“Constructivists believe that learners construct their own reality or at least interpret it based upon their perceptions of experiences, so an individual's knowledge is a function of one's prior experiences, mental structures, and beliefs that are used to interpret objects and events." "What someone knows is grounded in perception of the physical and social experiences which are comprehended by the mind. (Jonasson, 1991).” (Mergel, 1998)
 Summary:
According to Mergel (1998) constructivism is based on the premise that we all construct our own perspective of the world, through individual experiences and schema. Constructivism focuses on preparing the learner to problem solve in ambiguous situations. Discovery learning is preferred over expository teaching. The learner determines his or her own best way of learning, and that learning should not be externally dtermined and controlled. Discovery learning increases motivation to learn, and also produces better long-term memory. Constructivists promote a students's free exploration within a given framework or structure.
Constructivism Philosophy:
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Based on the premise that we all construct our own perspective.
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Focuses on preparing the learner to problem solve in ambiguous situation.
- Changes are expressed through problem based and open-ended learning experience.
- Reality is internally controlled. This puts the learner in control of what he learns and how he learn it. People create their own interpretation of objective reality, based on his schema.
- Learner is the active constructor of knowledge, making meaning of the world surrounding him or her.
- Instructor provide complex and realistic learning environments that challenge learners to identify and solve problems. And also supports learner’s efforts and encourage them to reflect n the process.
- Learning outcomes are reasoning, critical thinking, understanding and use of knowledge, self-regulation, mindful reflection.
(Driscoll, 2005)
Key words: Cognitive field, positive relativism, neutral-interactive, insights, autotelic
principle, intrinsic motivation, problem-solving, self-regulating learner,
reflective, responsive environment.
Constructivist Theories:
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Radical Constructivism - E. von Glasersfeld
- Discovery Learning - Bruner
- Generative Learning - CTGV 1991, Wittrock 1985
- Embodied Cognition - Johnson 1987, Lakeoff 1987
- Postmodern poststructural curricula - Hlynka 1991, Culler 1990
- Social negotiation of meaning - Vygotsky
- Transitory systems of knowledge - Eco, 1984
- Implications of Eco's rhizone metaphor - Cunningham 1988
- Cognitive flexibility theory - Spiro, 1991, 1995
- ACT model of memory - Anderson
- Mindtools concept - Jonassen
Constructivism theorists:
- E.C Tolman
- K. Lewin
- M.L. Bigge
- J. Dewey
- G.W. Allport
- D.J. Cunningham
- D. Jonassen » PDF |PDF2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
- D. Perkins
- Ernst von Glasersfeld » 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
- Spiro
- Feltovich
- Pea
- Edelson
- Jerome Bruner » 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
 David H. Jonassen:
 David H. Jonassen is a well-known constructivist theorist and also a leader in the field of instructional technology, has numerous publications on text design, task analysis, instructional design, computer-based learning, hypermedia, constructivist learning environments, cognitive tools, and technology in learning. His idea of using computers as Mindtools, is a model for “how to integrate technology with the learning process in order to engage learners more mindfully and meaningfully” (Jonassen, 1996). According to Jonassen, Mindtools is a ‘intellectual toolkit’ to engage the learner and foster critical and higher-order learning. His current research focuses on designing constructivist learning environments, cognitive tools for learning, knowledge representation, problem solving, computer-supported collaborative argumentation, cognitive task analysis, and individual differences and learning.
 Dave Jonassen  [Back to Top]
Jerome Bruner:
 Bruner asserts that learners use three types of representation to represent these regularities and relationships. These are enactive, iconic, and symbolic representation (Driscoll, page 229). In addition, he also points out that learning involves thinking process (Driscoll, page 227). The role of learners is to “devise strategies for searching and finding out what the regularities and relationships are” (Driscoll, page 234). Through the process of searching and finding out the regularities and relationships, learners “discover” by “rearranging or transforming evidence in such a way that one is enabled to go beyond the evidence so assembled to additional new insights” (Bruner, 1961, page 22). The implications for instruction are to provide students with problem solving activities that support collaborating activities where students can interact and negotiate meaning.
Jerome Bruner's Educational Theory
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Ernst von Glasersfeld:
 Ernst von Glasersfeld is a renowned philosopher, constructivist and cybernetician. He developed the model of Radical Constructivism, according to Glasersfeld, there are two main principles of Radical Constructivism. First, “knowledge is not passively received but actively built up by the cognizing subject”; and second “the function of cognition is adaptive and serves the organization of the experiential world, not the discovery of ontological reality” (Glasersfeld 1989). He argues that constructivism deals with questions of knowledge—“what knowledge is and where it comes from”, and constructivism holds that “we can know only what our minds construct” (Glasersfeld 1991).
ECOLOGY OF MIND Ernst von Glasersfeld
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References:
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