discussion #2

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Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice

Twelfth Edition

Chapter 8

Student-Centered and Constructivist Approaches to Instruction

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Organizing Questions

What is the Constructivist View of Learning?

How is Cooperative Learning Used in Instruction?

How are Problem-Solving and Thinking Skills Taught?

What Is the Constructivist View of Learning

Constructivists believe that knowing is a process and learners must individually and actively discover and transform complex information to make it their own.

Constructivist approaches emphasize top-down processing, when students begin with complex problems and discover the basic knowledge and skills to solve them.

Constructivist approaches also emphasize cooperative learning, questioning or inquiry strategies, and other metacognitive skills.

Historical Roots of Constructivism

The constructivist revolution has deep roots in the history of education.

It draws heavily on the work of Piaget and Vygotsky both of whom emphasized that cognitive change takes place only when previous conceptions go through a process of disequilibration in light of new information.

Constructivism theories have been used to support classroom instructional methods that emphasize cooperative learning, project-based learning, and discovery.

Top-Down Processing

Constructivist approaches to teaching emphasize top-down rather than bottom-up instruction.

The term top-down means that students begin with complex problems to solve and then work out or discover (with your guidance) the basic skills required.

For example, students might be asked to write compositions and only later learn about spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Peer Interaction

Constructivist approaches to teaching typically make extensive use of interaction among students of the same age.

A constructivist approach relies on the theory that students will more easily discover and comprehend difficult concepts if they can talk with each other about the problems.

Peer interaction involves groups of peers modeling appropriate ways of thinking and exposing and challenging each other’s misconceptions.

Discovery Learning

Discovery learning is an important component of modern constructivist approaches with a long history in education innovation.

In discovery learning, students are encouraged to learn largely on their own through active involvement with concepts and principles.

Teachers encourage students to have experiences and conduct experiments that permit them to discover principles for themselves.

Self-Regulated Learning

A self-regulated learner is one who has knowledge of effective learning strategies and how and when to use them.

Self-regulated learners know how to:

break complex problems into simpler steps

test out alternative solutions they know

read for deep understanding

write to persuade

write to inform

Scaffolding

Scaffolding is a practice based on Vygotsky’s concept of assisted learning.

According to Vygotsky, higher mental functions, including the ability to direct memory and attention in a purposeful way and to think in symbols, are mediated behaviors.

In assisted learning or mediated learning, the teacher is the cultural agent who guides instruction so that students will master and internalize the skills that permit higher cognitive functioning.

Constructivist Methods in the Content Areas

Constructivist approaches in reading include:

Reciprocal teaching: the teacher works with small groups of learners and models the types of questions students should ask themselves while reading.

Questioning the author: children are taught to see the authors of factual material as real, fallible people and to engage in simulated “dialogues” with the authors.

Constructivist approaches are also used in writing, math, and science.

Research on Constructivist Methods

Research comparing constructivist and traditional approaches to instruction is often difficult to interpret.

Constructivist methods are very diverse.

Outcomes are qualitatively different from those of traditional methods.

More research is needed on constructivist approaches to determine when they are most effective for enhancing achievement.

How Is Cooperative Learning Used in Instruction? (1 of 2)

In cooperative learning, small groups of students work together to help one another learn.

Cooperative learning groups are used in:

Discovery learning

Discussion

Study for assessment

How Is Cooperative Learning Used in Instruction? (2 of 2)

Cooperative learning programs such as Student Teams-Achievement Divisions (S T A D) are successful because they reward both group and individual effort and improvement and because groups are responsible for the individual learning of each group member.

S T A D groups are mixed in:

performance level

gender

ethnicity

Cooperative Learning Methods

In cooperative learning instructional methods, or peer-assisted learning, students work together in small groups to help each other learn.

most involve students in four-member mixed-ability groups

some methods use dyads

some use varying group sizes

Typically, students are assigned to cooperative groups and stay together for many weeks or months.

Cooperative Learning Skills

Students are taught specific skills that will help them work well together, such as:

listening actively

giving good explanations

avoiding putdowns

including other people

Research on Cooperative Learning

Group study methods are used primarily when students work together to help one another master a relatively well-defined body of information or skills.

Project-based learning or active learning involves students working in groups to create a report, experiment, mural, or other product.

Studies of cooperative learning methods that incorporate group goals and individual accountability show substantial positive effects on the achievement of students in grades 2 through 12.

How Are Problem-Solving and Thinking Skills Taught?

Students need the ability to use information and skills to solve problems.

They might be quite good at adding, subtracting, and multiplying but have little idea how to solve a word or story problem in mathematics.

For example: “Sylvia bought four hamburgers at $1.25 each, two orders of French fries at 65 cents each, and three large sodas at 75 cents each. How much change did she get from a $10 bill?.”

The Problem-Solving Process

Students can be taught several well-researched strategies to use in solving problems. I D E A L is an acronym for a five-step problem solving strategy:

I D E A L

I Identify problems and opportunities

Define goals and represent the problem

Explore possible strategies

A Anticipate outcomes and act

L Look back and learn

Teaching Creative Problem Solving

Creative problem solving requires:

incubation time

suspension of judgment

conducive climates

problem analysis

the application of thinking skills

feedback

Teaching Thinking Skills

Thinking skills include:

planning, classifying, divergent thinking, identifying assumptions, recognizing misleading information, and generating questions.

Thinking skills can be taught through structured programs; creating a culture of thinking in the classroom is another useful technique.

Critical Thinking

One key objective of schooling is enhancing students’ abilities to think critically and make rational decisions about what to do or what to believe.

Examples of critical thinking include:

identifying misleading advertisements

weighing competing evidence

identifying assumptions or fallacies in arguments

As with any other objective, learning to think critically requires practice.