1. Author:
Paige F.

2.  Jean Piaget
 Jerome Bruner
 Lev Vygotsky
 John Dewey

3.  Psychologist
 Key focuses:
 Assimilation, Adaptation
 4 Cognitive Stages
◦ Sensorimotor
◦ Preoperational
◦ Concrete Operational
◦ Formal Operational
 “He felt children were active learners and did not need
motivation from adults to learn. Piaget believed that
children were constructing new knowledge as they moved
through different cognitive stages or schema, building on
what they already knew….Children interpret this
knowledge differently as they progress through different
stages” (Gunter & Shelly, pg 377).

4.  Psychologist
 Key Focuses:
◦ Socratic Method
 “Proposed that learning is an active process in
which the learner constructs new ideas or
concepts based on his current or past
knowledge” (Gunter & Shelly, pg 378).

5.  Psychologist
 Key focuses
◦ Social Cognition
 “Believed that learning was influenced
significantly by social development” (Gunter &
Shelly, pg 379).

6.  Psychologist
 Key Focuses:
◦ Pragmatism
◦ Progressive education
 “Viewed school as a community that
represented a larger picture. Believed that
learning should engage and expand the
experiences of the learners” (Gunter &
Shelly, pg 381).

7.  “Constructivism is based on a type of learning
in which the learns forms, or
constructs, much of what he or she learns or
comprehends” (Gunter & Shelly, pg 376).
 Actively participating in activities of any sort
allows children to draw off of their experience
and form their own comprehension

8.  “In the classroom, the constructivist view of learning can
point towards a number of different teaching practices.
In the most general sense, it usually means encouraging
students to use active techniques (experiments, real-
world problem solving) to create more knowledge and
then to reflect on and talk about what they are doing
and how their understanding is changing. The teacher
makes sure she understands the students' preexisting
conceptions, and guides the activity to address them
and then build on them” (Concept to Classroom).
 “Constructivist teachers encourage students to
constantly assess how the activity is helping them gain
understanding. By questioning themselves and their
strategies, students in the constructivist classroom
ideally become "expert learners” (Concept to Classroom).

9.  As stated before the teacher
continues to question students to
verify and challenge what the
students are learning. With
technology teachers could use
programs to further challenge and
expand the
interests, comprehension, and spark
new thoughts through a different
means of learning

10.  Both with and without the use of
technology this theory promotes
students to draw their understanding
about their personal participation
and prior comprehension.

11.  Personally I agree with the constructivist
theory. I have taken several classes
throughout my educational career which have
lead me to believe that children/students
comprehend and build upon their
understandings based upon their own
personal experiences and environments.
 I will actively engage in asking my students
questions to help foster and guide new
thoughts and insightful ideas for the students
to develop.

12.  Gunter, Glenda, Randolph Gunter, and Gary Shelly. Integrating Technology and
Digital Media in the Classroom. 6. Boston: Course Technology, Print.
 Haines, R. "Vygotsky, Lev Semenovich 1896-1934 |
Education.com." Education.com | An Education & Child Development Site for
Parents | Parenting & Educational Resource. Education.com Inc. Web. 20 Nov.
2011. http://www.education.com/reference/article/vygotsky-lev-semenovich-
1896-1934/
 Jean Piaget. Photograph. Moral Development and Moral Education: An Overview.
Comp. Larry Nucci. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.
http://tigger.uic.edu/~lnucci/MoralEd/overview.html
 "Jerome Bruner « Developmental Approaches to Learning." Developmental
Approaches to Learning. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.
http://team2developmental.wordpress.com/jerome-bruner/
 "John Dewey Biography - Life, Children, Wife, School, Mother, Information, Born,
College, Time, Year." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Advameg, Inc. Web. 20
Nov. 2011. http://www.notablebiographies.com/De-Du/Dewey-John.html
 Thirteen Ed Online, . "What is Constructivism? ." Concept to Classroom.
Educational Broadcasting Corporation , 2004. Web. 20 Nov 2011.
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index.html