Constructivist-“like” Theories

New information latches on to existing data present, forming chains or continuums of relationships

Create their own learning

Language/vehicle to form concepts

Make connections

Adjustments need to be made over time

Needs to have a basis before new ideas are learned

Teaching is learning

Learn from exposure to information, stories, processes

Modes for learning depend on task

Can be done with repetition, feedback, contemplation

Take on/dismiss ideas

All can learn

Constant (not time sensitive?)

Goals/Motivation Theories (a la neo-Constructivism)

Activities need to be goal-oriented, meaningful

Needs to be fun (?)

Effort plays a role (memory, task-dependent)

Learning capacity increases with “need to learn (e.g. emergencies)

Should be relevant to needs

Comfort is necessary, risk-taking is necessary

Socio-Constructivist - Different level of powers

Happens through interaction

Social interactions

Demeaning positions (not valued ideas) does not promote learning

Reinforced by social valuing of your ideas

Other Theories

-  Developmental

Learning is developmental, at different ages a person is “ready” to learn new

things

What’s the difference between “learning” and what seems to be “innate/automatic”?

-  Hierarchy of Needs

Basic needs have to be met before learning can be effective

-  Physical/cognitive (Brain-based)

Motor learning (e.g. walking, running)

Social and emotional learning (in addition cognition)

Brains form synapses

Multiple intelligences

Constructivist

IS / IS NOT
Building on prior knowledge / Emotions
Learners actively use other people / Habitual activities
Involves some “inner speech” / Learning unconsciously (tacit)
How does a zipper work? You know how to do it by doing it but can’t explain it.
Errors can be thought of as strategic / “garbage in, garbage out”
Transmissive learning
“Banking” – teacher makes deposits into the kid and the kid can make his withdrawals (spit the info back out later)
Epistemological relativism (you can know something in many different ways; no one right way) / Independent
Exploring concepts / Reality is “real” (An egg is an egg.)
Creates pathways or connections between/among conceptions (what the learner does)
Ownership agency (learner is actively involved, decision maker)
Metacognition (learner is able to know how he/she constructs concepts/knowledge
Language is a tool for learning
“Transaction”