Contemplating the consequences of Constructivism - The Learner's Way - 21 views
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learning is a process which occurs within the mind of the individual as they process stimuli arriving from their sensory buffer from their environment (broadly speaking), into working memory and onward into long-term memory.
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Rafael Morales_Gamboa on 11 Sep 17The emphasis does not have to be on the individual, as is common. The social group learns by means of individual, but joined and synchronized, learning.
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self-guided learning or self-initiated learning
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what is significant
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independent practice
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the research on what produces effective learning supports this
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This desire is evident when we expect our learners to be scientists, historians, geographers, researchers and problem solvers/finders.
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We teach the skills of inquiry, problem solving and experimentation and then provide opportunities for independent practice.
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we have previously instructed them in
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The gradual release of responsibility model of instruction suggests that cognitive work should shift slowly and intentionally from teacher modeling, to joint responsibility between teachers and students, to independent practice and application by the learner
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It is not always the case that learning is best served when the process begins with direct instruction.
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Schools provide a rich environment within which such learning may occur
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best model can be to begin with an independent exploration of new content even when this produces failure
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schools maximise their impact on the learning that occurs
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constructivism urges teachers to ensure that the learner is at least as involved in the process as their teachers are
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Constructivism is one of those ideas we throw around in educational circles without stopping to think about what we mean by it. They are the terms that have multiple meanings, are at once highly technical and common usage and are likely to cause debate and disagreements. Constructivism in particular carries a quantity of baggage with it. It is a term that is appropriated by supporters of educational approaches that are in stark contrast to the opposing view; constructivism vs didactic methods or direct instruction. The question is what are the origins of constructivism and does a belief in this as an approach to understanding learning necessitate an abandonment of direct instruction or is this a false dichotomy?