Constructivism

Constructivist approaches to teaching and learning have emerged fromthe work of psychologists and educators such as:

JeromeBruner (http://snycorva.cortland.edu/~ANDERSMD/COG/bruner.html)
Jean Piaget(http://www.koyote.com/personal/hutchk/piaget1.htm)
LevVygotsky (http://education.indiana.edu/~cep/courses/p540/vygosc.html).

There are, however, two major strands of the constructivist perspective.These two strands, cognitive constructivismand social constructivism, are different in emphasis,but they also share many common perspectives about teaching and learning.Before looking at the differences between cognitive and social constructivists,it might be worthwhile to look at what they have in common. Jonassen‘s(1994) description of the general characteristics of constructivist learningenvironments is a succinct summary of the constructivist perspective.

Jonassen (1994) proposed that there are eightcharacteristics that differentiate constructivist learning environments:

1. Constructivist learning environments providemultiple representations of reality.

2. Multiple representations avoid oversimplification and represent thecomplexity of the real world.

3. Constructivist learning environments emphasizeknowledge construction inserted of knowledge reproduction.

4. Constructivist learning environments emphasizeauthentic tasks in a meaningful context rather than abstract instructionout of context.

5. Constructivist learning environments providelearning environments such as real-world settings or case-based learninginstead of predetermined sequences of instruction.

6. Constructivist learning environments encouragethoughtful reflection on experience.

7. Constructivist learning environments"enablecontext- and content- dependent knowledge construction."

8. Constructivist learning environments support"collaborative construction of knowledge through social negotiation,not competition among learners for recognition."

Jonassen‘s eight characteristics would be supported by both social andcognitive constructivists. There is, however, a difference in the emphasisthese two strands on constructivism place on each of those characteristics.