Education: Constructivist Approach SEE BELOW - Essay Example

The constructivist approach is based on the work of Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget in 1963 and Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky in 1978. However, the theory dates back to the developmentalist notions of eighteenth century psychologists such as Dewey and Rousseau (Matthews, 2003). It is important for members of an educational community, even “people inhabiting different worlds” to employ reciprocal processes to share constructivist approaches to education which are based on a common purpose about schooling.

By means of constructivist leadership, students’ cognition, perception, imagination and memory should be utilized by educators to enhance learning in the classroom; thus making their teaching practice more meaningful and effective. (Lambert et al, 2002). The constructivist teacher is not only a guidance provider, but also an educator who empowers the students, motivates them, and enhances their ability to learn and develop through questioning, objection and opposition of viewpoints (Aviram, 2000).

This paper will discuss the constructivist approach to education, and identify the steps that an instructor can take to ensure the best possible constructivist practices in the classroom, especially in relation to learning in the upper grades in school, and in higher levels of education. Traditional teacher-centered teaching methods of transmitting knowledge and skills have evolved into increasing emphasis on individual discovery and knowledge building. According to innovations in teaching and learning, new knowledge develops from existing meanings within oneself, through experience (Wells, 1999).

A constructivist learning environment is one which enables students to work together in a learning community engaged in joint thinking, exploration, and discussion of significant topics, towards discovery and acquisition of new knowledge and skills. In these environments, learning tools