Constructivist+teaching

Constructivism is basically a theory based on observation and scientific study about how people learn. In the classroom, the constructivist view of learning can point towards a number of different teaching practices. In the most general sense, it usually means encouraging students to use active techniques to create more knowledge and then to reflect on and talk about what they are doing and how their understanding is changing. In fact, constructivism taps into and triggers the student’s innate curiosity about the world and how things work. **Constructivism – Relation to Piaget’s Theory of intelligent development** Piaget’s Theory of cognitive development proposes that humans must construct their own knowledge through experience. Experience enables them to create schemas – mental models in their heads. Piagetian principles of teaching and learning are applied in constructivism. ‘Learning is an active process’ that means direct experience, making errors and looking for solution are vital for assimilation and accommodation of information. According to Piaget - learning should be whole, authentic and real. Piaget helps us to understand that knowledge is constructed as children interact in meaningful ways with the world around them. They are more likely to learn if they are engaged in meaningful activities. Ø Encouraging students to participate in demonstration represented in classroom through questioning technique. Ø Setting up classroom for inquiry based learning for important concepts by asking thoughtful, open ended questions to students and encourage them to ask questions to each other. Ø Put students in situations that might challenge their previous misconceptions and will create contradictions that lead to discussions. Ø Framing tasks that are based on analyzing, classifying, predicting etc. Ø Providing students wait time after posing questions. Ø Encouraging students to elaborate initial response by further questioning. Ø Try to elicit maximum from students through questioning technique and alter instructional strategy based on student’s response. Ø Designing curriculum and organize information around conceptual clusters of problems and questions. Ø Designing group activities for some tasks according to demonstrated cognitive complexity. Ø Including active techniques like experimenting, demonstration, real world problems etc. to create more knowledge. Teaching is considered as combination of knowledge and communication skills. Two way communication between teacher and learner in teaching learning process create interest and enthusiasm of student and removes fear and inhibition. A good communication with learners helps teacher to understand their point of view and any misconceptions if they have. Communication helps teacher to understand learner’s potential skills that can be used to design teaching learning strategies. Group processing involves leadership, decision making, communication and conflict resolution. Group processing techniques help students’ build team skills, allow them to reflect on their learning process and outcomes, and provide teachers with continues feedback. Students feel more positive toward the subject matter; students’ increase their communication and social skills. Moreover students become more confident and self dependant and the self esteem rises.
 * 1. Constructivism – Description **
 * 2. Constructivist teaching practices **
 * 3. Role of Communication and Group processing in teaching **