During the last part of Module 2, we looked at key differences from behaviorist (objectivist) and constructivist approaches to education. We also looked at articles that were meant to discredit constructivist approaches to education.
Providing an environment for learners to construct their own knowledge is a challenge...a balancing act. Johanssen (1992) talks about the challenges that constructivism as a theory and what it brings to instructional design and provided four examples of what this might look like. He contends that goals might be negotiated rather than imposed, that task analysis might look less at single correct answers, that mental tool kits to help students generate knowledge might be the focus as opposed to instructional presentations, and that assessments would utilize practices that value a wider variety of responses.
While very intertwined with cognitivism, constructivism as a practice has some merits in that it can allow learners to delve deeper into content and think about constructing their knowledge about that content. What did you know, what do you know now, and how does that apply to a problem, might be the answers that a constructivist approach to teaching and learning might take. Helping learners construct deeper understanding and the ability to problem solve with content is the real challenge, especially due to time and the demands of standards in the K-12 environment, and learning outcomes imposed upon colleges by accreditation agencies. How else will we measure how students are constructing knowledge if we cannot observe it on a standardized test? A key challenge even for me in my own career.
Most instructors at our college are required to teach to the learning outcomes and assess them at different points in time for each course they teach. Perhaps the infusion of rubrics and more self/peer assessment and project based learning might be a good way to have a measure of how students are doing and a new way of writing learning outcomes that are in line with the way our college is doing business. One thing that I find difficult is how to approach this given the climate that seems to be pervasive for staff and faculty that seems very top down in some respects. Nonetheless, I can introduce the concepts to faculty and provide some resources about infusing more constructivist assessment practices and teaching strategies in their online courses. Wikis can be great tools for collaborative learning projects. Self and Peer Assessments are tools that allow learners to tie in their assessment with their work by grading themselves and developing metacognive skills necessary in this type of environment. Blogs and Journals also provide alternate ways to assess student's learning that are less behaviorist approaches. I realize there will always be a need to have a behaviorist approach in online courses, but after having been in a more constructivist environment, I do feel more engaged and more able to grasp the knowledge I need to gain to do my job well. One of the key arguments I can see is that this approach lends itself well in a graduate program, but how well can it serve community college students often taking survey courses that are requirements (they are just trying to get through the course as opposed to gaining more understanding of the content).
Jonassen, D. (1992). Objectivism versus constructivism: Do we need a new philosophical paradigm? ETR&D, Vol. 39, No.3, pp.5-14.
No comments:
Post a Comment