Thursday, 24 September 2015


           For too long, students have been treated like blank slates, empty containers waiting to be filled with knowledge. This concept, originally founded by John Locke, is a teacher-centered approach, and current research is showing there needs to be a change in how we conduct our classrooms (T.Norris, personal communication, February 5, 2014). There are many alternative options to teacher-centered learning, but the one I believe is the most effective is constructivism. Constructivism put the needs of each individual child at the center, allowing them to “construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences” (Geison, n.d.). Constructivism will provide students with a meaningful education as it is personalized to their needs, giving all students a chance to succeed.


           Students will be in control of their own learning with the teacher acting as a facilitator, guiding students to the answers. This will allow each individual student to find meaning and enjoyment in their own education as constructivism builds on past experiences and pre-existing knowledge. Constructivism also encourages students to work with each other, stressing the importance of collaboration and group work. This is a total shift in the classroom and both students and instructors will have new roles.



Retrieved from Google Images. https://www.google.ca/search?q=student+centered+learning&rlz=1C5CHFA_enCA519CA520&espv=2&biw=1221&bih=666&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIweK_h7eQyAIVUAuSCh3ebgta#imgrc=nLWRb6riDXWrTM%3A

            Having a teacher stand up at the front of the class to lecture students is a great way to teach, if you’re the teacher. You have total control of the lecture; what will be taught, how you will teach it, and what will be tested. But schools are not designed to benefit the teachers; they are a place meant to enrich student’s minds, guiding them through their education. By shifting to student-centered learning, the emphasis is now on learning, not teaching ("Education Theory/Constructivism and Social Constructivism in the Classroom", n.d.). The instructor’s will not lecture, but facilitate; placing each student at the center and personalizing their education to them. With teachers connecting education to student’s real life experiences, students will grasp concepts easier and with higher proficiency, as the material is no longer just words on a page (Geison, n.d.).



Retrieved from YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ygnyiik8aM
           
            In my summer job, I was able to apply constructivist principles and I saw the difference it can make first hand. I taught kids aged 6-14 the basic fundamentals of golf, which can be a little dull at times. By getting to know each individual camper, I was able to create activities based upon their interests. For example, when working on the driving range with campers with a hockey background, I would constantly refer to hockey throughout my instruction. The campers pre-existing knowledge of hockey allowed them to understand my instructions more clearly, allowing them make more progress throughout the activity.


            In my opinion, constructivism is the next step our classrooms need to take in order to ensure students are receiving the best education possible. Shifting the system to a student-centered approach puts them at the center, not the curriculum or provincial standards. Ensuring our education system is always improving is crucial because at the end of the day “ a good education is the best gift you can give yourself or anyone else” (Narsimhan, 2008).

 References

Education Theory/Constructivism and Social Constructivism in the Classroom. (n.d.).                     Retrieved September 23, 2015, from http://www.ucdoer.ie/index.php /Education_      Theory/Constructivism_and_Social_Constructivism_in_the_Classroom

Geison, J. (n.d.). Constructivism: A Holistic Approach to Teaching and Learning. Retrieved             September 24, 2015, from http://www.niu.edu/facdev/programs/handouts/constructivism.pdf


Narsimhan, M. (n.d.). A quote by Mahtab Narsimhan. Retrieved September 23, 2015, from             http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/254137-a-good-education-is-the-greatest-gift-you-can-give

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3 comments:

  1. Anonymous25 September 2015 at 13:55

    Lucas,
    First off I would like to comment on how good your blog looks! It has great flow to it and is easy to follow, which as a blogger is a great aspect to have. Furthermore, your hyperlinks and videos were very informative which really added depth to your blog. I also enjoyed your personal experience section, which brought to life the idea of construtivist teaching. One thing that i would like to see in your next blog is to stay way from the formal academic definitions and to use your own words to describe what the idea meant. I enjoyed reading your blog and I look forward to reading more!

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  2. Unknown25 September 2015 at 16:48

    Hello Lucas,
    I enjoyed reading your blog; it is clearly written and had great flow that included your personal interests, stories and opinions. Specifically, I think your hyperlinks lead to more information, and allow you to avoid unnecessary clutter within blog post. I thought your comments about school benefitting the student not the teacher was an interesting approach to validating the concept of student- centered learning. My only question to you regarding this topic is do you think it will be more beneficial for all students or do you believe that there may be some that would prefer the teacher to instruct them in a more traditional fashion? Overall, your blog has a very appealing layout and the image and YouTube video connect to your topic and help provide a deeper level of understanding.
    Thanks for writing!

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  3. nickm1 October 2015 at 11:43

    Lucas,
    The post is good, I particularly like your use of hyperlinks to explain concepts that many people reading this may not be familiar with. I always try and write blogs with the idea in mind that the person reading it has no idea what you're talking about and that you should therefore provide as much information about foreign concepts as you can. You are clearly doing just that. As far as formatting goes, I would have appreciated a title at the top of the post. The embedded video is a great way of furthering your ideas through a multimedia representation. As far as your content goes, theoretically, I would tend to agree with you that constructivism seems to be a logical step in the evolution of the classroom. Playing the devil's advocate however, do you believe that an entirely constructivist classroom is possible within the current educational structure which Ontario employs? Realistically, I think that a lot of changes, both structurally as well as culturally, would be needed in order to implement the sorts of things you're implying at the provincial level. Do you agree?

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