Constructivism

"Constructivist Learning environments focus on giving students authentic, real-world, ill-structured problems to solve." I think constructivist learning environments are very effective ways for students to learn and really understand material. I teach mathematics in high school, and it is always exciting when I find a discovery type lesson for students to actively engage in. I wish I could do these types of lessons more often because I see that students are more prone to remember and understand the concepts when they are working to see where they come from. Students actually come to life during these lessons. Unfortunately time and creativity are factors that prevent me from having these lessons. In the past I have put students into groups and given them an assignment so that they can work together and then as a class we would discuss the findings and answer questions. As a facilitator I guide them through the process through questioning and provide hands on materials. I agree with the readings saying that this constructivist approach does not work well unless students know prerequisites for the material. This is especially true in math, where students are constantly recalling previously learned material. Since time is a constraint in the classroom, I have found that homework projects also work well to get students actively involved and seeking information. I think as teachers it is important for us to encourage this type of learning by providing students with motivating lessons, activities, and projects where they can take some ownership. At the very least I think questioning techniques are an important skill to master to help lead students and have them make connections. Facilitating large and small group discussions on real world problems and connecting these to curriculum is a great way for students to learn. I always feel that if students can talk to each other and explain the mathematics that is being used, then they truly understand the material.