Constructivist/Constructionist Learning Theories and an Analysis of Instructional Strategies in the Language Arts Classroom

The most important quality of the constructivist and constructionist learning theories is the role the student plays within his or her own learning. According to this theory, learning is not teacher-centered; instead, more responsibility is placed on the student as the individual constructs his/her own meaning and is engaged in the process of building his/her own artifact. One instructional strategy that requires students to construct their own meaning is explored in Chapter 4 of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Chapter 4, or “Generating and Testing Hypotheses,” demonstrates how students are “engaging in complex mental processes, applying content knowledge like facts and vocabulary, and enhancing their overall understanding of the content” when they “generate and test hypotheses” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 202). Many of the tasks discussed seem better suited for a mathematics or science class, but some, such as the decision making task, would absolutely work in a language arts class. For this task, students can “define criteria and apply weight to the various criteria to decide which choice makes the most sense” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 203). My students and I often discuss the decisions made by the characters in the books we read together; therefore, this is a relevant activity that would be made even more meaningful due to the fact that students would be evaluating their own hypotheses. A second learning task that I would use is that of the historical investigation. While I do not teach a history class, my students and I often delve into the subject depending on what text we are studying. To instruct students to “construct hypotheses about historical events for which there is no agreed-upon resolution” seems like a valuable lesson in which students would take great interest (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 203). Furthermore, the use of spreadsheet software, data collection tools, and web resources are also described in this chapter. One website, called Making History, is included in the section about web resources; this website allows students to play a strategy game about World War II. Curious to see if this same site offers a game about World War I, which I cover when reading All Quiet on the Western Front, I visited the site and found that it does indeed include a game about the Great War. The game supports the constructivist theory because it involves students taking on the roles of country leaders and making important political decisions. Therefore, students are taking on a more significant role in their learning and are very engaged in the learning process. I do not yet know how long it takes to play the game, nor do I want to turn my English class into a history class, so while I may not assign my students the game as a graded assignment, I would definitely suggest it to students or use it as an extra credit assignment.

To continue, Dr. Orey states that constructionism revolves around the idea that people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). When students create artifacts, the theory of constructionism is supported because the classroom becomes a student-centered learning environment and there is an “emphasis on artifact creation as part of the learning outcome based on authentic and real life experiences with multiple perspectives” (Han & Bhattacharya, 2001). I believe that project-based learning can be a very valuable experience with students. Projects allow for student collaboration, teach time management skills, inspire creativity, and require students to take on more responsibility in their learning. Another reason why I support this type of learning is because students so often complete work that will only be viewed and assessed by their teacher. Assigning a project that will be shared with the class upon completion gives students more incentive to put plenty of effort into their work and do the best they can do. Moreover, assigning a project which students can share on the Internet is even better because it really broadens the audience and encourages students to take pride in their work. There are countless projects and meaningful artifacts that can be created with the assistance of technology. A website titled Project Based Learning is a great website designed to help teachers design important projects for high school students. It is devoted to teaching 21st century skills and includes a library of projects that have been developed by other educators.

Finally, another instructional strategy that encompasses constructivist and constructionist learning theories is problem-based instruction. This strategy attempts to “challenge students to address real-world problems and resolve realistic dilemmas” (Glazer, 2001). One technology tool that supports this type of learning is the Webquest, which is “a web-based, inquiry-oriented activity through which students examine evidence about a particular topic and then respond to an issue or make a decision from a particular point of view” (Glazer, 2001). I enjoy tackling WebQuests with my students because they can learn so many different aspects of a single topic to be explored. For example, when my students read Oedipus the King, I assign a WebQuest that directs them to websites that teach them about a variety of related topics, including the Oedipus Complex, consanguinity, hubris, and catharsis. WebQuest.org, developed by Bernie Dodge, permits teachers to create, share, and find WebQuests to use with their students. Because I just learned about this resource, I am eager to use it in the future and, hopefully, discover a multitude of WebQuests that I can use in my own classroom.

References

Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved  1/29/13, from http://projects.coe.ugaedu/epltt/

Han, S., and Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project Based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 1/29/13, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn? CourseID=5 700267& CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&course nav=0&bhcp=1

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., Kuhn, M., & Maleoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development.