Notes from Cognitive Constructivist Theories

Cognitive constructivism

Notes from Cognitive Constructivist Theories: http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/cognitiv.htm

Definition

Cognitive Constructivism is "about how the individual learner understands things, in terms of developmental stages and learning styles".

Cognitive Constructivism is based on the work of Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget.

Piaget's theory of cognitive development proposes that humans cannot be "given" information which they immediately understand and use. Instead, humans must "construct" their own knowledge. They build their knowledge through experience. Experiences enable them to create mental models in their heads. These schemas are changed, enlarged, and made more sophisticated through two complimentary processes; assimilation and accommodation.

PMI

Plus

• Teacher role to provide a rich environment for the spontaneous exploration of the learner.
• A classroom filled with interesting things to explore encourages learners to become active constructors of their own knowledge (their own schemas).
• Direct experience, making errors, and looking for solutions are vital for the assimilation and accommodation of information.
• How information is presented is important.
• Information given as a tool for problem solving.
• Learners need to interact with the world around them in a meaningful way - engage in meaningful activities.
• The learning environments are designed to provoke the kinds of thoughful engagement that helps students develop effective thinking skills and attitudes that contribute to effective problem solving and critical thinking.
• Learners must be given opportunities to construct knowledge through their own experinences. They cannot be told by their teacher.
• Less emphasis on direct teaching of specific skills and MORE emphasis on learrning in a meaningful context.

Minus

• Cognitive constructivists describe the mind in terms of the individual, restricting it's domain to the individual's head, approached learning and knowing from the perspective of the individual.

Interesting

• Much of the educational software created in the 1970s and 1980s was based on behavioral princples, much of the new multimedia educational software is based on constructivist classroom.
• Technology provides essential tools with which to accomplish the goals of a constructivist classroom. HOW?
• Learning and teaching activities should be designed around an "anchor" which is often a story, adventure, or situation that includes a problem or issue to be dealt with that is of interest to the learners.
• Instructional materials should include rich resources learners can explore as they try to decide how to solve a problem (eg. interactive videodisc programs). http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/ai.htm
• Microworld, learners "enter" a self contained computer based environment ot learn. Since learners construct their own reality, they need multiple representations, or views, of a concept or issue. http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/microw.htm
• A microworld is described as a case study supported by a computer simulation to solve a problem.
• Information Banks are sources of information, traditional examples include textbooks, encyclopedias, dictionaries etc. Information Banks expand the amount of information accessible and shorten the access paths. http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/infobank.htm Information Banks; electronic books, the internet, electronic encyclopedia.
• Symbol Pads are traditionally notebooks and blackboards. The symbol pads used in technology are mostly standard word processing programs. Examples; Story Books Weaver Deluxe, PostCards, Crayola Art Studio 2. http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/symbolp.htm
• Construction Kits/Simulations http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/conkits.htm
• The constructivist classroom activities are hands-on and involve building on the work of others. Problem solving is often done within cooperative groups, and the tasks are meaningful to the lives of the learners. This is the context of a whole language classroom - combining known knowledge to new information - Piagetian jargon - meaning learners are given opportunities to assimilate and accommodate. The most fundamental principle of the whole language approach is that written language is learned the way oral language is. Whole language approachtend to emphasise writing about what the learner already knows and can explain verbally. http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/whole.htm

Interesting read Phonics vs. Whole Language Which is Better? http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/features/reading/phonics.shtml