Constructivism
Learning through connections
Constructivism as a Theory
The theory of constructivism states that humans learn new concepts and better understand them by taking new information and connecting it with and interpreting it by previous experiences of their own.
Educational Philosophy: Constructivism
Goal
The goal is for students to come to conclusions on their own, rather than simply ingesting information from a textbook or a lecture. This process helps students identify more with the material, and will solidify its presence in their memories.
The New Role of a Teacher
The role of the teacher is often described as transforming more into that of a facilitator or a guide. The teacher encourages students to use active techniques (experiments, real-world problem solving) to create more knowledge and then to reflect on and talk about what they are doing and how their understanding is changing.
Danger of "Pure Discovery"
A teacher should not take the ideas behind Constructivism and run with them too far to the idea of "Pure Discovery". This practice consists of minimum instruction being provided to students with the thought that they will learn better by connecting everything on their own. This can result in students who are either unsure of where to go in their learning process and get lost or students who unknowingly reach wrong conclusions and get lost.
When properly understood, constructivist teaching would actually require more work of the teacher in that they must learn to truly engage and stimulate their class, reaching down to their level and helping them climb higher.
Stand and Deliver - A Negative Times A Negative Equals A Positive