Describe the central thesis of "radical constructivism" and name one of its proponents. How do they challenge classical educational scenarios?
The central thesis of "radical constructivisim"
- Cognitive activities are not "real" representations of the world. Knowledge is proven within the scope of individual experiences.
-A certain action or way of thinking can never be the only possible solution. Knowledge can be solid or useful but it cannot be universally valid.
-Knowledge cannot be transferred by language to
another person because new information has to
be integrated into existing structures of individual knowledge that are largely based on personal experience.
-Construction of knowledge is an individual process of cognition.
The thesis of "radical constructivisim" questions several aspects of classical instruction.
-Giving tests related to class material/criteria are questioned because structures of knowledge differ individually and one concept can never be the only possible solution.
-Transferring knowledge by language is impossible, according to the radical constructivism because structures of knowledge are created and modified only by individuals dealing with new information or experience respectively.
-Questions the purpose of general strategies of instruction. Every learner builds knowledge in his own way. Therefore there can be no strategy of learning that is generally beneficial for every learner.
What are the most important statements of social constructivism in relation to radical constructivism.
Social Constructivism: emphasizes the social components of learning.
This also applies to general philosophical constructivism within social settings, wherein groups construct knowledge for one another, collaboratively creating a small culture of shared artifacts with shared meanings.From this point of view learning means flexible sense-making, changing permanently by interacting with the social environment.
-Social constructivism overcomes an essential problem of radical constructivism (which sees structures
of knowledge as absolutely individually acquired and not transferable by language).
-In Social constructivism, concepts and meanings are negotiated and discussed in social discourse.
Explain the term "inert knowledge". How is
it created according to the constructivist educational paradigm and how is it avoided? Give an example for "inert knowledge".
Inert Knowledge: the process of learning yet not being able to transfer the acquired knowledge to practical situations.
inert
-Inert knowledge cannot be executed
in case of need.
Example: Mathematical formulas (e.g.
a²=b²+c²) are learned and reproduced correctly in a written test but cannot be adopted in everyday situations for instance when building a tree house. In the view of a constructivist inert knowledge is created mainly by teaching according to the behaviourist or the cognitivist educational paradigm. A way to avoid inert knowledge is "situated learning".
Name the four demands of constructivist learning environments according to Mandl.
Constructivist learning is based on
1) Begins with complex problems
2) The authentic situated contexts of application (no clue what that means)
3) Multiple perspectives
4) Social interaction
Name three main approaches to create constructivist learning environments and describe one.
Constructivist design approaches:
-Cognitive Flexibility Theory
-Cognitive Apprenticeship Approach
-Anchored Instruction-Approach: the learner has to solve several realistic problems that are given to him.
Media are used to demonstrate the situation close to reality.
Explain the difference between "learning from
media" and "learning with media" according to Jonassen. Give an example for each. Which one agrees with the constructivist educational paradigm?
Learning from Media: Media is used as an agent for presenting information.
Learning with Media: Student uses media to explore possible sources of information.
The student individually develops learning matters by themselves and comparing and discussing results of the process of learning in social interchange.
"learning with media" is the use of media as cognitive tools and corresponds with he constructivist conception of learning and teaching.
An example for "learning from media" can be reading a text offered by an online teaching program.
An example for "learning with media" is doing research on a particular subject using the internet.
