Module 7: Pedagogy
7.1.5 Constructivism
Constructivism hinges on the idea that educators need to meet students wherever they are (in terms of skills and knowledge) and help them build on previous knowledge. It is also a theory that seeks to help students find their own way as they experience learning and come to their own conclusions.
According to this theory:
The teacher takes a backseat and monitors students as they take control of their learning. A traditional classroom is teacher centered, but a constructivist classroom is student centered.
Students are actively involved in the lesson. Instead of passively accepting the work given by the teacher and completing it to receive a grade, the student drives the lesson and works towards a goal with the teacher’s guidance.
The class feels less like dictatorship, which is run solely by one person, and more like an environment that is run by the entire class.
Teachers allow students to find their own answers rather than telling them what answers to look for. Students are able to explore things in their own way and come to their own conclusions instead of exploring things the way the teacher tells them to and coming to the conclusions that the teacher wants them to come to.
Teachers encourage students to be autonomous, which means they encourage students to be independent and motivated by their own goals and interests.
Many modern classrooms are moving towards this model or at least towards a model that is similar, following the next theory we will discuss.
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