{"id":2801,"date":"2020-02-26T23:49:21","date_gmt":"2020-02-27T04:49:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt431-531\/?p=2801"},"modified":"2020-02-26T23:49:21","modified_gmt":"2020-02-27T04:49:21","slug":"constructing-student-knowledge-a-duckworth-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/2020\/02\/constructing-student-knowledge-a-duckworth-approach\/","title":{"rendered":"Constructing Student Knowledge: A Duckworth Approach"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The foundation of learning is the construction of one’s own knowledge. This is an instrumental theory in education. Many philosophers have developed their own theories of the way children go through this process, the two most notable theorists are Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. While I am a Vygotsky man myself, I’d like to take a look at another theorist who was a student of Piaget, Elanor Duckworth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“As a student of Piaget, I was convinced that people must construct their own knowledge and must assimilate new experiences in ways that make sense to them. I knew that, more often than not, simply telling students what we want them to know leaves them cold.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duckworth’s view of learning is summed up in her seminal work The having of wonderful ideas.<\/em> Through a series of essays, she outlines what is her own interpretation of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development into a beautifully simple idea, which is, the essence of intellectual development is the having of wonderful ideas. I would like to emphasize wonderful<\/em> because I believe it is a perfect word choice. She is not arguing that children must be creating new knowledge or be approaching problems in a new way, but that they wonder about the world around them. And ask questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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So what does Duckworth look like inside of the classroom? The examination of misconceptions in science allows for many of the key components of her work to come to life including <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • building on prior knowledge<\/li>
  • challenging existing notions<\/li>
  • asking questions<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Students hold many misconceptions about what causes the phases of the moon. Some believe that its the Earth’s shadow, or clouds in the sky. Addressing student misconceptions gets at the core values of Duckworth’s philosophy, which is the uncovering of knowledge, not the covering of content. Through a series of hands-on investigations, like the one in the video below, students can start to uncover what is really going on between the Earth, Sun, and Moon. What is important to keep in mind as the teacher is that students are coming to their own conclusions about what they are observing, and not looking to you for explanations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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