CONSTRUCTIV

IST

PEDAGOGY

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A TOOL FOR AN

EFFECTIVE

CLASSROOMMrs. A. Vinothini Sylvia

Assistant Professor of EducationAnnammal College of Education for WomenThoothukudi – 628003

MODERN TEACHING CONCEPT

• Evolution from teacher-centered system to learner centered system.

• This demands changes in the instructional process and materials.

CONSTRUCTIVISM

• Learner must construct knowledge and teacher

cannot supply it.

• Learner constructs new ideas or concepts

based on their current or past knowledge.

• Rather than a dispenser of knowledge, the

teacher is

– a guide, facilitator, and co-explorer

– encourages learners to question, challenge, and

formulate their own ideas, opinions, and conclusions

LEARNING IN A CONSTRUCTIVIST CLASSROOM

Constructed

Active

Reflective

Collaborative

Inquiry-Based

Evolving

Curriculum begins with the parts of the whole. Curriculum begins with the whole and expanding to include the parts.

Strict adherence to fixed curriculum is highly valued.

Pursuit of student questions and interests is valued.

Materials are primarily textbooks and workbooks.

Materials include primary sources of material and manipulative materials.

Learning is based on repetition.Learning is interactive, building on what the student already knows.

Teachers disseminate information to students; students are recipients of knowledge.

Teachers have a dialogue with students, helping students construct their own knowledge.

Teacher's role is directive, rooted in authority. Teacher's role is interactive, rooted in negotiation.

Assessment is through testing, correct answers.

Assessment includes student works, observations, and points of view, as well as tests. Process is as important as product.

Knowledge is seen as inert.Knowledge is seen as dynamic, ever changing with our experiences.

Students work primarily alone. Students work primarily in groups.

CONSTRUCTIVIST TEACHING SEQUENCE

Phase Overview

1) Orientation Teacher introduces the topic

2) Elicitation of ideasOpportunities are provided for students to explore and explain their ideas

3) Restructuring of ideasa)Clarification and exchange

Students are given chance to recognize scientific ideas and examine their own ideas

a)Exposure to conflict situation

Students are provided with situations to test the limitations of these ideas

a)Construction of new ideas Opportunities are provided to restructure their ideas

a)EvaluationStudents are provided opportunities to test the validity of their newly constructed ideas

4) Application of ideasStudents are provided with opportunities to apply their ideas in new situations, in order to reinforce their ideas

5) Review change in ideasStudents are provided with opportunities to reflect upon how and why their ideas have changed.

• Transform thinking and practice beyond today’s Transform thinking and practice beyond today’s

traditional models and boundaries of schools traditional models and boundaries of schools

and educational system. and educational system.

• Focuses on knowledge construction, not Focuses on knowledge construction, not

reproduction reproduction

• Uses authentic tasks to Uses authentic tasks to

engage learners to provide engage learners to provide

them meaningful and problem them meaningful and problem

based thinking based thinking