Constructivism
Essentially, constructivists believe that learners construct knowledge for themselves; that is, each learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning as he or she learns.
Constructivism is a new term for an old set of ideas that are being given renewed attention with the support of recent research in cognitive psychology. Bruning et al. (1999) offer the following definition of cognitive psychology:
Cognitive psychology is a theoretical perspective that focuses on understanding human perception, thought, and memory. It portrays learners as active processors of information – a metaphor borrowed from the computer world – and assigns critical roles to the knowledge and perspective students bring to their learning. What learners do to enrich information, in the view of cognitive psychology, determines the level of understanding they ultimately achieve.
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Bruning et al. identify six themes in cognitive psychology that have relevance for education:
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Cognitive psychology helps us see learning as a constructive, not a receptive, process.
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Cognitive psychology emphasises the importance of structuring knowledge.
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Cognitive psychology emphasises self-awareness and self-regulation of cognition.
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Motivation and beliefs direct learning.
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Cognitive psychology stresses the role of social interaction in cognitive development.
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Cognitive psychology stresses the contextual nature of knowledge, strategies, and expertise.
Essentially, constructivists believe that learners construct knowledge for themselves; that is, each learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning as he or she learns. As Bruning et al. explain:
The aim of teaching, from a constructivist perspective, is not so much to transmit information, but rather to encourage knowledge formation and metacognitive processes for judging, organizing, and acquiring new information.
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