Constructionism (learning theory)
Constructionist learning is the creation by learners of
Seymour Papert defined constructionism in a proposal to the National Science Foundation titled Constructionism: A New Opportunity for Elementary Science Education as follows:
The word constructionism is a mnemonic for two aspects of the theory of science education underlying this project. From constructivist theories of psychology we take a view of learning as a reconstruction rather than as a transmission of knowledge. Then we extend the idea of manipulative materials to the idea that learning is most effective when part of an activity the learner experiences as constructing a meaningful product.[3]
Some scholars have tried to describe constructionism as a "learning-by-making" formula but, as Seymour Papert and Idit Harel say at the start of Situating Constructionism, it should be considered "much richer and more multifaceted, and very much deeper in its implications than could be conveyed by any such formula."[4]
Papert's ideas became well known through the publication of his seminal book
Instructional principles
Constructionist learning involves students drawing their own conclusions through creative experimentation and the making of social objects. The constructionist teacher takes on a mediational role rather than adopting an instructional role. Teaching "at" students is replaced by assisting them to understand—and help one another to understand—problems in a hands-on way.[4] The teacher's role is not to be a lecturer but a facilitator who coaches students to attaining their own goals.[1]
Problem-based learning
Problem-based learning is a constructionist method which allows students to learn about a subject by exposing them to multiple problems and asking them to construct their understanding of the subject through these problems. This kind of learning can be very effective in mathematics classes because students try to solve the problems in many different ways, stimulating their minds.[5]
The following five strategies make problem-based learning more effective:
- The learning activities should be related to a larger task. The larger task is important because it allows students to see that the activities can be applied to many aspects of life and, as a result, students are more likely to find the activities they are doing useful.[6]
- The learner needs to be supported to feel that they are beginning to have ownership of the overall problem.[6]
- An authentic task should be designed for the learner. This means that the task and the learner's cognitive ability have to match the problems to make learning valuable.[6]
- Reflection on the content being learned should occur so that learners can think through the process of what they have learned.[6]
- Allow and encourage the learners to test ideas against different views in different contexts.[6]
Constructionism in social sciences
Not only can constructionism be applied to mathematics but to the social sciences as well. For example, instead of having students memorize geography facts, a teacher could give students blank maps that show unlabeled rivers, lakes, and mountains, and then ask the students to decipher where major cities might be located without the help of books or maps. This would require students to locate these areas without using prepared resources, but their prior knowledge and reasoning ability instead.[7]
Constructionism and technology
Papert was a huge proponent of bringing technology to classrooms, beginning with his early uses of the
Beginning in the 1980s,
From 2005 to 2014, there was the
Computer programming languages
A number of
- Lisp, without the parentheses. Logo is known for its introduction of turtle graphics to elementary schoolchildren in the 1980s. Its creators were Wally Feurzeig, Cynthia Solomon, and Papert.
- Xerox PARC by a team led by Alan Kay.
- AgentSheets is an early block-based programming environment for kids to create games and simulations. It is developed by Alexander Repenning
- Viewpoints Research Institute, based on Morphictile scripting. Etoys was initially targeted at primary school math and science education.
- Physical Etoys is an extension of Etoys that allows to control different devices such as Lego NXT, Arduino Board, Sphero, Kinect, Duinobot, Wiimote among others.
- Scratch was developed in the early 21st century at MIT Media Lab Lifelong Kindergarten Group led by Papert's pupil Mitchel Resnick. Like Etoys, it is based on Morphic tile scripts. Scratch was initially designed specifically to enhance the development of technological fluency at after-school centers in economically disadvantaged communities.[9]
- StarLogo TNG was developed by the MIT Scheller Teacher Education Program under Eric Klopfer. It combines a block programming interface with 3D graphics. It is targeted at programming games and game-like simulations in middle and secondary schools.
- agent-based modeling
- AgentCubes is a block-based programming environment for kids to create 3D games and simulation. It is developed by Alexander Repenning
- Easy Java Simulations or Ejs or EJS was developed by Open Source Physics under Francisco Esquembre. The user is working at a higher conceptual level, declaring and organizing the equations and other mathematical expressions that operate the simulation. It is targeted at programming physics simulations in secondary schools and universities.
- LEGO WeDo is a graphical programming language for children of age 7 years and up, used with the LEGO WeDo power function hub.
- LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 is a dataflow graphical programming language for children age 10+.
- Robot Emil is a constructionist educational tool for children. It is targeted at primary schools and teaches programming step by step.
References
- ^ a b c Alesandrini, K. & Larson, L. (2002). Teachers bridge to constructivism. The Clearing House, 119–121.
- ^ Cakir, M. (2008). Constructivist Approaches to Learning in Science and Their Implications for Science Pedagogy: A Literature Review. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, 3(4), 193–206.
- ^ Sabelli, N. (2008). Constructionism: A New Opportunity for Elementary Science Education. DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings. pp. 193–206. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Papert, S.; Harel, I (1991). "Constructionism". Ablex Publishing Corporation: 193–206. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
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(help) - ^ Hmelo-Silver, C. E. & Barrows, H. S. (2006). Goals and strategies of a problem-based learning facilitator. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, 1. 21–39.
- ^ a b c d e Wilson, B. (Ed.) Constructivist learning environments: Case studies in instrumental design. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
- ^ Biehler, R., Snowman, J., D'Amico, M., Schmid, R. (1999). The nature of meaningful learning. Psychology applied to teaching, 387–403.
- ^ Gromik, N. (2004). Sim City and English Teaching.
- ^ NSF's grant A Networked, Media-Rich Programming Environment to Enhance Informal Learning and Technological Fluency at Community Technology Centers, National Science Foundation, Sep 2003.
External links
- The Nature of Constructionist learning – MIT open-to-all online reading list on constructionism
- Lifelong Kindergarten Group – MIT Lifelong Kindergarten research group
- Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling – Northwestern University's Constructionist learning and agent-based modeling research group
- Ackerman on Constructivism vs Constructionism – Edith Ackermann draws out the differences between Piaget's Constructivism, Vygotsky's Socio-Constructivism and Papert's ConstructioNism