Many cognitive psychologists have proposed theories to explain how learning takes place. The logic behind each modern theory, behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism, mirrors the prevailing philosophical theory of the time period each was explored. Behaviorism and cognitivism both rely on the idea of an objective truth and, to differing degrees, state that knowledge is acquired. Objective truth and knowledge acquisition in a philosophical sense are very modern ideas and in a temporal sense are very antiquated ones. Conversely, constructivism is a very post-modern idea. Constructivism is based on the theory that humans create knowledge, and that environmental understanding is subjective (Ertmer). The constructivist school of thought dictates that past experiences filter current understanding, and that learning occurs when knowledge is put in context because contextual interaction is the only way new experiences can be formed.
Contextual learning has gained momentum and currently many corporate training programs are looking to shift towards more constructivist based approaches (Taylor). Wide adoption shows the efficacy of the constructivist approach and demonstrates that educational programs based around the other two predominant theories do have major shortcomings. Corporations are not the only institutions shifting to a more constructivist mindset, many schools are as well. A great example of context based learning in a school environment is when students learn vocabulary words by using them in a paper, rather than memorizing their definitions with flashcards. If school is supposed to prepare students for life after graduation, then it makes sense for teachers to ask them to apply knowledge as it would be applied in a real-world context. This means that the two major legs of constructivism, experienced based understanding and context based learning, work both independently and together to uphold the entire theory.
There are many ways that educators can implement constructivist strategies. Story-Centered Curriculum offers a way for students to apply their learning through a logical sequence of projects aimed at solving real-world problems (Schank, 2007). This strategy has the advantages of contextualizing information, allowing students to actively construct knowledge and blending different subjects together to present a bigger picture. Project Based Learning is a similar constructivist pedagogy that asks students to work extensively on one project that requires students to apply new knowledge or skills.
Any teacher should be able to apply both of these aspects of constructivism; the theory is taught repeatedly throughout college level education programs. However, simply providing context to information does not make a teacher great. Contextual learning may be beneficial in allowing students to build an experience around new knowledge, but a few unremarkable experiences will not necessarily lead to the long-term environmental reconceptualization that defines learning under a constructivist approach. In order to make new experiences more impactful, teachers must maintain a high level of emotional awareness.
The emotional component of learning is one of the most overlooked pieces of the educational process in American teacher training. Emotionally engaging students is a crucial and incredibly helpful part of teaching, teachers’ ability to understand and support their students’ emotions can have a huge impact on how well students learn (Meyer and Turner). This makes sense as emotional arousal has repeatedly been proven to enhance declarative and episodic memory (Steidl, Razik and Anderson). Unfortunately, the importance of emotional understanding is not reflected in the curriculum for teacher licensing programs. Of course, the best teachers are able to clearly articulate information students need about a given subject, teachers in training spend the bulk of their time honing these skills. While this is important, the truly special teachers are able to clearly communicate information to their students while also providing an emotionally supportive and engaging environment.
Emotion as a key to motivation is just one missing strategy in American education. In addition to these strategies, instructors should utilize brain-based learning in order to maximize student success. Glenn Whitman and Ian Kelleher identified several best practices in their book NeuroTeach that could greatly benefit students if adopted. Some are simple, such as more low-stakes assessments that allow students more freedom to fail with their newly acquired knowledge, which leads to more risks and greater experimentation. Students should also be given time to reflect and think metacognitively so they can consider their own learning strategies and outcomes. Utilizing multiple learning modalities and assessments is also an important aspect to learning, so long as the modality is used to suit the content and not the learner(s). Finally, students, especially adolescent and adult learners, need to have more choice in their learning as this increases motivation and helps with retention (Kelleher & Whitman).
Much like philosophy, the field of psychology often builds on itself, with new theories using parts of old theories in combination with new discoveries to create better explanations. Such is the case with constructivism, a theory that combines the work of cognitivists with the knowledge that subjective experiences play a role in each individual’s conceptualization of reality. Without acknowledging that each student has a different background that shapes their worldview, teachers can only scratch the surface of student’s potential.
Most of the changes and additions I made to my philosophy concern brain based learning and examples of different curriculum models that align with constructivism. My overall philosophy has not shifted so much as I have acquired deeper knowledge about why certain aspects of it work.
Steidl, S., Razik, F., & Anderson, A. K. (2011). Emotion enhanced retention of cognitive skill learning. Emotion 11(1), 12-19. Doi: 10.1037/a0020288
Meyer, D. K., & Turner, J. C. (2007). Scaffolding Emotions in Classrooms. Emotion in Education, 243-258. Doi: 10.1016/b978-012372545-5/50015-0
Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2008). Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features from an Instructional Design Perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), 50-72. 10.1111/j.1937-8327.1993.tb00605.x
Taylor, T. (2017, June 06). Contextual learning could soon replace traditional learning. Retrieved November 10, 2017, from https://www.hrdive.com/news/contextual-learning-could-soon-replace-traditional-learning/444302/
Schank, R. (2007, April). Elearn Magazine: The story-centered curriculum. Retrieved January 23, 2018, from https://elearnmag.acm.org/archive.cfm?aid=1266881
Whitman, G., & Kelleher, I. (2016). Neuroteach: Brain science and the future of education. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
Sam's E-Learning Adventures 