A Constructive Approach to

Constructivism
A Mini Workshop for Instructional Designers
-created byTrio of Twos
(Team 02)

Team Roles
Coordinators

Nathaniel Caeton, Bobbie Kirkpatrick, Younga Machorro

Recorder

Nathaniel Caeton
Elaborator

Younga Machorro
Explorer

Bobbie Kirkpatrick

What Is Constructivism?
Constructivism is an educational philosophy which holds that learners ultimately
construct their own knowledge that then resides within them, so that each person's
knowledge is as unique as they are (ALN, 1997).

A Tale of Two Constructivisms

Cognitive Constructivism

Centered on the individual learner.

Particular attention given to supporting the
learners needs and interests.
Assumes that learners possess ideas, beliefs,
and opinions that require modification.
Instructor provides tasks and questions aimed
at creating dilemmas to bring about these
modifications.
Knowledge construction is resultant to
working through these dilemmas..

Social Constructivism

Centered on the social context of knowledge.

Situates the learner within social and cultural
contexts.
Assumes that theory and practice do not
develop in a void.
Knowledge is shared and learning is shaped
by dominant social and cultural assumptions.
Knowledge construction is resultant to social
interactions within these contexts and later
internalized by the individual learner.

Basic Precepts
Learning Is an
Active Process

The learner actively

engages in the process of
meaning-making
(Wilson, 2012).
This process occurs as
the learner encounters
everyday experiences
and interactions.

Learning Is
Opportunistic
Cognitive conflict,
challenges, perplexities,
and problem solving
activities, all result in
learning opportunities
(Wilson, 2012).
Problem solving can be
naturally occurring or a
planned intervention.

Learning Is a Social
Activity
Collaboration,
negotiation, and
participation are all
involved in the learning
process (Wilson, 2012).
Authentic communities
of practice are most
conducive to the learning
process.

Basic Precepts Continued

4

Embed These
Naturally
Learning activities
should be designed in
such a way that they
include naturally
occurring reflection,
assessment, and
feedback, wherever
possible (Wilson, 2012).

Primary
Responsibility
Primary responsibility
for learning should fall
directly to the learner.
In other words, each
learner must
intentionally seek to
own the learning
process (Wilson, 2012).

Benefits of Constructivism

Correspondence to Real-World Learning

In real-world settings, knowledge is typically acquired through active engagement and meaningful
activity (Wilson, 2012).

Higher-Order Learning Outcomes

Constructivist approaches focus on problem solving and critical thinking.

Not only are these critical objectives for education and instruction, but they are representative of
the demands placed on expertise in real-world settings (Wilson, 2012).

Better Integration of Affect and Emotion

Constructivist approaches integrate emotion, affect, and engagement into the learning process.

This engages the learner holistically and results in more realistic representations of expertise
(Wilson, 2012)..

Relevance to Job and Out-of-Classroom Performance

Emphasis on authentic performance in realistic settings tend to be more relevant to needs

Challenges of Constructivism

Labor Intensive with Increased Needs

High quality and successful instruction requires more support, more access to resources, more
careful design, more attention to detail, more progress monitoring, and more careful guidance than
traditional instruction (Wilson, 2012).

Shifts in Energy and Control

Constructivist approaches require that learners fully own the learning process.
Learning is self-directed and learners take on roles that are typically held by the instructor.

Difficult to Get the Learning Right

Inefficient activity may lead to low-level outcomes.

Narrow learning focus can result in misalignment with broader educational standards and learning
objectives.
Activity among learners can be mistaken for targeted learning.

Learning gained through constructivist approaches is difficult to measure using objective

assessments (Wilson, 2012).

What Should We Be Doing?

First and foremost; ask pertinent questions.

How can we design a learning environment that will:

Help the instructor maintain a sense of control in the classroom.

Help the instructor and the learners transition to the constructivist approach and their new
roles.
This may have particular significance with regard to the instructor as they relinquish
their role as the sage on the stage and take on that of a guide on the side..
Help the instructor guide and direct the learning process, without impeding it.
Leverage technology in an appropriate manner.

Foster engagement, buy-in, and ownership, while emphasizing and maintaining the integrity
of the learning objectives.
Meet the needs of varying learners, and potentially, their need for varying learning outcomes.
(Wilson, 2012).

What Else Should We Be Doing?

Recall the General Principles of Instruction

Active Participation and Interaction

Effective learning happens when learners are actively engaged in meaningful tasks.
Practice, Practice, Practice
New learning requires multiple exposures. Practice improves retention and transfer.
Individual Difference
The personality, general aptitude, knowledge of subject-matter, and more, all vary from
learner to learner.
Reinforcement for Feedback
Learners require affirmation that their performance is on track.
Realistic Contexts
Learners are most likely to retain and apply knowledge experienced in a real-world setting.
Cooperative Groups

Peers acting as teammates or tutors can provide both social and pedagogical support (Su,
2016)

Additional Insight

One must be able to intelligently choose, on the basis of information gathered

about the learners present level of competence and the type of learning task, the
appropriate methods for achieving optimal instructional outcomes in that
situation (Ertmer & Newby, 2013).
Reasoned and validated theoretical eclecticism has been a key strength of our
field because no single theoretical base provides complete prescriptive principles
for the entire design process (Ertmer & Newby, 2013).
To be an eclectic, one must know a lot, not a little, about the theories being
combined. A thorough understanding of the learning theories seems to be
essential for professional designers who must constantly make decisions for which
no design model makes precise rules (Ertmer & Newby, 2013).

Final Thoughts

It is important that design practices must do more than merely accommodate the
constructivist perspectives, they should also support the creation of powerful
learning environments that optimize the value of the underlying epistemological
principles (Tam, 2000).
Instructional designers have the ability to make or break the learning process.
Our field depends on skilled professionals who know what to do with good
theory (Wilson, 2012).

References
ALN Magazine Volume 1, Issue 1 - March 1997 (Author unknown) Retrieved: February 9, 2001 from
http://www.aln.org/alnweb/magazine/issue1/sener/constrct.htm
Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from
an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), pp. 43-71.
Tam, M. (2000). "Constructivism, Instructional Design, And Technology: Implications For Transforming
Distance Learning". Ifets.info. http://www.ifets.info/journals/3_2/tam.html
Su, B. (2016). Instructional Technology: Week 3 Lecture [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from
https://ilearn.csumb.edu/pluginfile.php/347485/mod_page/content/23/Week_3_Part_1.ppt
Su, B. (2016). Instructional Technology: Week 3 Lecture [Powerpoint Slides]. Retrieved from
https://ilearn.csumb.edu/pluginfile.php/347485/mod_page/content/23/Week_3_Part_2.ppt
Wilson, B. G. (2012). Constructivism in practical and historical context. In R. A. Reiser & J. V. Dempsey (Eds.),
Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed., pp. 45-52). Boston, MA: Pearson Education