TEAM INSPIRE

ANTHONY JOHNSON- RECORDER

HEATHER TOBEY- ELABORATOR
ONYX IFEMEMBI- COLLABORATOR
IST 524, WEEK THREE
BENEFITS, COSTS AND FUTURE
OF
CONSTRUCTIVISM
Short workshop for new teacher
orientation.
INTRODUCTION
Theories assign frameworks for learning and then
design
Shift from assumptions by early designers
What are the benefits, costs and future of
constructivism?

Each learning theory, behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism,
attempts to assign different psychological frameworks and
approaches to the materials and methods used in designing
instruction.
The Instructional designer assumes a particular theory, and then
reflects his or her belief in project. However, the use of all learning
theories should intend to improve how we learn, and how to improve
education to get the most effective results.
So far, we have seen a shift from the positivistic and deterministic
assumptions made by early instructional designers to more social
and historical constructivist assumptions that are more context
driven, learner centered and problem based learning methods.

Here, we have discussed the benefits costs of this constructivist
approach and its future.


INTRODUCTION contd

Constructivism is a learner
centered, problem solving
theory with Benefits and Cost.

Lets take a look at those
BENEFITS
Antipoff case study
Bruners model

The Educator Helena Antipoff Brazilian School
assessments in the early 20
th
century proved the
case for Constructivism as an effective learning
theory that allows the acquisition of specific
knowledge and skills by a learner.

The major theme in the Education Theorist Bruners
Model is that learning is an active process, and
students learn best when they construct new
schema upon past and current knowledge
BENEFITS
Learner centered
Focused and more engaging
Actively Involved


Learner centered means more active involvement,
and therefore more meaningful outcomes.

The focus is on thinking and understanding which
means it is more engaging with little emphasis on
repetition and rote memorization.

Learning creates more meaningful outcomes
BENEFITS
Hands on learning
Schematic approach

Constructivism is great for people who are
hands-on and inclined to problem solving.
It values and utilizes what people already
know because the new knowledge is built
over what the learner already knows
These hands-on and schematic approach
facilitate instructional solutions to real
problems.
BENEFITS
Promotes higher order thinking skills
Engaging whole process that solves
real problems

Constructivism uses higher order thinking skills
to encode and process information for critical
problem solving
This ideology integrates affects and emotions
into the whole process of learning
On the whole, Constructivism is effective in
allowing the learner to encode, rehearse and
process information in ways that can elicit
social cognition and facilitate student
application to solve real life problems
BENEFITS
More social interaction
Stimulated learners

Engaged discussions in the process of learning
promote social and communicative skills in
group work. With this type of learning,
learners have to be actively involved. They
have to take time to listen, ask questions and
talk to others.

Because this method of learning is very
engaging, learners are more stimulated and
more interested in continuing to acquire
knowledge.
COSTS
Formal vs. lax styles
Constructivism costs more to
deliver

Positivistic theorists can argue that learning
must have formal, instructor led goals rather
than the lax learner centered environment in
constructivism.

They can also say that the financial costs of
constructivism based learning makes it
impractical to use.
COSTS
More classroom equals more money
Higher tuition costs

With less students, you need more
classrooms, more instructors and these
cost money.
Planning for the hands on activities used in
constructivism takes more time and can
incur need to use more technology.
Individualized learning costs more, leading
to higher tuitions, building construction
fees and logistics costs
COSTS
Some opponents of this theory
complain that objectives and goals
are reduced in a learner centered
environment. In order words, they
think that learning is not tough
enough.

However, small class sizes cost more
to operate than bigger class sizes.
Compare a curriculum delivered to
400 students at a time to the same
curriculum delivered to 20-30
students at a time.

Lets look at tradition vs. constructivist
class
Traditional Class vs. Constructivist
Class
Traditional Class Constructivist Class
Traditional class size
delivery looks like this: A
standard curriculum is
delivered to say 400
students by an instructor in a
lecture hall. Students raise
their hands and when
permitted they can ask
questions.

An overhead projector with
the teachers notes on it.


Constructivist class size
looks like this: small class
size of 20-30 students
sometimes even broken
down into smaller groups for
discussions. Lots of
interaction.


More technology such as
individual computers, ipads,
and printing scanning
equipment.
What does the future hold?
Should we go back to the traditional methods or
stay with constructivism?

Is constructivism perfect?

Having considered the pros and cons, what then
is the way forward?

What should instructional designers be doing?

The Way Forward

Learning is still a science
Science can be proven or unproven for effectiveness

We believe that there is a scientific method to learning,
and for this reason, instruction is primarily a science.
As a science, learning should be subject to tests,
hypothesis, confirmations and revocations of
unproven information such as principles set forth in
education to measure effective learning.
We believe that the way forward should not be based
on a strong belief in one -ism or another, but rather on
choosing methods that satisfy the principles of
effective instruction.
Therefore each learning theory can be tested against
these industry identified principles of good instruction
from the industry to check if they are effective.
Principles of Instruction
1. Learning is promoted when learners are able to
solve real life problems.
2. Learning is promoted when existing knowledge
is activated as a foundation for new knowledge.
3. Learning is promoted when new knowledge is
demonstrated to the learner.
4. learning is promoted when new knowledge is
applied to the learner.
5. Learning is promoted when new knowledge is
integrated into the learners world.

Constructivism vs. Principles of
Instruction

Does Constructivism work?
Should it be changed?

Constructivism seems to work well on many
levels when measured against the principles
of instruction reviewed in the textbook trends
and issues in instructional design and
technology.
Therefore we think that with its core principles
and minor variations, it is still the way forward.





What minor variations are
proposed?

What about the curriculum?
Is it truly constructivist?

Constructivism is about how learners learn but in
principle, some educators choose constructivism as a
preferred approach to teach but the curriculum used
remains traditional in content and inflexible.
A constructionist view should also be reflected in the
curriculum. This will be demonstrated by a curriculum
that is less rigid with course goals and materials.
In the future, the learners should be able to have an
input in developing curriculum for different learning
groups.
This is important because sometimes, an instructor only
directed curriculum may not contain enough
information to develop effective critical thinking skills
for the particular group.

Minor variations- contd.

Can feedback be monitored in real time?
Can goals and objectives be more actively changed
during the duration of the course?

There should also be up to date monitoring and real
time feedback because sometimes waiting a week or
so for a group to report back progress to an instructor
may not be early enough to correct problems.
There are also groups that easily achieve the instructor
led goals and objectives in a short time during the
course. Such groups should be able to set additional
objectives during the course to truly inspire learning at
their level of need.

Constructivism vs. Other Models
What about the 4C/ID model?
Holistic instructional design and scaffolding.


One interesting model that focuses on the holistic
approach to Instructional Design was mentioned in
the text; The Merrientoboers Four Components
4C/Instructional Design Model.
This model looks at learning as a whole task with a
scaffolding approach. The proponents believe that
holistic instructional design.
-focuses on meaningful whole learning tasks
-uses scaffolding to help learners coordinate
different aspects of the whole task.
-employs mathemagenic methods to support
transfer of learning.

Conclusion
Constructivism is still effective
The core principles will remain the way forward.

Even when compared to the 4C/ID model, In many
ways, constructivism already builds on prior
knowledge (similar to scaffolding), focuses on
efficient strategies that allow problem based
learning.
Constructivism still works provided that the learners
have heightened self efficacy, commitment to
learning, and are willing to participate in
discussions that foster communication.
If the pros and cons and limitations are still
measured by the Principles of first instruction,
and the 4C Instructional design model, the core
principles of constructivism are still the way
forward.

References:
Reiser, R. A. & Dempsey, J. V. (2012). Trends and
issues in instructional design and technology.
Boston, MA Pearson Education, Inc.
Ertmer, P. A. & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviorism,
cognitivism, constructivism: comparing critical
features from an instructional design perspective.
Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), 50-72.