Behaviorism suggests there is a measurable, outward expression of learning. It focuses on behaviors that can be observed and which are the direct result of specific stimuli. In the behaviorist classroom, only the environment and experience influence learning and the focus is teacher-directed instruction. In contrast, constructivism maintains that learners construct their learning by active involvement with the environment, constructing subjective explanations of objective reality. In the constructivist classroom, the focus shifts from the teacher to the learner.
Constructivism calls on learners to work collaboratively to construct new knowledge based on prior knowledge. The development of new knowledge or Learning occurs in the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). This Zone lies between that which is known and that which is unknown. In the ZPD, the learner transforms, with the assistance of More Knowledgeable Others, what is not known into what is known.
The level of actual development is the level of development that the learner has already reached, and is the level at which the learner is capable of solving problems independently. The level of potential development (the “zone of proximal development”) is the level of development that the learner is capable of reaching under the guidance of teachers or in collaboration with peers.
Constructivism
Instructional Scenario
In a 6th grade Biology class, 18 students are divided into 6 groups of 3 students each. The instructor selects 6 major organs (the heart, the liver, the lungs, the brain, the stomach, and the skin). The instructor labels 6 slips of paper and has the groups randomly select which organ they will need to research. Each group needs to create a 5-minute presentation in which the group will define the organ, explain its functions within the body, discuss any challenge faced when the organ is ill, and give a prognosis for future medical advances related to the organ. The group may use any medium they wish, video, PowerPoint slides, or full science fair project board displays. Each member of the group will have to speak during the presentation.
The students must exercise skills in teamwork and peer interaction as they begin their research and decide how they want to display the results of their study. They will need to be organized and plan their time appropriately. They will need to set specific goals in order to achieve completion of the project on time.
A scaffolding strategy could be that the instructor moves around to each group to guide them. The instructor will ask questions that reveal the prior knowledge of the students. The instructor may ask some specific questions with the aim of encouraging group members to organize and plan the research. Based on student prior knowledge, the instructor may make minor suggestions to keep the group on topic.
This scenario incorporates the social constructivist strategy of collaboration, requiring students to collaborate to create a presentation on a topic.
References:
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Merrill, M.D. (1991). Constructivism and Instructional Design. Educational technology, 31(5), 45-53
https://www.simplypsychology.org/Zone-of-Proximal-Development.html
http://gsi.berkeley.edu/gsi-guide-contents/learning-theory-research/social-constructivism/
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Graphics by Maryum Mohsin
My College Personal Learning Experience
My college personal learning experience models the behaviorism learning theory more than the constructivism learning theory. It was a second year course and I shared the class space with about 150 students. The course work consisted of attending the instructor-given lectures and taking notes of his discourse from the board. We had 2-3 books to read and we had to write two papers and complete a mid-term and final exam. I can't remember the gist of the papers but mostly the work was informational or being able to find evidence of the social liberation theories the professor had taught us mirrored within the content of the books. The test questions required us to repeat what we had learned in class. I prepared for them by reviewing class notes. I constructed knowledge but it was fed to me. It was not an interactive course but then I may not have had the level of knowledge necessary to engage in interactive projects at that point.