Constructivisim

Constructivism
When considering the classrooms of 2025, the theory of constructivism must be considered. Constructivism is organizing experiences and constructing knowledge from them. Constructivism does not stop at experiential learning, however, it is very much an on going, collaborative process. The classroom of 2025 will be a great environment to foster such collaboration, experimentation, and self-motivated learning.

According to Zahorik, there are five elements in constructivist teaching (1997). They are activating prior knowledge, acquiring knowledge, understanding knowledge, using or applying knowledge and reflecting on knowledge. The following video, created for an Instructional Technology class at the University of Texas at San Antonio, explains constructivist learning very well and includes examples of the roles of both teachers and students.

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Another example of constructivism being used is in this image. Developed by Dr. Jonassen and used to teach constructivist learning theory to education majors, this image shows clearly how students construct their own knowledge. The classroom of tomorrow will be providing this opportunity for learning but is not limited to a //page// of information, but encourages the learner to self-construct knowledge using multiple sources for information.

(Jonassen, 1999)

Taking Jonassen's work further to explain the concept of constructivist learning the theory is broken down into goals, values, and methods. Using these elements for constructivist learning illustrate a clear purpose when using this learning theory as an educator. **"Goal:** The primary goal of this theory is to foster problem solving and conceptual development. (Jonassen, 216)" This is a goal for all learners of the present, but most definitely for the future. **"Values** These values are very relevant to the learner of tomorrow and will undoubtedly lead to life long learning, which should be a goal of all educators but will be a necessity for learners of the future.  **"Methods**
 * learning that is driving by an ill-defined or ill-structured problem (or question, case, project).
 * a problem or learning goal that is "owned" by the learner
 * instruction that consists of experiences which facilitate knowledge construction (meaning making)
 * learning that is active and authentic (Jonassen, 216)."
 * Select an appropriate problem (or question, case, project) for the learning to focus on. The problem should be interesting, relevant and engaging, to foster learner ownership. The problem should be ill-defined or ill-structured. The problem should be authentic (what practitioners do). The problem design should address context, representation, and manipulation space.
 * Provide related cases or worked examples to enable case-based reasoning and enhance cognitive flexibility.
 * Provide learner-selectable information just-in-time. (Available information should be relevant and easily accessible.)
 * Provide cognitive tools that scaffold required skills, including problem-representation tools, knowledge-modeling tools, performance-support tools, and information gathering tools.
 * Provide conversation and collaboration tools to support discourse communities, knowledge-building communities, and/or communities of learners.
 * Provide social/contextual support for the learning environment (Jonassen, 217)."

Instructional activities to support learning include:
 * Model the performance and the covert cognitive processes
 * Coach the learner by providing motivational prompts, monitoring and regulating the learner's performance, provoking reflection, and or perturbing learners' models.
 * Scaffold the learner by adjusting task difficulty, restructuring the task, and/or providing alternative assessment (Jonasse et. at.)

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