CONSTRUCTIVIST

APPROACH
Constructivism as perspective in
education is based on experimental
learning through real life experience to
construct and conditionalize knowledge.
Learning is a process of constructing
knowledge according to constructivist
paradigm.
The child interacts with his environment
and construct knowledge as a natural
process.

Construction of

knowledge is not limited

to the classroom alone
Through interaction,
investigation, reaction,
interpretation etc. the
child learns from the
world outside and
gradually integrates
himself with the society

The 3 main principles behind

Constructivist approach are
Learning

is construction of
knowledge
Learning involves problem solving
Learning is the product of natural
process
Here acquisition of a piece of
knowledge
and not by receiving
from somebody else
Active involvement of students

The word construct here carries the meaning

of re-creation
Jean Piaget, Jerome S Bruner, Vygotsky,Noam
Chomsky, Donaldson and Skemp are some of
the most reputed expounders of constructivist
psychology
Education is learner-centred
The teacher is only a guide and felicitator
The students construct knowledge; it is not
delivered to the students by spoon feeding or as
finished products

Active involvement of the pupil helps him

to construct knowledge and add it to his
prior knowledge and experience
In the Constructivist Approach
,knowledge is
.Child-centred
.Activity based
.Process-based

Special Features of
Constructivist APPROACH
Prediction,creation

and analysis of knowledge

The right of students for choice of objective

Promotion of divergent thinking and reflective
thinking
Freedom of children to self-regulation
Use the faculty of the learners to compare
their previous knowledge to a new item of
knowledge
Developing the ability for free expression

The role of student in constructing

knowledge and involving in problem
solving
Open-ended learning strategy and
learning in real life situation
Continuous and comprehensive
evaluation(CCE)
More stress on the process of learning
than on what is learnt

Fundementals of Social and

Cognitive Constructivsm
Cognitive

Constructivism propounded by
Jean Piaget and Social Constructivism
suggested by Vygotsky greatly influenced
Constructivist Approach

COGNITIVE
CONSTRUCTIVISM
According to Piaget,knowledge is built through
assimilation and accomodation
He identifies a kind of cognitive Scaffold lebelled
schema a frame work for holdind and organizing

When a new item of knowledge enters

the brain,there occurs a change in the
already existing frame or schema.The
process is assimilation

As a result,there occurs a modification

in the knowledge structure and the
assimilated item is now accomodated in
the schema

SOCIAL
CONSTRUCTIVISM
According to Vygotsky,the Social
Constructivist,knowledge is not permanent but is
relative
It is relative with respect to the knower
Creation of knowledge happens in an
isolated environment or social environment
The student community takes part in the
instructinal task,a series of process like
sharing,problem-solving,enquiry etc.

Meaningful learning takes place through

collaboration
In the acquisition of foreign language like
English,the constuctivist principles have much
relevence
Acquisition of language is possible only when
the learner actively invoved in the learning
process
School learning should occur in a meaningful
context and not to seperated from learning and
knowledge children develop in the real world
Out-of-school expereriences should be related
to the childs school experience

CONSTRUCTIVIST CLASSROOM
LEARNING
Provide
multiple representation of
reality
Represent the natural complexity of
the real world
Focus on knowledge construction; not
reproduction
Present contextualized task
Provide real-world, case-based learning
environments rather than predetermined instructional sequence
Enable context and content dependent
knowledge construction

ADVANTAGE
S
Children learn more and enjoy
learning more when they are
actively involved, rather than
passive listeners
Constructivism concentrates on
learning how to think and
understand
Students must learn how to

Students must learn how to articulate their ideas

clearly as well as to collaborate on tasks effectively
by sharing in group objects
This method of teaching is effective for students
who learn better in a hands-on environment and
helps student to better relate the information
learned in the class room to their lives

LIMITATION OF
CONSTRUCTIVISM

The training is extensive and often requires

costly long-term professional development
With an average number of students in one
classroom, teachers are unable to customize the
curriculum to each students, as their prior
knowledge will very
The Constructivist curriculum eliminates
standardized teaching and grades
This eliminates grade-centered goal and
rewards, as well as the comparisons of students
state wide or district-specific progress