Class 5, Chapter 8: Student-Centered and Constructivist to Iinstruction

Chapter 8 Learning Outcomes:

• Identify key concepts of the constructivist view of learning and their implications for classroom practices.
• Discuss how to use cooperative learning most effectively in the classroom. 
• Describe how you can teach your student's problem-solving and thinking skills.
• Describe how student-centered and constructivist approaches to instruction influences teaching. 

Objective(s):

• Upon viewing related videos, topical dialogue, reading of chapter content related to student centered and constructivist approaches to instruction graduate candidates will seek out scholarly research which will enhance their professional experience as a school leader.

The Constructivist Theory: Constructivist Theory (Jerome Bruner) A major theme in the theoretical framework of Bruner is that learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas concepts based upon their current/past knowledge. The instructor and student should engage in an active dialogue (i.e., socratic learning). 

• Key concepts of the constructivist: 
• "Constructivism draws heavily from the work of Piaget and Vygotsky who both emphasized that cognitive change takes place only when previous conceptions go through a process of disequiliberation in light of new information: (Slavin, 2018, p. 188).  
• "Piaget and Vygotsky also stressed the social nature of learning, and both suggested the use of of mixed-ability learning groups to promote conceptual change" (Slavin, 2018, p. 188).
• "Modern constructivist thought draws from most heavily on Vygotsky's theories which have veeen used to support classroom instructional methods that emphasize cooperative learning, project based learning, and discovery" (Slavin, 2018, p. 188-189).

While many pedagogical approaches integrate key constructivist assumptions about learning and instruction discussed above, five approaches currently receive significant attention. These include:

1. Case Based Learning
2. Discovery Learning
3. Inquiry Based Learning
4. Problem Based Learning
5. Project Based Learning

Student Activity 1: Each student will choose on of the pedagogical approaches above, seek out an internet definition, move to each classmate and share definitions, and come up with an example you have used or one which you plan on using. 

Extension: The following are videos of each of the pedagogical approaches. 

1. case-based learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4-7RiGRGD8 
2. discovery learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgUwHt21yJ0&feature=player_embedded  
3. inquiry-based learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbux7nf2brY&feature=player_embedded 
4. problem-based learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Tlg-nsGi7V0 
5. project-based learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=waKZQ9gaBkI

Four Key Principals Derived From Vygotsky's:

1. Social Learning
2. Zone of Proximal Development
3. Cognitive Apprenticeship
4. Mediated Learning

Zone of Proximal Development

Cognitive Apprenticeship (John Abbot)

Mediated Learning

Student Learning Activity 2: Constructivist Methods in the Content Area (also see text pages 193-197) 

• At ERIC conduct a search within your desired content area which relates to an area of interest: Case Based Learning, Discovery Learning, Inquiry Based Learning, Problem Based Learning or Project Based Learning. 
• Write an annotated bibliography for your assignment for next weeks assignment. 

Cooperative Learning: How is cooperative learning used in instruction?

The author of the course text, Dr. Robert A. Slavin and Cooperative Learning. 

• Most Used Cooperative Learning Methods
• Student Teams-Achievement Divisions (STAD)
• Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC)
• Jigsaw
• Learning together
• Peer-assisted learning strategies (PALS)
• Cooperative Scripting
• Informal cooperative learning structure

Problem-Solving & Thinking Skills: How are problem-solving and thinking skills taught? 

Bransford an Stein (1993) as cited by Slavin (2018) "developed and evaluated a five-step strategy called IDEAL" (p. 204). The Process:

• I = Identify problems and opportunities
• D = Define goals and represent the problem
• E = Explore possible strategies
• A = Anticipate outcomes and act
• L = Look back and learn

The Problem Solving Process:

• Means-Ends Analysis
• Extracting Relevant Information 
• Representing the Problem

Teaching Creative Problem Solving:

• Strategies:
• Incubation
• Suspension of Judgment
• Appropriate Climates
• Engaging Problems
• Feedback

Assignment: Explore the subject areas more by:

• Reading Chapter 8 of your text.
• Create 1 annotated bibliographies related to the topic. Recall in Activity 2 above you were to conduct an ERIC search related to the Constructivist Methods in the Content Area. Considering the Learning Outcomes for this annotated bibliography: 

• Identify key concepts of the constructivist view of learning and their implications for classroom practices.
• Discuss how to use cooperative learning most effectively in the classroom. 
• Describe how you can teach your student's problem-solving and thinking skills.
• Describe how student-centered and constructivist approaches to instruction influences teaching. 

• Research more about the topic area and create another annotated bibliography which also focuses on the theory of constructivism.  This can be your choice, although the article below does a comparison with the behavioralist theory.  

Extended Readings: 

Teaching students with intellectual disabilities:Constructivism or behaviorism? From Saudi Arabia, yet does a good comparison between constructivism and behaviorism. 
Constructivism in Theory and in Practice