constructivism and science education
...nt problems full of meaning because of their real-life context. In solving these problems, students are encouraged to explore possibilities, invent alternative solutions, collaborate with other students (or external experts), try out ideas and hypotheses, revise their thinking, and finally present the best solution they can derive. Contrast this approach with the typical behaviorist classroom, where students are passively involved in receiving all necessary critical information from the teacher and the textbook. Rather than inventing solutions and constructing knowledge in the process, students are taught how to "get the right answer" using the teacher's method. Students do not even have to "make sense" of the method used to solve problems. What is constructivism? Constructivists believe that learning is a process of sense-making, of adding and synthesizing new information within existing knowledge structures and adjusting prior understandings to new experiences. Therefore, the meaning that each learner derives from a particular learning experience is unique and each individual's experience is filtered through their personal understandings, beliefs, and values. In order to best accommodate new experiences, the learner must experience disequilibrium, or dissatisfaction with their existing knowledge and beliefs. Many constructivists believe also that learning is a social process. Learners who are dissatisfied with their current level of knowledge engage others in a sharing, comparing, and reformulating of ideas. Through a collaborative process, learners restructure new understanding s. However, the constructivist point of view challenges the traditional approach to instructional design. Uniform learning objectives cannot be stated for all learners, given that the constructivist approach recognizes that all learners enter at unique levels and derive their own meaning from the learning situation. Principles of Constructivist Learning 1. Anchor all learning activities in a larger task. Give the reason for the particular task so the learner can conceptualize the global picture. 2. Provide for multiple entry points in the instruction so the learner can select their own level, and repeat levels for additional meaning. 3. Design an authentic task. This will allow the learner the maximum transferability to new challenges as t hey appear. 4. Design the task to reflect the complexity of the environment the learner will face. 5. Support and challenge the learner's thinking. Aid the learner in the development and testing of hypothesis that explain the challenges in the learning situation. 6. Encourage testing of ideas against alternative ideas and contexts. Allow for the co mparing of individual's and established points of view within the learning process. 7. Provide an opportunity for reflection. Critical thinking is based on our reflections, in the effort to make sense of the world and create understanding. 8...