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Constructivism

Basic Assumptions of Constructivism Include:

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  1. Constructivist learning environments provide multiple representations of reality.

  2. Multiple representations avoid oversimplification and represent the complexity of the real world.

  3. Constructivist learning environments emphasize knowledge construction inserted of knowledge reproduction.

  4. Constructivist learning environments emphasize authentic tasks in a meaningful context rather than abstract instruction out of context.

  5. Constructivist learning environments provide learning environments such as real-world settings or case-based learning instead of predetermined sequences of instruction.

  6. Constructivist learning environments encourage thoughtful reflection on experience.

  7. Constructivist learning environments "enable context- and content- dependent knowledge construction."

  8. Constructivist learning environments support "collaborative construction of knowledge through social negotiation, not competition among learners for recognition."

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"Constructivism and Social Constructivism". Retrieved from http://www.ucdoer.ie/index.php/Education_Theory/Constructivism_and_Social_Constructivism

More about my

personal learning experiences

Teaching Programming to 6-8 year-olds with LEGO

June 20, 2018

 

The example that comes to mind was when I taught a Futurekids Robotics class: children from 6-8 would build machines with rotors, touch sensors, and light sensors, and then we would hook them up to a terminal so they could program it using the TC Logo language.

It was a fairly small class (maximum of 6 kids), and one of the things they built was a washing machine. After they built it and hooked it up, we would first program a wash cycle where the rotor moves in one direction, and then a spin cycle where the rotor rotates back and forth. And then once everyone was able to do that, we would install a door with a touch sensor so that if the door was opened the program routine would automatically stop.

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Because it was programming, each child had his/her own routine to make the program work. It didn’t matter that they didn’t have the same steps so long as it made sense and it performed the routine. As the teacher, I had to see where each child was going with their programming and asked different questions to each one to help make their own routines be successful. Then after everyone was successful, I’d invite them to look at each other’s routines.

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The skills in the Zone of Proximal Development would be logic and programming. We kept building on previous successes: small routines first, then becoming more and more complicated. Sometimes along the way the routine wouldn’t run and the kids would get frustrated, and my scaffolding strategy was to ask them questions about their routines, and if they still couldn’t figure it out I would point to a specific part in their routine and ask, “Well, let’s take a look at this line…”

 

A social constructivist strategy that was also used was that kids would work in pairs to build a more complex machine, or that I would sometimes enlist the help of someone who finished sooner to help those who were having challenges with their routines.
 

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References:

 

How do my experiences relate to the learning theories discussed in the course?

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