In the constructivist view of learning, knowledge is constructed by the student and the teacher is a facilitator rather than a sage on stage. Sage on stage is a reference to the teacher as the provider of knowledge and teaching in a didactic manner characteristic of the behaviourist approach to learning.

In the constructivist view of learning, we first need to take into account the learner’s starting point, for example, using diagnostic assessment. Next, we need to think about the logic from the student’s perspective, because from the perspective of the teacher or an expert in the subject matter, it has a logic and structure, the disciplinary structure. But from the student’s perspective they may not be able to understand that and so the teacher needs to teach a logical sequence from the student’s perspective. Also we need to make links to prior knowledge because for the learning to be meaningful learning, the student needs to be able to relate it to prior knowledge, the things it already knows about subject matter being taught, examples they know about, analogies and so on, that they can use to interpret what the teacher is telling them.

Constructivism is not a theory of teaching but a theory of learning. Aha! I believe this course is employing a constructivist approach to teaching.

Some of the big ideas of constructivism are eliciting prior knowledge, creating cognitive dissonance, application of knowledge with feedback and reflection on learning.

Talking about constructivism means talking about Lev Vygotsky. Vygotsky defines the concept of the zone of proximal development as ‘the distance between the actual development level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers’.

So you teach in this zone of proximal development, outside the learner’s current proficiency to work alone, not so far away from the learner’s current proficiency to work alone that they cannot manage anything at all, and end up just watching the teacher do it, but in an area where they can make progress, if they are given sufficient support and scaffolding, by the teacher or more experienced peers.

What this means is that the teacher would assess the student to find their zone of actual development. Then teach the student the new knowledge or skill by creating a learning situation that is beyond the student’s actual level of development, but at the same time not too challenging so as to result in failure. So the learning situation should be complex enough to be challenging but not so difficult as to be discouraging. The teacher should provide scaffolding, which are things the teacher can do to support the student outside their comfort zone, which may include scaffolding to organize their existing knowledge. The scaffolding acts as a framework for structuring or organizing the new knowledge.

We see in this course the use of constructivist approach and this works great here because we are adult learners. If we are teaching school children we need to consider that younger students may need ‘direct, strong instructional guidance’ instead of ‘constructivist minimal guidance during instruction’.

In student-driven learning students take more of the responsibility for their learning. The role of the teacher is not as a sage on stage transmitting knowledge but instead as a facilitator providing opportunities and facilitating students to actively make meaning or construct knowledge reflecting the constructivist view of learning. We see in this course the use of constructivist approach and this works great because we are adult learners.

Once I learnt about constructivism I liked it because it fits well with my teaching style, at the same time I am aware that if we are teaching younger students they may need ‘direct, strong instructional guidance’ instead of ‘constructivist minimal guidance during instruction’. So direct instruction would be appropriate at some times, meaning lectures or teaching in a didactic manner characteristic of the behaviourist approach to learning.

In summary, the teacher is a facilitator and guide, not director nor sage on stage and the student is an apprentice.

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