Constructivism

Introduction to Constructivism

Constructivism is a learning theory which holds that knowledge is best gained through a process of reflection and active construction in the mind (Mascolo & Fischer, 2005). Thus, knowledge is an intersubjective interpretation. The learner must consider the information being taught and – based on past experiences, personal views, and cultural background – construct an interpretation. Constructivism is split into two main camps: cognitive and social. The first form, cognitive (radical) constructivism, proposes that the process of constructing knowledge is dependent on the individual’s subjective interpretation of their active experience. The second form, social constructivism, affirms that human development is socially situated and that knowledge is constructed through interaction with others. This chapter discusses the origin of constructivism (particularly cognitive constructivism), its key theorists, applications for instructional designers, and criticisms and limitations of the theory. In the next chapter, the second form of constructivism – social constructivism or socioculturalism – will be discussed.

Origins of Cognitive Constructivism

Rooted in the theories of Jean Piaget, cognitive constructivism highlights the active role of learners in constructing knowledge through experiences, emphasizing individual discovery and cognitive development. For the cognitive constructionists, the works of Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner were deeply influential with the work of John Dewey bridging the gap between the cognitive constructivism and social constructivism. The common ground that united both cognitive and social constructivists under the umbrella of constructivism is that all believed that the learning theories (e.g behaviorism and humanism) at the time did not adequately represent the actual learning process. In addition, their ideas were rooted in experiences in the classroom instead of experiments in a lab (compared to behaviorism).  While each of these theorists will be studied in more detail in future chapters, a brief overview will be shared here to set the foundation of cognitivism and its origins.

Jean Piaget, considered the first cognitive constructionist, focused on how individuals construct knowledge through developmental stages, emphasizing processes like assimilation and accommodation to explain how learners adapt and grow. Jerome Bruner expanded on these ideas with his concept of discovery learning, advocating for scaffolding and the spiral curriculum, where learners revisit ideas at increasing levels of complexity. John Dewey, often regarded as the father of experiential learning, highlighted the importance of reflection and real-world experiences in shaping understanding. Together, their work laid the groundwork for learner-centered education, promoting inquiry, exploration, and the idea that knowledge is actively constructed rather than passively received.

Constructivism in Practice

A basic understanding of constructivism requires a clear vision of what it means to allow a learner to connect their own experiences to new knowledge. In order to better illustrate the use of constructivism in the classroom, the next section describes the role of both the learner and the instructor.

Nature of Learner

Throughout the learning process, the learner is expected to consider the information being taught and construct an interpretation. The interpretation is constructed based on past experiences, personal views, and cultural background. Following the interpretation, the learner is expected to reflect on the new knowledge. Cognitive and social constructivism generally regard the nature of the learner in a similar fashion.

Cognitive constructivism assumes the learner recognizes their place at the center of the knowledge creation and acquisition process. The learner works through a process of acquisition and assimilation. A major role of the learner is to reflect on past experiences and be conscious of the variables affecting the absorption of the new knowledge. Social constructivism expects similar reflection from the learner, however it also incorporates the social aspects of learning. More on this in the next chapter.

Role of Instructor

Due to the nature of constructivism, the instructor must adapt a more hands-on approach instead of the traditional lecture style. The environment of the classroom should be supportive of each individual learner’s thinking and encourage a constant challenge.

From a cognitive constructivist perspective, the role of the instructor is to facilitate a learner-centered environment where students actively engage in constructing their own knowledge. Unlike traditional models of instruction that emphasize the transmission of information from teacher to student, cognitive constructivism positions the instructor as a guide, mentor, and designer of meaningful learning experiences. In this approach, the instructor’s primary responsibility is to create opportunities for learners to explore, inquire, and make connections between new concepts and their prior knowledge (Brownstein, 2001). By doing so, instructors help learners develop deeper and more robust understanding, as opposed to rote memorization of facts. As one author explains:

“A teacher tells, a facilitator asks; a teacher lectures from the front, a facilitator supports from the back; a teacher gives answers according to a set curriculum, a facilitator provides guidelines and creates the environment for the learner to arrive at his or her own conclusions; a teacher mostly gives a monologue, a facilitator is in continuous dialogue with the learners.” (Rhodes and Bellamy, 1999).

Relevance to Instructional Design

Instructional design rooted in cognitive constructivism emphasizes creating learner-centered environments where students actively engage in constructing their understanding. Effective design incorporates strategies that foster exploration, critical thinking, and meaningful engagement. Keep in mind that instructors play a critical role in translating these principles into actionable strategies within their unique settings. Therefore, working with individual instructors as you design the instruction is paramount. Some possible strategies for applying cognitive constructionism in instructional design include:

Scaffolding

Scaffolding involves providing temporary and adaptive support that enables learners to achieve tasks they might find too challenging on their own. For instance, an instructor can use guided questioning or visual aids to help learners grasp complex mathematical concepts, gradually reducing support as learners become more confident and independent.

Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning is an application of constructivism that emphasizes hands-on, project-based learning. For example, an instructor teaching a class about engineering might assign learners to build a bridge. Through the process of designing and constructing the bridge, learners encounter challenges and engage in trial and error, using their past experiences to adapt and discover solutions. This approach allows them to internalize the nuances of engineering concepts through active engagement.

Thematic Learning

Another effective implementation is using thematic learning, in which learners are presented large-scale topics and allowed to identify and explore aspects that resonate with them most. For instance, in teaching evolution, an instructor might provide an overarching explanation of the subject without narrowing the focus to a single point. A student particularly interested in natural selection could delve deeper, writing a paper and presenting their insights to the class. This flexibility encourages personal engagement and demonstrates the learner-centered nature of constructivist instructional design.

By integrating these applications, instructional designers can foster environments that support both individual exploration and collaborative learning, ensuring knowledge is meaningful, transferable, and engaging for all learners.

Criticism and Limitations

Novice learners should have more structure (Jonassen, 1992). According to Bloom’s Taxonomy (cf. Fig. 3), the process of learning first starts with remembering and understanding. These two bases require structure to ensure the learner can memorize the subject and recall why the information is important. Without the beginning structure, the learner would struggle to get to the level of application. The lack of structure becomes a possible limitation if the student does not have any base to begin with. However, both Piaget and Vygotsky believed in innate abilities that act as the initial building blocks to learning.

Because the nature of constructivism is more abstract and applicable, it is difficult to know if the observed learning outcomes account for everything. Outcomes are generally measured through some form of a rote test and thus do not often incorporate the application and extrapolation of the learning. This could be a limitation of constructivism, if the mode of measurement is not conducive to reflection.

Another possible limitation of constructivism is the time required during implementation. Operating under the constructivist framework, instructors are expected to spend more time engaging the learner. In order to engage the learner, the instructor needs to spend more preparation time out of the classroom thinking about new activities. The instructor also carries the role of allowing time for reflection. Effectively using time can prove to be a problem of constructivism, but it can be fixed through thoughtful implementation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, cognitive constructivism is a learning theory which affirms that knowledge is best gained through a process of action, reflection and construction. Piaget focused on the interaction of experiences and ideas in the creation of new knowledge. Dewey emphasized inquiry and the integration of real world and classroom activities. The constructivist framework relies on the learners to be in control of their own acquisition of knowledge and encourages the instructor to serve as a facilitator. Constructivism has limitations, but it can allow for the learner to reach higher planes of knowledge than would be possible otherwise (Jonassen, 1993).

Reflection

Use the H5P Documentation tool below to answer the questions for Part 1 of your Oar and Rubber Boot assignment (ORB) on constructivism. Once you’ve worked through the H5P, select Create Document, and then copy/paste the document into your ORB Google doc for this theory. You’ll complete Part II of this assignment in your Google doc.

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