Shu Shan Cheng’s Updates

Update 3: My classroom with constructivism approach

What is constructivism

Constructivism is a theoretical viewpoint of learning claiming that humans actively construct their own knowledge from their experiences. 

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My example of constructivism

As a science teacher, I support scientific studies and encourage students to use objective observations to construct their own understanding. In the process of learning science, students perform experiments in order to testify their expectations and then justify their experiences and thoughts. The process emphases reconciliation of scientific theories, perceptions, creative ideas and experiences. 

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Group discussions, role play, and project work are good methods in constructivism teaching approach but I do find some limitations in my 10-year teaching. Firstly, constructivist classroom emphases on teacher's observations but sometimes it is hard for a teacher to observe each student's participation and quite often some struggling students would be ignored. Secondly, some students prefer guided instructions, they did not participate well in a group discussion. Thirdly, some students are quiet, they don't ask questions or they don't know what questions to ask or they don't know how to interpret their experience so that teacher will be unable to help student construct their own knowledge. Overall, I support constructivism and have applied it to my teaching practices.