{"id":1537,"date":"2018-10-14T20:25:39","date_gmt":"2018-10-15T00:25:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt431-531\/?p=1537"},"modified":"2018-10-14T20:25:39","modified_gmt":"2018-10-15T00:25:39","slug":"allowing-constructivism-into-the-classroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/2018\/10\/allowing-constructivism-into-the-classroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Allowing Constructivism Into the Classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>An Overview of \u201cConstructivism and Conceptual Change, Part I\u201d<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1538\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt431-531\/files\/2018\/10\/const-300x261.jpeg?resize=300%2C261\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/files\/2018\/10\/const.jpeg?resize=300%2C261&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/files\/2018\/10\/const.jpeg?w=500&amp;ssl=1 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/h2>\n<p>Alan Colbern provides his definition of constructivism and applications of it towards philosophy, learning styles, and teaching topics such as Newton\u2019s laws and photosynthesis. Colbern notes that a classroom centered around constructivism will introduce the idea that \u201chuman being have brains, and that learners\u2019 experiences affect how they understand science concepts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Constructivism (Piaget and Vygotsky)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Yi8S4YkZI04?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>These notes on Piaget and Vygotski outline several key points to constructivism from a psychological perspective, which sets the basis for applying the theory to education.\u00a0 Colbern mentions that constructivism grows from Piaget\u2019s reasoning that when a student learns a new idea, they \u201cwill unconsciously compare what you say with all the rest of their knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Colbern concludes his ideas with the note that not all students can be asked to revolutionize their worldviews with every new lesson.\u00a0 The difference for constructivism, however, is providing an opportunity where kids have the chance.<\/p>\n<h2>Applying the Article to the Classroom<\/h2>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1540\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt431-531\/files\/2018\/10\/consrr.gif?resize=140%2C140\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The following lesson plan could be used to apply these constructivist principles to introduce evolution.<\/p>\n<p>Engage: Instruct students to research different examples of animals who have changed significantly due to evolution. \u00a0Have them make notes of specific traits and what benefit they provide to the organism.<\/p>\n<p>Explore: Have students come together in groups to share their findings, including their theories on why each trait is helpful.<\/p>\n<p>Explain: Have students make connections to traits and their functions, and why certain traits are no longer useful.\u00a0 Have them explain why they think certain organisms were more fit than others.<\/p>\n<p>Elaborate: Tie in the proper terms of evolution to various situations, including the natural selection that favored the more fit organisms and the genetic drift that occurred in certain populations.<\/p>\n<p>Evaluate: Allow students to present their findings as a group to the rest of the class.\u00a0 Be sure that they tie in the new vocabulary that they learned in terms of their organisms.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>To put the difference a constructivist approach adds to a class simply,<\/h2>\n<p>Constructivism is<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A teacher working with students and posing questions about a subject<\/li>\n<li>Students hypothesizing their own answers<\/li>\n<li>Engaged students working together and developing discovery<\/li>\n<li>Students making connections with what they\u2019ve previously learned<\/li>\n<li>Students asking questions when information is contradictory<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Constructivism is not<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A teacher standing at the front of the room spitting out facts to be memorized<\/li>\n<li>Bored students memorizing \u201cthe answer\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Students dozing off to sleep when they don\u2019t understand the new concept<\/li>\n<li>Memorization of new, unrelated facts<\/li>\n<li>Students trying to remember the new information blindly, even if it contradicts prior knowledge<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1539\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt431-531\/files\/2018\/10\/cons-300x169.jpg?resize=300%2C169\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/files\/2018\/10\/cons.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/files\/2018\/10\/cons.jpg?w=518&amp;ssl=1 518w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This image provides a basic flow of constructivism in the classroom.\u00a0 When students discover new topics, the learning and reflection keep the cycle going, until the concept is applied to new situations.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>The Simpsons<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Simpsons Constructivism (EDU 301)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UmEpIahGOuY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>This early episode of the Simpsons has Bart moved to a new school with less boundaries on learning so that he can learn through inquiry. While it may have been a mistake in the show, there are plenty of students who benefit from an atypical environment where they can let creativity drive the process.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of constructivism, students like these are able to use their previous experiences and knowledge to further develop their learning. The two students in Bart\u2019s class strike up a discussion about freedom of humankind.<\/p>\n<p>Their conversation structure can be applied to science classroom as well. If the topic were something more expandable, like different examples of evolution, students would be able to trace similarities of the species they already know. The teacher could then help guide the discussion towards terms like natural selection and inheritance.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1541\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt431-531\/files\/2018\/10\/constuu-300x173.png?resize=300%2C173\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/files\/2018\/10\/constuu.png?resize=300%2C173&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/files\/2018\/10\/constuu.png?w=618&amp;ssl=1 618w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Article:<\/p>\n<p>Colburn, A. (2007, October). Constructivism and Conceptual Change, Part I. Retrieved October 14, 2018, from https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/nstacontent\/tst0710_10.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIMRSQAV7P6X4QIKQ&amp;Expires=1539628462&amp;Signature=G17wSvHvqDc8LrUMB05YVpLKCn4=<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>An Overview of \u201cConstructivism and Conceptual Change, Part I\u201d Alan Colbern provides his definition of constructivism and applications of it towards philosophy, learning styles, and <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/2018\/10\/allowing-constructivism-into-the-classroom\/\" title=\"Allowing Constructivism Into the Classroom\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2520,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-constructivism"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2520"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1537"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1537\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}