of the learning process. (Orey, 2001).
Many people feel that student-generated learning is best suited to older students. I would disagree with this assumption. Young children are often consider to immature or inexperienced to "know what's good for them". However, I believe that this is a serious underestimation of the true potential of every child. Like their older counterparts, young children have an amazing capabilty for self-regulation. And, from a teacher's point of view, this ability to think out loud makes assessment of the process a whole lot easier. I feel that developing and encouraging the ability to overtly verbalize their learning is crucial to effective constructivist education. Students who are competent and confident at expressing their thought process are more open-minded, creative and have less fear of taking risks, not to mention being invaluable members of cooperative teams.
This sharing of knowledge and understanding brings us closer to Vygotsky's theory of Social Constructivism; whereby meaning is developed not only through immersion in content but also through collaborating, evaluating and disseminating learning with others. "Vygotsky's sociocultural theory emphasizes the social environment as a facilitator of development and learning." (Laureate Education, Inc. 2008).
References:
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page
Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Learning Theories and Instruction. Boston: Pearson.
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I agree that it is not just the older students that can benefit from student-generated learning. Younger students tend to absorb more information than their older peers. I do think that if students were being taught a second language at the Elementary School level, and were allowed to interact with each other and encouraged to use the new language during class, that they would learn it faster than having to sit at their desk and only hear it from the teacher. The student-generated learning experience is important for students of all ages and abilities and helps students remember material that might go in one ear and out the other if they are only lectured to.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about immersion with peers providing an angle that even the best teacher cannot.
ReplyDeleteAs I have watched my own biological children grow, I have learned even more about how children learn. In my experience, if you put a young child with a peer who is a year or two older, they seem to be so much more motivated to learn.
It is my judgment that this is because the skills/knowledge that they are witnessing appear to be within their zone of proximal development. Listening to an adult's conversation is overwhelming but following the thought process of a peer is much more accessible.
In my first grade class, I regularly have my young students "teach" (or rather pass on learning) to the children who need a little more reinforcement/repetition. It benefits the "young teachers" too since they develop their ability to overtly verbalize their thought processes and boost self-esteem.
Susan
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI agree that younger students are able and capable of making dicision. I also think that students who are competent and confident and who are not afraid to express themselves with the right guidance can do as much as the older students.
Sandra
When I taught kindergarten, I would often have the students work things out in small group time that I would consider constructionist now. They had to be given a bit of direction and guidance, but got the hang of it pretty quickly. Younger students are often open to exploring and speculation more than older students are. The older students are used to being told what to do and how to do it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteInteresting Jenn, I would agree with you that Kindergarten children have not had as much time to be "schooled" to sit passively and follow the teacher. Even first graders are already "trained" to wait for directions and feel more comfortable being directed. In my experience, it takes a lot of time, patience and encouragement to "unteach" this dependence.