WEEK 7

For this weeks blog I decided to respond to objective 5, which states; Explain constructivism and how it affects teaching and learning today. Constructivism is a view of learning that encourages an active role of the learner to make sense of information being given to them. This perspective of learning is one of the most popular views of how students learn. Constructivists believe that learners will bring their own experiences and understandings to each new event, which in turn makes them the primary agents in developing their own knowledge. All the learners prior understandings influence how they operate in each new situation. Rather than students receiving information from just the teacher, they use cognitive processes to construct the understandings of new ideas.

As a teacher, I realize that I will be a "guide" rather than a "translator". My classroom needs to be student-centered rather than teacher-centered for appropriate learning to take affect. I also need to create 'new' learning environments that allows students to create their own understandings by discussions, active inquiry-based learning, and critical thinking. According to the text, Edcuators such as myself need to:
Support multiple perspectives
Encourage ownership in learning
Provide social negotiation
Embed learning in complex, realistic environments...
I see my role as scaffolding student's learning experiences using collaborative work and multiple paths to explore all ideas.

After reading this chapter, I was able to reflect on myself as a teacher. I have a couple ideas to use in my classroom that allows the constructivist views of learning, such as the K-W-L charts. However, I want to know what other ways we can assess the students before a unit that allows us to understand the students knowledge of the subject matter and ways that we can base our curriculum around 30 students needs?! How can I, as a teacher, scaffold my lesson plans around the students knowledge when they all may be at such different places?