Study Document
Constructivism Is an Important Learning Term Paper
Pages:6 (1992 words)
Sources:1+
Subject:Education
Topic:Learning Disabilities
Document Type:Term Paper
Document:#59271883
(Brier, 1992)
Constructivism in all forms faces many obstacles and hurdles in getting fair application in the classroom of schools today for many reasons. One reason is that when constructivism is applied properly and fully to a classroom environment, the teacher may find him or herself in the "backseat" while the students steer the direction of the learning process. It removes much of the inherent hierarchal power of the teacher vs. The student in the classroom. Students are allowed a very high degree of autonomy. There is a strong tendency in our society to subordinate children and to keep children submissive to the dominant adult figures in their lives, and within the school it is completely unheard of to treat students as equals to the teachers. This is due to the belief of both teachers and parents that children are not equal to adults. The rationalist myth of "cold reason" is presented by Taylor (1996). He says that when knowledge is considered to be an objective truth which can be, and is best, transmitted in full as a whole, this creates an environment in which constructivism is not possible. It creates a "picture of the teacher in a central role as transmitter of objective truths to students. This philosophy does not promote clarifying relevance to the lives of students, but instead promotes a curriculum to be delivered...." (Taylor 1996)
The perpetrating myth of the social power structure makes the teacher the absolute controller. This "locks teachers and students into grossly asymmetrical power relationships designed to reproduce, rather than challenge, the established culture." (Taylor, 1996)
Constructivism may seem like an obvious explanation of learning to some people, but the application of it is a counter educational approach to current school trends.
Bibliography
Brier, S. (1992): "Information and consciousness: A critique of the mechanistic concept of information," in Vol.1, no. 2/3 pp. 71-94 of "Cybernetics & Human Knowing." Aalborg, Denmark.
Dougiamas, M. (1998) "A Journey into Constructivism." Accessed Jan 21, 2004 at http://dougiamas.com/writing/constructivism.html
Glasersfeld, E.V., (1992) "Aspects of Radical Constructivism and its Educational Recommendations." Scientific Reasoning research Institute. Presented at ICMe-7, Working Group #4, Quebec. Accessed Jan 21, 2004 at http://www.umass.edu/srri/vonGlasersfeld/onlinePapers/html/195.html
Glasersfeld, E.V. (1992) "Why I Consider Myself a Cybernetician" CYBERNETICS & HUMAN KNOWING. A Journal of Second Order Cybernetics & Cyber-Semiotics, Vol. 1 no. 1. Accessed Jan 21, 2004 from: www.flec.kvl.dk/sbr/Cyber/cybernetics/vol1/v1-1evg.htm
Glasersfeld, E.V. (2003) "An Exposition of Constructivism: Why Some Like it Radical."
Scientific Reasoning Research Institute. University of Massachusetts. Accessed Jan 21, 2004 from: www.oikos.org/constructivism.htm
Hanley, S. (1994) "ON CONSTRUCTIVISM." Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation. Accessed Jan 21, 2004 at http://www.towson.edu/csme/mctp/Essays/Constructivism.txt
Plourde, L. & Alawiye, O. (2003) "Constructivism and elementary preservice science teacher preparation: knowledge to application." College Student Journal. Accessed Jan 21, 2004 from: www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0FCR/3_37/108836898/p3/article.jhtml
Taylor, P. (1996) Mythmaking and mythbreaking in the mathematics classroom, in: Educational Studies in Mathematics 31, pp 151-173
Sample Source(s) Used
Bibliography
Brier, S. (1992): "Information and consciousness: A critique of the mechanistic concept of information," in Vol.1, no. 2/3 pp. 71-94 of "Cybernetics & Human Knowing." Aalborg, Denmark.
Dougiamas, M. (1998) "A Journey into Constructivism." Accessed Jan 21, 2004 at http://dougiamas.com/writing/constructivism.html
Glasersfeld, E.V., (1992) "Aspects of Radical Constructivism and its Educational Recommendations." Scientific Reasoning research Institute. Presented at ICMe-7, Working Group #4, Quebec. Accessed Jan 21, 2004 at http://www.umass.edu/srri/vonGlasersfeld/onlinePapers/html/195.html
Glasersfeld, E.V. (1992) "Why I Consider Myself a Cybernetician" CYBERNETICS & HUMAN KNOWING. A Journal of Second Order Cybernetics & Cyber-Semiotics, Vol. 1 no. 1. Accessed Jan 21, 2004 from: www.flec.kvl.dk/sbr/Cyber/cybernetics/vol1/v1-1evg.htm
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