Constructivism and inquiry-based activities can engage, motivate, and create memorable learning experiences. These activities and projects help students master curricular concepts in ways that allow them to be more actively involved in the learning process. Instead of simply listening to a teacher or reading a book to learn information, constructivist lessons require students to be involved in building their own understanding of the concepts by using their “prior experience and the first-hand knowledge gained from new explorations” (Miami Museum of Science). While many educators find it challenging to create and implement constructivist lessons in their classrooms, the benefits students receive from these lessons typically make the planning process worth the teacher’s extra time and effort. There are numerous resources available on the web that can be used to get a better understanding of the constructivist theory and help teachers use this theory in their classrooms.
The Miami Museum of Science’s article, “Constructivism and the Five E's,” provides five steps that can be used in a classroom while doing a constructivist activity. Although this article was specifically written from a science-teaching perspective, its strategies can be applied to virtually any content area. As the teacher serves as the facilitator during the lesson, the students progress through the following five stages called the “Five E’s” - Engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate (Miami Museum of Science). During the “engage” phase, the teacher introduces students to the task at hand in a way that will sell them on the merit of the activity. While the article focuses more on the students’ role in this step, the teacher is really the one responsible for effectively launching the lesson through the “engage” phase. Next, students “explore” the task using materials provided by the teacher along with resources they find themselves. The students’ interests and ways of thinking drive the instruction during this part of the activity. Students then start organizing their findings during the “explain” part of the lesson. Being able to communicate thoughts effectively is a key characteristic of a successful inquiry-based activity. Students often struggle with this step initially, but gain confidence and improve their communication skills as they become more familiar with the process. Next, students are expected to “elaborate” as they “expand on the concepts they have learned, make connections to other related concepts, and apply their understandings to the world around them” (Miami Museum of Science). These connections that students make are often to real-world situations, and they also tend to lead to additional problems the students can pursue. Finally, the teacher will “evaluate” the students. While there may be other assessments along the way, there should be a final evaluation for the entire project. A rubric is also a helpful tool to use in order to ensure that students’ grades are based upon specific, measurable criteria. By following the “Five E’s,” teachers can create engaging, project-based learning activities that will captivate students while helping them master cross-curricular content.
Another thought-provoking internet resource is Jamie McKenzie’s “Grazing the Net.” While this was written over fifteen years ago when the internet was a grain of sand compared to the beach that it has become today, McKenzie’s celebrations and concerns of cyberspace continue to have merit. The author’s arguments may remind the present-day reader about schools’ battles over whether or not sources such as Wikipedia should be blocked from their students. While internet research can result in gathering volumes of information in mere minutes, the question of “How will the voyager know when they have found truth?” continues to challenge educators (McKenzie). As opposed to simply focusing on teaching content to students, today’s teachers need to also help the youth become skilled “infotectives” (McKenzie). As “infotectives,” students must learn how to make sense of what they find on the internet, and determine whether or not information they find is reliable. Too often, students believe everything they see on the internet as opposed to questioning the sources and constructing their own perspectives based on the information they have gathered. By considering some of the ideas laid out in McKenzie’s article, teachers will be better prepared to use the vast internet to help their students construct a better understanding of the world around them.
Perhaps the best example of a one-stop-shop for information on constructivism is thirteen.org’s web workshop titled “Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning.” Every pre-service teacher should be required to spend some time on this site in order to get a deeper understanding of the constructivist theory. In addition to getting some background information on the constructivist theory, teachers can view video clips of actual constructivist lessons playing out in the classroom. Also, the suggested “Five Guiding Principles of Constructivism” will help both rookie and veteran teachers purposefully plan a constructivist lesson for their own classrooms. An important item to note is the site’s reminder that “constructivism does not dismiss the active role of the teacher or the value of expert knowledge” (Thirteen). The teacher must continue to model for students while providing them with the tools necessary to explore the task at hand. This comprehensive online resource provides all educators with some important things to think about when exploring the merits and practical applications of constructivist theory.
While constructivism has been developing and evolving for decades, these three articles discuss some key points that must be considered before effectively integrating this learning theory into our technology-rich classrooms. In addition to providing specific criteria to consider when building a constructivist lesson from scratch, these sites provide readers with valuable insight that may transform how one teaches. Nearly every teacher will be able to apply concepts from these articles as they see fit in order to create more engaging and meaningful learning activities. At the end of the day, what matters most is getting students to achieve at their highest levels, and constructivist activities can motivate students while building a deeper understanding of the curricular concepts involved.
Works Cited
"Constructivism and the Five E's." Miami Museum of Science. 2001. Web. 29 Oct. 2010. (http://www.miamisci.org/ph/lpintro5e.html)
"Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning." THIRTEEN - New York Public Media. Web. 29 Oct. 2010. (http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index.html)
McKenzie, Jamie. "Grazing the Net: Raising a Generation of Free Range Students." From Now On. Web. 1994. (http://www.fno.org/grazing1.html).
No comments:
Post a Comment