Constructivist Theories Of Learning

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Recommended: Essays on constructivism

Constructivist Theories: Creating Meaning from Experiences

The concept of constructivism has roots in classical antiquity, going back to Socrates's dialogues with his followers, in which he asked directed questions that led his students to realize for themselves the weaknesses in their thinking. The Socratic dialogue is still an important tool in the way constructivist educators assess their students' learning and plan new learning experiences. Constructivism Theories assume that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. When an individual encounters something new, there is a need to reconcile it with the previous ideas and experience, maybe changing the beliefs, or maybe discarding the new information as irrelevant. In any case, an individual is an active creator of knowledge (Concept to Classroom).

Among the educators, philosophers, psychologists, and sociologists who have added new perspectives to constructivist learning theory and practice are Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner, and David Ausubel. Vygotsky introduced the …show more content…

Theories of Learning in Educational Psychology, David Ausubel, M.D. (1918 - 2008). Retrieved from https://www.lifecircles-inc.com/Learningtheories/constructivism/ausubel.html

Concept to Classroom. Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from https://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index_sub5.html

D’Angelo, C. M., S. Touchman and D. B. Clark. 2009. Constructivism. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/constructivism/

Ertmer, P. A. and T. J. Newby. 2013. Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features From an Instructional Design Perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly. International Society for Performance Improvement.

McLeod, S. A. 2012. Zone of Proximal Development. Retrieved from

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