Constructivism in Practice By Integrating Different Technologies Into Our Classroom

            Practicing constructivism by integrating its theories into our teaching strategies can help us increase our impact, and help focus our students to gaining a better understanding of our lessons.  To accomplish integrating the constructionist learning philosophy, it seems natural to utilize our technology based tools to enhance our presentations, assigned projects, and create hands-on learning activities.  Certainly, there is a correlation between teaching with an instructional strategy that increases student interest and participation and the constructionist learning theories, by using different technologies to further engage our students and increase their understanding.

        The primary focus of constructionism is to get our students engaged in learning through the process of them creating something, without the teacher giving specific instruction or direction on how to do it.  Simply, this student-centered approach is to get students to build stuff, regardless of the tools or technology they use (Orey, 2001).  I see a direct parallel to Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy in reference to achieving the highest order of learning or thinking skills, the Creating stage (Churches, 2007). To explore this approach, we can examine three different constructionist approaches to teaching and learning that we could incorporate in our classroom. "Problem based inquiry is an effort to challenge students to address real world problems and resolve realistic dilemmas.

Problem based learning is an instructional strategy in which students actively resolve complex problems in realistic situations. Project based learning is a teaching and learning strategy that engages learners in complex activities" (Orey, 2001). Regardless of which approach we use, the key to integrating a constructionist approach is for us to only be the facilitator, and the students set up and create the process to solve the problem on their own, including choosing what tools they will use. 
             At my previous teaching assignment I taught 2 intensive years of Computer Technology classes to both 11^th and 12^th graders.  I think that there are many essential skills that are needed and valuable going forward both in college and/or the profession world, but none are as valued, rare, and will elevate you from the pack,  then the ability to problem solve, think, and create.  I didn’t know that by first teaching my students how to approach learning, by developing their understanding, teaching them a repeatable problem solving strategy that works for any problem, and then pushing them to take it further by applying and creating, that the approach was termed as constructionism.  The rewards of this teaching approach included graduates that excelled and differentiated themselves from their peers, a classroom with total active

participation by all students, and solutions and completed projects that far exceeded my already high expectations.  On the other hand, I found out how hard it is to be a facilitator.  As a parent, many times we want to resolve everything for our children, but even though we want to assist them at every turn, we must let them learn to stand back and let them try and experience the results.  As a teacher, one of the hardest bad habits that I had to change was to not answer my own questions in class, but let the students answer them.  Being a facilitator requires us to give students the tools, approaches, and information they will need, but then allow the students to have the chance to experience it for themselves without our input or assistance.  One final observation is that to set up the students for success and then to assume the role of facilitator, it does require a lot of additional effort and work.  Seeing my students flourish, develop, and succeed is incredibly satisfying, but creating this classroom environment does require a lot of additional effort.        

References

            Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program nine: Connectivism as a learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
            Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

            Churches, A. (2007). Edorigami, blooms taxonomy and digital approaches

http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/bloom%27s+Digital+taxonomy+v3.01.pdf