Sandy Nightingale

1. In what ways did your exploration of this "Constructivism Workshop" impact our beliefs about teaching and learning?

Exploring the “Constructivism Workshop” site helped me to understand more fully how constructivism can be used in classrooms of all ages, incorporating a number of teaching practices, such as cooperative, collaborative, and inquiry-based learning. The site stated that we are creators of our own knowledge and to do this, we must ask questions, explore, and assess what we know. I believe that the hardest part for many learners is to sort out what questions to ask. The teacher must guide the students by prompting them to reflect on and examine their own current knowledge. When someone in the group comes up with a relevant concept, the teacher indicates that this might be something that they could follow up. It is the teachers’ responsibility to provide tools such as problem-solving and inquiry-based learning activities with which the students formulate and test their own ideas, draw conclusions, and pool their knowledge collaboratively.

I think that guiding students to come to their own conclusions is very difficult for the teacher, at times. Sometimes it seems easier just to tell them the answer. But it is very rewarding to the teacher when a student discovers the concept on his/her own.

The most difficult part for me, as a teacher using constructivism, would be assessment. After reading through the information presented on the site, I have a little better understanding of how assessment should be done when using constructivism. The teacher must shift from measuring how well or poorly a student performs to assessing what kind of help a student needs to be successful. Removing bell-curve assessment takes away student competition and allows the students to collaborate and problem-solve together as a team.

A common criticism of constructivism is the belief by many that constructivism dismisses the role of the teacher and the value of expert knowledge. This belief was debated in the workshop by portraying the student as being transformed from a passive recipient of information to an active participant in the learning process, with the teacher as a valuable guide.

a. What do you see as the benefits of creating learner-centered curriculum for teaching and training?

I think that the principles are applicable at all levels and stages of learning, making it consistent throughout the curriculum. With a well-planned activity, the students are taught how to learn. Students are taught to constantly question themselves and their strategies, giving them the tools to keep learning throughout their entire lives. The student is transformed from a passive learner to an active learner. When students are engaged in their learning, deeper learning occurs.

b. What are the primary concerns with this approach to curriculum design for teaching or training?

I addressed some of my concerns above, such as the difficulty of guiding students to come to their own conclusions when it is sometimes easier just to show or tell them the answer. Assessment is another concern of mine because a different style of assessment is required for this type of learning. Both of these concerns can be overcome, but not without proper training and practice for teachers. This leads me to another concern. If not all teachers are trained in this design, it will not be a consistent, continual learning process from one grade-level or class to the next. Even so, I believe the students that are exposed to this type of learning even for a short time, will benefit in the long run.