Reflection #5 - Chapter 8 Student-Centered and Constructivist Approaches to Instruction

EDAT 6115  Reflection Blog #5, Chapter 8

Student-Centered and Constructivist Approaches to Instruction

Description

The constructivist approach to instruction is a student-centered instructional method as opposed to the traditional teacher-centered direct instruction.  This approach encourages students to do problem-solving, experiments, self-guided learning, and cooperative learning as guided by a teacher in order to increase the depth of knowledge of the subject matter.

Analysis

The ideas of constructivist learning find their roots in Piaget and Vygotsky who both emphasized students learning in groups with their peers.  Four of Vygostky’s principles have been important in this learning style:  1) zone of proximal development, 2) cognitive apprenticeship, 3) mediated learning, and 4) social learning. 

Constructivist approaches have some key distinguishing features.  First of all, the lessons are constructed in a top-down approach.  Students are given a real world problem, then they figure out or are guided through the basic skills needed to figure out the big problem.  Peer interaction is a major feature.  If set up correctly, students can gain a wealth of knowledge by working with their peers - sharing ideas, hearing the problem-solving processes aloud, and explaining their knowledge to each other.  They can also be motivated to help each other learn and achieve.  Multiple methods can be used to facilitate cooperative learning such as Student Teams - Achievement Divisions (STAD), Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies, Jigsaw, Think-Pair-Share, and Project-Based Learning.  Teaching students through discovery learning (experiments and discoveries), self-regulated learning (learning to do the steps of learning themselves), and scaffolding (guided learning) are all aspects of the constructivist approach.

Part of the self-regulating idea and guiding students is teaching them to be both problem solvers and critical thinkers.  By learning methods of how to solve problems, what questions to ask, and what steps to follow, students learn skills that can be transferred from one problem to another and one content to another.  

Reflection

This chapter both affirmed some of my current teaching practices and challenged me to incorporate more cooperative learning in my classroom.  In previous blog entries I have already described the classroom debates and Supreme Court simulation.  Those activities were guided by me, and involved cooperative learning and discovery learning as students wrestled with real world questions and problems. These activities were set up with specific guidelines that kept each student involved and promoted a sharing of different ideas and opinions with respect.

I am further challenged to incorporate more of those activities in the classroom.  However, I now have a curiosity about other forms of cooperative learning such as STAD.  As I read through the description of STAD I thought that this might be a great way to help students prepare for a test.  They would be motivated to help each other master the standards.  I didn’t quite understand how the scoring method works, so that would be something that I would like to further research.

I appreciated the suggestions for how to make groups that vary in ability as well as gender and ethnicity.

Cooperative learning can definitely have some difficulties that were not addressed in the chapter.  Most kids really do great in groups, but there are often a few personalities that have trouble learning to work with others.  This can take a few different forms.  Sometimes there is a child who is extremely insecure or shy, who clams up in a shell and struggles to open up and participate.  Other times, there is a child who is loud, obnoxious, and generally disagreeable - no one wants to be in that child’s group.  Of course, there are always a few that are bossy and controlling, but if they are given a specific responsibility, they will usually do it well and can help the group.  In a high school setting, where there are 165 total students coming in and out every 50 minutes, it can be hard to find any extra time to work with these children on developing social skills that are necessary for cooperative learning.

I still think that the pros outweigh the cons.  Again, this is something I would like to spend more time thinking about as I begin planning instruction for the coming school year.

References

Slavin, R.E. (2018).  Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education