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<small>//Photo by Marc Wieland on Unsplash//</small>
It was a dark and stormy classroom. **<big>But nothing is working ...**</big> your learners are not engaged!
What to do? You decide to try constructivism, a school of thought that addresses issues of knowledge and learning. You read <big>**books,**</big>
digest <big>100s</big> of <big>**articles,**</big> and think about <big>**teaching and learning.**</big> Now you're ready to test your theoretical prowess before transferring all this new information into your teaching //praxis//.
<big>**It's time for ...**</big>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/144545204@N05/35472036423/in/dateposted-public/" title="Constructivism Jeopardy"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4323/35472036423_b2dfc63328_o.jpg" width="700" height="139" alt="Constructivism Jeopardy"></a>
<big>**Click on this link**</big> to get started: <big>[[Jeopardy instructions]]</big><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/144545204@N05/35472036423/in/dateposted-public/" title="Constructivism Jeopardy"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4323/35472036423_b2dfc63328_o.jpg" width="483" height="139" alt="Constructivism Jeopardy"></a>
Based on the hit game show Jeopardy! <big>**Constructivism Jeopardy!**</big> is a quiz competition. You will be presented with clues in four categories:
<ul><li>Knowledge & learning
<li>Learning goals
<li>Learning conditions
<li>Instruction methods</li></ul>
In each category, each clue will have <big>**three**</big> potential "right" responses.
Your job is to pick the <big>**best**</big> answer from the three possible responses.
Once you choose the correct response, you will advance to the next question. When you have completed a category, you will then advance to the next one.
<big>[[Ready to go? Let's play!]]</big>Welcome to <big>**Constructivism Jeopardy!,**</big> the learning theorist's favorite game show.
Players, remember: for each clue, choose the response you think is the **best** and click on it. But we caution you: if you are wrong, you will have to keep trying until you get to the right response.
<big>**Good luck to you all.**</big>
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<small>//Photo credit: Andrew Neel on Unsplash//</small>
Our first category is <big>**Knowledge & learning.**</big>
<blockquote>How do constructivists define these terms?</blockquote>
**Knowledge for 100 intrinsic points**
Here is the clue ... We construct knowledge based on our interactions with other people and our environments. **What is ...**
<ul><li>[[An endogenous perspective of knowledge?]]
<li>[[A dialectical perspective of knowledge?]]
<li>[[An exogenous perspective of knowledge?]]</li></ul>Shadows are still cast on your classroom. [[Try again.->Ready to go? Let's play!]]<big>**That is correct**</big>: a **dialectical** perspective on knowledge!
Light just shone into your classroom.
According to Schunk (2012), we acquire knowledge from our interactions with people and environments: “Constructions are not invariably tied to the external world nor wholly the workings of the mind” (p. 232). Instead, we come to “know” the world as we integrate the “mental contradictions” that we experience during these interactions (p. 232).
Goodbye Descaretes, no more "I think, therefore I am!"
[[On to Knowledge & learning for 200]]No sunshine yet ... [[Try again.->Ready to go? Let's play!]]**Knowledge for 100 intrinsic points**
Here is the clue ... We construct knowledge based on our interactions with other people and our environments. **What is ...**
<ul><li>[[An endogenous perspective of knowledge?]]
<li>[[A dialectical perspective of knowledge?]]
<li>[[An exogenous perspective of knowledge?]]</li></ul>Double-click this passage to edit it.**Knowledge & learning for 200 intrinsic points**
Here is the clue ... . **What is ...** The ability to do arithmetic.
<ul><li>[[A sign of intellectual development?]]
<li>[[A sign of reversible thinking?]]
<li>[[A sign of concrete operational thought?]]</li></ul>The light is still dim. [[Try again.->On to Knowledge & learning for 200]]Only a glimmer of light here. [[Try again.->On to Knowledge & learning for 200]]<big>**Good morning sunshine!**</big> You are correct! It is a **sign of concrete operational thought.**
Jean Piaget proposed that learning is a product of intellectual devevelopment (Good, Mellon, & Kromhoul, 1978). Development progresses through four stages:
<ul><li>Sensorimotor
<li>Preoperational
<li>Concrete operations
<li>Formal operations</li></ul>
A learner's ability to do arithmetic (add, substract, multiply and divide) indicates that she/he is in the "concrete operations" stage of development, where "underlying [mental] structures" allow the learner is beginning to think logically and understand the world in terms of "time, space, number, movement, speed, etc." (p. 689).
You're ready for [[Knowledge & learning for 300]]**Knowledge & learning for 300 intrinsic points**
Here is the clue ... . **What is ...** A learning gap.
<ul><li>[[The potential for development in individual learners?]]
<li>[[An opportunity for reciprocal teaching between students and teachers?]]
<li>[[Peers teaching peers in a one-room schoolhouse?]]</li></ul>Bright light, bright light! **You are correct.** It is the **potential for development in individual learners.**
According to Vygotsky, we learn from our relationships with others--parents, friends, classmates, teachers, i.e., at within a society (John-Steiner & Mann, 1996, p. 198; Glassman, 1994). At any given developmental stage, we are capable of "problem solving" at a certain level. But often we have the potential to learn more, if we are guided by or work with those more expert than ourselves. He called this learning gap the "zone of proximal development (John-Steiner & Mann, 1996, p. 198; Glassman, 1994; Schunk, 2012, p. 244).
So we're good on stages of development and the role of culture in learning. Thanks <big>**Piaget and Vygotsky!**</big>
Let's move on to [[Learning goals for 100]]Keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. [[Try again.->Knowledge & learning for 300]]The blinds are down. [[Try again.->Knowledge & learning for 300]]Our second category is <big>**learning goals.**</big>
<blockquote>If constructivism defines learning as a process in which the learner constructs his/her own knowledge, what goals do constructivist teachers set for their students? </blockquote>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/144545204@N05/36114574632/in/dateposted-public/" title="Goals ian-schneider 2"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4311/36114574632_1213f246b4_o.jpg" width="700" height="467" alt="Goals ian-schneider 2"></a>
<small>//Photo credit: Ian Scheider//</small>
**Learning goals for 100 intrinsic points**
Here is the clue ... **What is ...** A constructivist learning goal.
<ul><li>[[Students give the right answer to any question?]]
<li>[[Students can plan, set goals and organize their work properly?]]
<li>[[Students are able to question and reflect upon ideas as well as their own beliefs? ]]</li></ul>**Learning goals for 200 intrinsic points**
Here is the clue ... . **What is ...** The ability to respond to and integrate new knowledge.
<ul><li>[[Students are open to new ideas?]]
<li>[[Learners can change or restructure what they know?]]
<li>[[A learner is well read and understands issues deeply?]]</li></ul>Keep going and [[try again.->Learning goals for 100]]Darkness prevails. [[Try again.->Learning goals for 100]]Shine little glow worm, glimmer! **You are correct.**
Students are able to **question and reflect upon** ideas as well as their own beliefs
The goal of behaviorists is observe learners responding in a specific way to specific cues or stimuli while cogntive theoriests are interested in how students receive, organize, store and retrieve information (Ertmer & Newby, 2013). However, the goals of constructivist theorists, and teachers include critical and reflective thinking (Driscoll, 2009).
You're ready for [[Learning goals for 200]]Almost but not quite enough light. Keep going and [[try again.->Learning goals for 200]]Beam me up Scotty--**you are correct!** Learners can **change or restructure** what they know.
If we actively construct our own knowledge, based on experience and interactions with others, as mediated by material, linguistic and symbolic cultural artifacts, then there is no "right" or true answer (Driscoll, 2000; Von Glaserman, 2008). Instead, we are all making sense of meaning of the world around us in different ways and are adapting to complex and changing environments. In order to adapt, we have to "spontaneously restructure" our knowledge (Spiro & Jehng, 1990; Feltovich, Jacobson, & Coulson, 1991, p. 165; Schcolnik, Kol, & Abarbanel, 2006, p. 14).
On to [[Learning conditions for 100]]Let some more light shine in and Keep going and [[try again.->Learning goals for 200]]Our third category is <big>**learning conditions.**</big>
<blockquote>A learning environment in which students can think critically, self-regulate their learning and reflect upon their knowledge is distinct from one in which "bank" knowledge with learners. But how?</blockquote>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/144545204@N05/36281063185/in/dateposted-public/" title="Conditions rawpixel-com- 2"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4322/36281063185_3cbf45e7cd_o.jpg" width="700" height="478" alt="Conditions rawpixel-com- 2"></a>
<small>//Photo credit: rawpixel.com on Unsplash//</small>
**Learning conditions for 100 intrinsic points**
Here is the clue ... **What is ...** An active negotiation of ideas.
<ul><li>[[Students regularly discuss key readings introduced in class?]]
<li>[[Learners work individually to understand complex concepts?]]
<li>[[Students break into small groups to work on a term project?]]</li></ul>**Learning conditions for 200 intrinsic points**
Here is the clue ... **What is ...** Control over how to present original research.
<ul><li>[[Detailed instructions as to how homework is to be done?]]
<li>[[Learners must write a 2000-word essay on Canada 150?]]
<li>[[Students can choose to make a film, create a podcast or write a paper for their summative term project?]]</li></ul>Our fourth category is <big>**instruction methods.**</big>
<blockquote>With the right goals and learning conditions in place, teachers can then choose instructional methodologies. Which ones are constructivist?</blockquote>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/144545204@N05/35448493384/in/dateposted-public/" title="Collaboration cole-hutson 2"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4322/35448493384_a216e7e19d_o.jpg" width="700" height="467" alt="Collaboration cole-hutson 2"></a>
<small>//Photo credit: Cole Hutson on Unsplash//</small>
**Instruction methods for 100 intrinsic points**
Here is the clue ... **What is ...** A bubble diagram.
<ul><li>[[A teacher scaffolds the process of writing a term paper by requiring students to hand in a written outline?]]
<li>[[Harriet and her group choose to visualize the main arguments they will use for their term presentation by mapping out key concepts?]]
<li>[[Bruce and Elizabeth prepare for their final exam by creating a flow chart of the term readings?]]</li></ul>**Instruction methods for 300 intrinsic points**
Here is the clue ... **What is ...** Role playing.
<ul><li>[[George studies the evolution of social democracy from 1900-1950?]]
<li>[[Charlotte interviews 10 woman who were involved in organizing a labour union in their workplace?]]
<li>[[Carolyn and Sean practice their counselling skills in a social work class by taking turns being the counsellor and the patient?]]</li></ul>**This little light of mine** ... You are correct! Students regularly **discuss key readings** introduced in class.
From Piaget to Vygotsky, to Lave and Wenger, constructivists agree that learners need opportunities for social negotiation in order to understand their own experiences, integrate new information and develop their knowledge (Schunk, 2012; Driscoll, 2000; Doolittle, 2014). Social negotation includes discussion, conversation, debates and opportunities to collaborate where learners must test what they know against new ideas, beliefs and experiences.
<big>**Now on to**</big> [[Learning conditions for 200]]Switching off the light. [[Try again.->Learning conditions for 100]]Smoke and mirrors, but no light. [[Try again.->Learning conditions for 100]]Ah, we're still whistling in the dark. [[Try again.->Learning conditions for 200]]We're still in the dark! [[Try again.->Learning conditions for 200]]**A ray of sunshine just came your way.** You are correct! Students can **choose** to make a film, create a podcast or write a paper for their summative term project.
Students who take control of their own learning self-regulate in that they "direct their own efforts to acquire knowledge and skill rather than relying on teachers" (Zimmerman, 1989, p. 329).A learning environment that encourages self-regulation in learning is in which the teacher gives students opportunities to initiate, make choices and take responsibility for their own learning (Driscoll, 2000, p. 323).
<big>**In the home stretch now**</big> ... [[Instruction methods for 100]]The shadow of this answer is long. [[Try again.->Instruction methods for 100]]
You're walking on sunshine, oh yeah! <big>**You are correct!**</big> Harriet and her group **choose** to visualize the main arguments they will use for their term presentation by **mapping out** key concepts.
Different learners have different needs or ways of processing and representing information so teachers need to be flexible in terms of their instruction methods and use a variety of teaching strategies (Driscoll, 2000, p. 391). This means providing students with multiple ways to represent and demonstrate what they know: for example, text, images, and sound. Some students will find it easier to determine the structure and flow of a given project by visually representing their ideas with a bubble diagram or mind map can be.
Last but not least ... [[Instruction methods for 300]]You are a shadow of your former self. [[Try again!->Instruction methods for 100]]Interesting topic but you're whistling in the dark. [[Try again!->Instruction methods for 300]]Interesting case study but no silver lining in this cloud. [[Try again.->Instruction methods for 300]]<big>**Bingo: You're correct!**</big>
Carolyn and Sean **practice** their counselling skills in a social work class by taking turns **being the counsellor and the patient.**
A hallmark of constructivist classrooms are activities which are authentic, i.e., exercises, assignments, projects which are reflect everyday culture (Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989, p. 34; Gilakjani, Leong, & Ismail, 2013). While role playing is performance, when done properly the scenarios are grounded in realistic cases and interactions between people that reflect the reality of given situations. As such, they present opportunities for students to construct or build their own understanding and knowledge of given situations.
<big>**Congratulations: You've completed Constructivism Jeopardy!**</big>
You're done and now ready to begin putting your constructivist ideas of teaching and learning into practice ... unless you want to play Constructivism Jeopardy! again? [[It was a dark ...]]