Chapter -1

INTRODUCTION

Constructivism is relatively new word as far as its usage in

educational literature is concerned. Constructivism is an epistemology a

philosophical explanation about the nature of knowledge; it describes how

one attains, develops and uses cognitive process. It is based on the

fundamental assumption that people create knowledge from the interaction

between existing knowledge or beliefs and the new ideas or situations they

encounter.

The constructivist learning is an active process where learners should

learn to discover principles, concepts and facts for themselves. Knowledge is

thus a product of humans and is socially and culturally constructed. Learning

is not a process that only takes place inside our minds, it is a passive

development of our behavior that is shaped by external forces and that

meaningful learning occurs when individuals are engaged in social activities.

This means that the learning experience is both subjective and objective and

requires that the culture, values and background become an essential part in

the shaping of knowledge. Constructivism advocates learner-centered,

activity-centered interactive pedagogical approach.

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 Constructivism thus emphasizes the importance of the learner being

actively involved in the learning process, unlike previous educational

viewpoints where the responsibility rested with the instructor to teach and

where the learner played a passive role.

1.1. DEFINATION OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

Various scholars have been defined constructivism and elaborated or

indicated a variety of aspects so that the concept got clarity and wide scope.

A few of the definition have been discussed below

By Davis, Mathur and Nodding (1990) It is assumed that learners

have to construct their own knowledge individual a collectively. Each

Learner has tool kit of concepts and skill with which he or she must

construct knowledge to solve problems present by the environment. The role

of the community other learners and teacher – is to provide the sitting, face

the challenges, and after the support that will encourage mathematical

construction.

According to Brooks and Brooks (1993) Constructivism is not a theory

about teaching. It is theory about knowledge and learning…the theory

defines knowledge as temporary, developmental, socially mediated, and

thus, non objectives.

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Von Glassfeld (1995) said knowledge, no matter how to be defined, is in the

heads of persons and the thinking subject has no alternative but to construct

what he or she knows on the basis of his or her own experience.

According to Nola (1998) Constructivist allege that is we who constitute or

construct on the basis of our theories or experience the allegedly

unobservable items postulated in our theories.

Naylon and Keogh (1999) suggested that, the central principles of this

approach are that learners can only make senses of new situation in term of

their existing understanding, learning involves an active process in which

learners construct meaning by linking new ideas with that existing

knowledge.

Jenkins (2000) said that constructivist of different persuasion commitment to

the idea that the development of the understanding requires active

engagement on the part of the learner.

1.2 ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY

The origin of constructivist theory can be well understood by a team

of three researchers at the 2005 annual constructivist design conference held

at St. Lawrence University in Cantony. New York (Ahad, brochuis and

Richardson 2005)

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A graphic organizer for constructivism in education (Ahad, Brockuis and

Richardson, 2005)

PHILOSOPHY
AND JOHN
DEWEY

COGNITIVE
THEORY AND
BRAIN RESEARCH
RESEARCH
AND
CONSTRUCTIVISM

CONSTRUCTIVISM
TEACHERS
AND
TEACHING
CONSTRUCTIVIST STRATERGIES
PROFESSIONAL
CONSTRUCTIVIST
DEVELOPMENT
DISCIPLINE AND
THE SOCIAL
CURRICULUM

The contributions of various theorists, research and educators to the

development of constructivism are presented below:-

1.2.1 Constructivism Philosophy: The contribution of John Dewey in his

progressive model for teaching and learning. At the beginning of the 20 th

century, Dewey created defensible theory for progressive education based on

pragmatic philosophy, on the writing of Rousseau, and on the best

psychological knowledge of the time. He saw the need for public schools to

be communities and to teach the skills for community in an increasingly

industrial, urban and disaffected society. He also had insight into the

children learn “best” derived from his own experience as an educator and

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from his interactions without understanding teachers of the day. Dewey

identified human learning as a process identical with the scientific process,

thus requiring teachers and students to view education as an active learning

process in a “mind on” sense as well as a “hands on” senses. Dewey saw

teachers as expert in subject matter, and as the most experienced person in a

classroom, deeply committed to designing authentic tasks to promote

meaningful learning. For Dewey teaching must support students‟

engagement and promote students‟ increasing complexity and interaction of

subject matter at the same time as it promotes their growth in respect or self

and others, in self control and responsibility.

1.2.2 Cognitive Theory and Constructivism: Compare to constructivist

theory, constructivist research has posed unique challenges to those who

would study the finer points of human cognitive, social and emotional life.

Piaget and Vygotsky were well known in the later part of the 20th century for

the study of human beings. Jean Piaget has identified malleable and

developmental aspects of human thought processes. Later research on

cognition focused on the structural development of the growing brain of the

childhood and become associated with the information processing models,

conceptual schema and how children‟s learning in different discipline occur.

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During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, a new understanding of the nature of

scientific inquiry caused a radical paradigm shift within the academy.

Research in mathematics and science education sought to identify problems

learners had in understanding their content, and in doing so came to

acknowledge diversity is the way in which human create knowledge.

Although early work on cognitive learning come from the sciences the field

related to English and social science also become radically refocused during

that time. They found that motivation, interest, engagement deeper

understanding of fewer examples, increased ownership of the knowledge,

acceptance of students‟ prior knowledge are the structure that support

construction of meaningful learning.

The researchers and theorists who have made a significant contribution to

the development of constructivist theory are Albert Bandura, Frederic

Bartlett, Jerome Brunner, William Clancey, Eliot Eisner, Kenneth Gergen,

Barbara Jowarski, Maria Montessori, Jean Piaget, Barbara Rogoff, Lev

Vygotsky, William Widmaier, Joseph Novak and D. Bob Gowan.

1.2.3 Teachers and Teaching Strategies: Teaching is not successful

without teachers. So researchers felt the need of one academic curriculum,

which will make the teacher to implement the constructivist strategies in

their classroom successfully.

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Jerome Bruner in his “process of evaluation (1960) argued that the structure

of the discipline themselves was enough to guide k-12 education and that is

what should be taught and design into curricula to guide teachers.

But it was found that teachers are very much confused with “what to do” and

“how to do”. Later on Jerome Bruner identifies many ways in which the

presumption about teaching and learning were lacking and inadequate. In the

1970s and 1980s educational researchers were forced to reconceptualize

their task from the study of “effective” strategies as define by classroom

control and academic success.

1.2.4 Constructivist Discipline and Social Curriculum: Students are the

part of society. After completing their education, they have to work in the

society for their livelihood .A man always needs the help of other man,

without the cooperation and group work man would have been in the pre

historic stage.

That is why scholar felt the need of social curriculum in the classroom, and

work of Vygosky (1934, 1978) were taken into consideration for the social

curriculum.

1.2.5 Constructivist Professional Development : As a direct outgrowth of

the constructivist research on teaching, k-12 professional development

programs teachers are often grounded and practice on teaching, augmented

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more recently by brain research, provides a foundation on which most of

current professional development has flourished, where teachers themselves

are at the heart of meaningful change.

Much of effective professional development today is distinctly constructivist

in nature, supporting engagement, ownership and assessment of teachers

learners with attention paid to development levels, teaching skills,

feeling/concerns of individual teacher learner and including reflection as part

of the learning process. Study groups, action research, becoming a teacher

leader, curriculum development and per coaching all required active

engagement and reflection by staff developer, teachers leader and mentors,

as well as by teacher learners. Ongoing support for integration of new

strategies, formative assessment, personal goal-setting, mentoring,

conference attendance, in- service days, may also be serve to support

meaningful teacher growth.

1.2.6 Brain Research and Constructivism: Ironically, but necessarily, the

most persuasive support for constructivism teaching and learning finally

comes from deep within the traditional scientific paradigm. Recent brain

research (clearly still in its infancy), seems to be validating constructivist

belief about how learning occurs. Increasingly sophisticated neurological

technologies have allowed study of brain structure and processes. The

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psychological evidence for increased or decreased molecular, electrical and

neuronal activity in different parts of the brain may be observed as the brain

response to different kinds of mental and emotional activity.

1.3 PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTIVISM APPROACH

The basic idea of constructivism is that knowledge is constructed in the

mind of the learner. On the basis of the ideas underlying in the theory of

constructivism, we can also formulate the following principles of learning

based on constructivism

(i) Learning is a constructive process of building new knowledge and not

simply the collection of information from various sources. Each learner

individually constructs his own knowledge as he or she learns.

(ii) Learners build their new understanding by using their previous

knowledge and experiences. They already have a repertoire of previously

established knowledge which works as a foundation for developing new

knowledge.

(iii) Learning is an interpretive process. Learners construct new knowledge

by connecting the current information and experiences with their previous

knowledge and interpreting the synthesis of the two, thus, it is the learner

who provides meaning to the new synthesis.

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(iv) Learning is an active process rather than passive. Learner is not passive

recipient of the information alone. They remain active throughout the

process of knowledge construction.

(v) Learning is a social activity. In learning student interact with peers,

teachers, family members and experts in the field. Though students construct

their own knowledge but they also use other‟s experience for building final

knowledge.

(vi) In constructivism approach the children learn in a variety of ways,

through experience, making and in, doing things, experimentation, reading,

discussions, asking, listening, thinking and reflection and expressing oneself

in speech, movement or writing both individually and with other.

(vii) It provides strategies for promoting learning by all.

1.4 CONSTRUCTIVISM AND ITS EDUCATIONAL

IMPLICATIONS

Constructivism believes that children never like to sit in a desk all day while

the teacher lecture them on information rather then they would like to learn

of their own constructively. Therefore, is that education is about using

knowledge to construct new knowledge rather than to acquire information.

On the basis of the principles of learning are formulated and similarly

educational implication of the theory of constructivism are as following:

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(i) Understanding the Cognitive Process: If learning depends on how

information is mentally processed to construct new knowledge then

children‟s cognitive process should be major concern of educators. The aim

of education should be to teach children how to think and not what to think.

Teachers must become aware of not only what children learn but also of how

they attempt to learn it.

(ii) Strengthening the Foundation of Post: Learning as past learning pay

an important role in fresh learning, teachers need to take into consideration

the child‟s earlier foundation of learning while planning their future strategy

of teaching. Teachers must test and strengthen the children‟s past learning

before presenting the abstract material.

(iii) Association of Old and New Ideas: As children learn their new

knowledge on their previously established knowledge, teachers should help

students learn by showing them as how to relate new ideas with the older

ones. This can be done by giving practical examples.

(iv) Organization and Assimilation of Knowledge: While learning new

things, children like to organize the information so that the same is easily

assimilated. Therefore teachers need to present the material in meaningful

way.

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(v) Active Involvement in Knowledge Construction: Children are actively

involved in the learning process. Therefore, teachers must provide them

ample opportunities to use old experiences, and apply current understanding

in constructing and reconstructing the knowledge by making their own

judgment.

(vi) Social Participation in Learning: Children learn better through social

interaction. They need to share their thinking with others to gain new

experiences and to clear their doubts and confusion, if any. Teachers must

provide them such opportunities in the classroom.

1.5. ROLE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF CONSTRUCTIVIST

TEACHER

Brooks and Brooks (2005) in his book „In search of understanding: The case

of constructivism classroom‟ define following characteristics for teacher for

adopting constructivist teaching:

(i) Constructivist teacher encourage and accept student autonomy and

initiatives.

(ii) Constructivist teacher uses raw data and primary resources, along with

manipulative, interactive and physical materials.

(iii) When framing tasks, constructivist teachers use cognitive terminology

such as classify, analyze, predict and create.

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(iv) Constructivist teacher allow students response to derive lessons, shift

instructional strategies and other contents.

(v) Constructivist teacher inquire about students understanding of the

concepts before sharing their own understanding of those concepts.

(vi) Constructivist teacher encourage students to engage in dialogue, both

with the teachers and with other students.

(vii) Constructivist teacher encourage students enquiry by asking thoughtful,

open minded questions and encouraging students to ask questions to each

other.

(viii) Constructivist teacher seek elaboration of students initial responses.

(ix) Constructivist teachers engaged students in experience that might

engender contradictions to their initial hypotheses and then encourages

discussion.

(x) Constructivist teacher allow wait time after posing questions.

(xi) Constructivist teachers provide time for students to construct

relationships and create metaphors.

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Other characteristics are given in NCF- 2005

(xii) The teacher should plan the teaching-learning processes to respond to

the diverse need for the student.

(xiii) Encouraging children to answer in their own words and from their own

experiences, rather than simply memorizing and getting answer right in just

one way.

(xiv) Intelligent guessing must be encouraged as a valid pedagogic tool.

(xv) Teacher should not scarify flexibility and creativity in the name of

objectivity.

Therefore, a teacher in order to adopt constructivist learner should re-plan

and restructure teaching learning procedure so that the student‟s construction

of knowledge may be facilitated.

1.6 SKILLS REQUIRED FOR TEACHER

Unlike traditional classroom, the constructivist teacher should act of

facilitator of learning:

(i) The teacher as facilitator of learning must be warm, understanding and

self controlled.

(ii) The teacher must listen attentively and accept students feeling and ideas.

(iii) The teacher must observe student‟s reaction skillfully.

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(iv) The teacher must ask question to the students and praise and encourage

them whenever necessary, in the planning and execution of work- oriented.

(v) The teacher must explain things clearly and reward fairly.

(vi) The teacher when criticizes a student, he/she must explain the reason for

criticism.

(vii)The teacher must be stimulating and imaginative in his approach to

classroom behavior and subject.

(viii) For facilitating learning the teacher must encourage class room

discussion, panel discussion and question and answer session, whenever

necessary, the teacher must lecture, demonstrate and explain things with

examples.

(ix) The teacher must encourage independent study habits.

(x) If the teacher selects procedures and materials in the terms of

instructional objectives and students characteristics, achievement of the

students become high and consistent emotional security of the students are

high when the teacher maintains balance direction and freedom in various

activities.

Constructivism: Teacher as Leader

In this approach a teacher is a leader of a group and facilitator of learning.

As a leader of group the teacher may be either authoritarian or democratic or

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laissez faire leader. These various form of leadership have different effects

on the individual and group behavior.

a) Authoritarian Leader: When the teacher plays the role of an

authoritarian leader, practically all policies and procedure are determined by

him/her. The teacher remains aloof from active participation, except in

demonstration. The teacher dictates order, gives disruptive commands and

non- constructive criticism. The students are not to ask „why‟ for a certain

order or decision. Whatever the teacher thinks feels or says must be carried

out by the students.

b) Democratic Leader: Under the democratic leadership the teacher guides,

gives suggestions, extends knowledge and stimulate self guidance. The

teacher as a democratic leader is jovial and self confident. All policies and

procedure are matters of group decision. Division of responsibility is a

matter of accepted principle. The teacher also actively participated in the

activities of the group.

c) Laissez Faire Leader: Under the laissez faire leadership the teacher plays

a rather passive role in social participation and leaves complete freedom for

group and individual decisions in relation to the activity and group

procedure. He takes minimum initiative in making suggestions, but he

supplies information and help when asked. He makes no attempts to evaluate

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negatively or positively the behavior or productions of the individuals or the

group.

1.7 TYPE OF ASSSESSMENT IN CONSTRUCTIVISM

The home work should not be huge time taken because long hours of work

are conducive to habits of drawling. In secondary school 2 to 3 hours should

be regarded as the limit, including all subjects. It should be of type that

pupils can undertake without assistance from parents or private tutor. A

child should prepare for the type of problems that are set for home, although

they may be challenging and simulative. Also be beneficial to the mind and

body. This should not always be in the form of writing as the only mode of

expression. It can be preparation for debate, revision for previous work and

preparation for coming lesson. It also be used to enable a pupil to leave the

school with the ability to use books as a means of gleaning knowledge and

should also encourage the hobbies of the student.

1.8. ACTIVITIES/PHASES IN CONSTRUCTIVISM APPRAOCH

1.8.1 Civil Discourse

Controversial issues provide opportunities to promote and practice civil

discourse in the classroom. Established guidelines for civil discourse help

structure and neutralize students‟ interaction during discussion about

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controversial topics. It emphasizes that everyone should practice and offer

ideas, Seek to understand before being understood, Ask clarifying question.

And Challenge ideas but respect each other‟s views

1.8.2 Complex Instruction

Complex instruction is a teaching method in which students work together in

small groups to enhance their learning experience and to ensure full

participation by every member of the group. Each student in the group is

assigned one of the following roles:-

(i) A group facilitator keeps who keeps the group in the task.

(ii) A material manager who gather material used for the group product.

(iii) A harmonizer who ensure participation and civility.

(iv) A reporter who explains the group process during the presentation.

(v) A resource manager who gathers any additional resource or content

material needed.

1.8.3 Dilemmas

Problem based learning uses dilemmas and scenarios, either real or factional.

Used to stimulate interest, highlight conflicts and feature abstract ideas in a

more concrete setting, these devices pose a problem such as ethics, strife and

engaged students to construct a course of action. Students learn to think

critically as they question their own assumptions, their class mate assertions

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and the reference they consult. The actions they propose are based on facts,

evidence and the weighting of alternatives and consequences.

1.8.4 Essential Questions

Essential question are an instructional satirizes teachers used to engaged

students and encourage in- depth study. Essential question are often use to

make connections between units of study and can lead to integration of

disciplines. They sometimes are linked to other essential questions, and can

also help focus assessment efforts.

Essential question are generally broad in nature, they are central to content

of the unit or the subject, have no single correct or obvious answer and

provoke students‟ interest and allow students to draw from experiences.

1.8.5 Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers gives students a concrete, hands an activity in which it

identify and compare otherwise abstract concepts.

A graphic organizer is visual representation of information that shows at

glance how key concepts are related. Graphic organizers illustrate the

chronological order of events over times (timelines), compare and contrast

(Venn-diagrams), or serve as useful tools for brainstorming (concepts maps).

Recording information in a graphic organizer helps students focus on

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important point and clarify relationships. It also helps students retain what

they learn.

1.8.6 Hypothetical Situations and Analogies

Hypothetical situation and analogies are not meant to be used as a direct

representation or an oversimplification of large and more complex issues.

Rather they are a way to get students to indentify compelling claims,

consider the validity to different points of view and practice the fine art of

conflict resolution.

1.8.7 Integrated Curriculum

An integrated curriculum can include element of science, art and English

language arts. An integrated curriculum is more reflective of the real world,

in which subject are not always defined and categorized by separate

disciplines. Integrating subjects in the classroom allows student to make

natural connection between content areas without being limited by artificial

boundaries. In doing so, students construct their own meaning and develop

skills they will need in the workplace.

As integrated curriculum may involve one or all of the following:-

(i) Examining a topic from different point of view (disciplines).

(ii) Placing greater emphasis on projects.

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(iii) Using a variety of source and materials in addition to the class text

book.

(iv) Encourage students to recognize the relationships among and between

concepts.

(v) Using thematic units is organizing principles.

(vi) Flexible schedule.

(vii) Flexible student grouping.

When teaches develop integrated curriculum units, they often begin with a

list of major concepts and process they expect to teach. They then endeavor

to make learning meaningful by asking students a series of essential guiding

questions that connect content across curricula. These questions, usually two

to fine per topic, reflect the individual teacher learning outcomes and

conceptual priorities.

1.8.8 Learning by Doing

Young children learn best when they have direct, hands on experiences and

when they can relate what they learn to what they already know.

1.8.9 Mock trail

In the course of preparing and conducting a mock trail, student study the

facts of the case, prepare opening statement, present evidence, cite relevant

laws and information, examinee and cross examinee witness, conduct

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redirect examination, present closing arguments arrives at a verdict and state

the reasoning behind the decision. Students are to summarize the facts,

reflect on their roles, relate compare the reenactment to the real trial.

1.8.10 Presentation and Example

Presentation, also called direct instruction, can be used to introduce new

topics, build background knowledge about an unfamiliar topic, orient

students to complete an activity, or review content, when presenting

information, teachers can organize their presentation into a logical sequence,

ask a variety of types of questions, use rich examples such as metaphors and

analogies that link to live of students and respond to students question and

comment.

Examples can help student link new learning with what they already know.

Teachers can recall personal experiences or use analogies, metaphors and

similes to help students create vivid pictures of what they are learning,

clarify complex topics or think about content in unique and memorable

ways.

1.8.11 Primary Source

Students can work together to organize and translate primary resources.

Student work in small groups to find information related to categories

supplied by teacher. Working together helps students decode often archaic

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language in primary sources, discover the multiple, sometime changing

meanings of words and in the process, improve their reading comprehension

skills.

1.8.12 Role Playing and Stimulations

Interactive teaching strategies like role playing and stimulations work best

when they have presented spontaneously to students. Effective use of role

playing, however requires preparation, a well define format, clearly defined

goals and outcomes and time to debrief after the stimulation. Role playing

and stimulation require student to improvise using the information available

to them. In the process, they encounter critical thinking and co-operative

learning. These teaching tools can be effective in helping students clarify

attitudes and ideologies and make connections between abstract concepts

and real world event.

1.8.13 Testing Prediction against Different Source

High schools students are ready and often eager to express their opinions

and participate in discussions about proactive topics. Asking student to make

a prediction at the begging of lesson can draw them into the content.

Predictions are generally one of the effective kinds of classroom “activator”

because they instantly give student an investment in the outcome of lesson.

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Students want to know “how they did” with their predictions using a variety

of source to test student‟s prediction enables teachers to teach history.

The following sources and teaching devices are some of the many available

(i) Data cards to explain key events.

(ii) Video clips of news footage.

(iii) Music that reflect the political climate.

(iv) Interview with people who remember the war.

(v) Opinion poll result.

1.9 THE 5 E’s

The 5E‟s is an instructional model based on the constructivist approach to

learning, which says that learners build or construct their own ideas. The

5E‟s can be used with students of all ages, including adult. Each of the 5E‟s

describes a phase of learning and each phase begin with the letter “E” which

are Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. The 5E‟s allow

students and teachers to experience common activities to use and build on

prior knowledge and experience, to construct meaning and to continually

assess their understanding of a concept.

(i) Engage: This phase of 5E‟s start the process. An engage activity should

do the following:

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Make connection between past and present learning experience. Anticipate

activities and focus students‟ thinking on the learning outcomes of current

activities. Students should become mentally engaged in the concept, process

or skill to be learned.

(ii) Explore: This phase provide student with a common base of experience.

They identify and develop concepts, processes and skills during this phase;

students actively explore their environment or manipulate materials.

(iii) Explain: This phase of 5E‟s helps students explain the concepts they

have been exploring. They have opportunities to verbalize their conceptual

and understanding or to demonstrate new skills or behaviors. This phase also

provides opportunities for teachers to introduce formal terms, definitions and

explanations for concepts, process, skills or behavior.

(iv) Elaborate: This phase of 5E‟s extend students‟ conceptual

understanding and allow them to practice skills and behaviors. Through new

experiences, the learners develop deeper and broader understanding of major

concepts, obtain more information about areas of interest and refine their

skills.

(v) Evaluate: This phase of the 5E‟s encourages learners to assess their

understanding and abilities and lets teachers evaluate student‟s

understanding of key concepts and skill development.

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 1.10 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND
CONSTRUCTIVIST CLASSROOM
TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM CONSTRUCTIVIST CLASSROOM
1. Curriculum begins with the part of 1. Curriculum emphasizes big concepts,
the whole. It emphasizes basic skill. beginning with the whole and
explaining to include the parts.
2. Strict adherence to fixed 2. Pursuit of student question and
curriculum is highly valued. interest in valued.
3. Materials are primarily textbooks 3. Materials include source of material
and workbooks. and manipulate materials.
4. Learning is basically on 4. Learning is interactive building on
repetition. what the student already knows.
5. Teachers disseminate information 5. Teachers have a dialogue with
to students and students are merely students, helping student construct their
the recipient of knowledge. own knowledge.
6. Teacher‟s role is directive rooted 6. Teachers role in interactive rooted in
in authority. negotiation.
7. Assessment is through testing 7. Assessment includes student‟s words,
correct answer. observation and points of view as well
as tests. Process is an important as
product.
8. Knowledge is seen as inert/static. 8. Knowledge is seen as dynamic, ever
changing with our experience.
9. Students work primarily alone. 9. Students work primarily in group.

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1.11 BENEFITS OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

(i) Children learn more and enjoy learning more when they are actively

involved, rather than passive listeners.

(ii) Education works best when it concentrates on thinking and

understanding, rather than on rote memorization. Constructivism

concentrates on learning “how to think” and understand.

(iii) Constructivist learning is transferable. In constructivist classroom,

students create organizing principles that they can take with them to other

learning setting.

(iv) Constructivism gives students ownership of what they learn, since

learning is based on students‟ question and explorations, and often the

students have a hand in designing the assessment as well. Constructivist

assessment engaged the students‟ initiatives and personal investments in

their journals, research report, physical models and artistic representations.

Engaging the creative instinct develops student‟s abilities to express

knowledge through a variety of ways. The students are also more likely to

retain and transfer the new knowledge to real life.

(v) By grounding learning activities in an authentic real-world context,

constructivism stimulates and engages students. Students in constructivist

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Classrooms learn to question things and to apply their natural curiosity to the

world.

(vi) Constructivism promotes social and communication skills by creating a

classroom environment that emphasizes collaboration and exchange of ideas.

Student must know how o construct their ideas clearly as well as to

collaborate on task effectively by sharing in group projects. Student must

therefore exchange ideas and so much learn to negotiation” with others and

to evaluate their contributions is a socially acceptable manner. This is

essential to success in the real world, since they will always be exposed to a

variety of experiences in which they will have to co-operate and navigate

among ideas of others.

(vii) It allow learner to engaged with concepts and deepen understanding,

rather than remembering only to forget after examination.

(viii) Here the students handled issues like independence, intimacy and peer

group dependence are concerns that need to be recognized, and appropriate

support be given to cope with them. The physical space of outside world,

one‟s access to it, and free movement influence “construction of the self”.

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1.12 LIMITATIONS OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

(i) While it is true that constructivism can have a positive impact in the

classroom, its complexity makes it quiet difficult for anyone to put the

pieces together, to make a coherent idea of what constructivism is and then

turn in to practical, successful teaching practices within the classroom.

“Because there are so many versions of constructivism with important

overlaps but also with major difference, it is difficult to see the forest for the

tree” (Gordon, 2009, p.40).

(ii) Many of the constructivist underlining principles is based off ideas from

psychological, sociological and philosophical perspectives. According to

Gordon (2009). “Theories developed in psychology, sociology and cultural

studies or elsewhere cannot be unproblematiaclly transplanted into field of

education”. So it is true, how exactly we are supposed to implement

constructivism into the educational setting with the utmost confidence.

(iii) Whether there is a coherent and unregimented idea of constructivist

educational practices or not, these ideas and knowledge and learning are still

being implemented in classroom setting across the country. In the wrong

hands, this kind of teaching can be very disorganized and detrimental for

students. Constructivist teaching practices that could result in these

shortcomings include: Discovery based learning, co-operative learning,

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group activities, projects, child-initiated activities. For this student will pay

the price.

(iv) Teachers are ill prepared for constructivist teaching along with

observation; teachers are to diagnose individual needs and interests. Thus,

they need to be organized and excellent at observing their students are taking

data in order to keep track of student learning. Without each of this element

in place, within a constructivism framework, this method of teaching has the

potential be fragmented and inconsistent.

(v) Students are expected to work through problems with little or no

guidance from the teacher, instead of being taught new rules and ideas the

learner is allowed to discover this concepts. (Mayer, 2004)

(vi) Educator who implements constructivist teaching methods in their

classroom set up the environment in order to enhance student learning

through active learning where students are able to learn in social way. This

method is how ever problematic for certain students with disabilities who are

including in the classroom in classroom setting.

1.13 NEED OF THE STUDY

The success rate of candidates in various competitive exams is very

low, in Central teachers eligibility test (CTET) it was hardly 10%, in civil

services it is 0.1% to 0.3% only, in bank exam it is 1.5% and in UGC NET it

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is 5% only. Secondly the University commission (1948-49) has also on

formulation of new aims, emphasis on developing knowledge and critical

thinking rather than mechanical passing of examination. But till now in India

examination means stress to the students.

A growing body of evidence suggests that among the host of factors,

the teaching learning process that goes into the classroom seems to be the

weakest part of the school system. When we look back to our schools, we

can find that teachings in our classroom in almost systematize and reutilized

at all levels from primary to higher secondary level. It encourages listens

passively and rote memory. Not only the students today have become more

knowledge consumer not the knowledge constructor, as a result children

acquire knowledge in a mechanical way which does not serve the purpose

whenever required. There is, therefore, a need to improve the quality of

teaching learning process in our class room. If we want to improve the

quality of school education and for that we have to shift our teaching

learning process behaviouristic approach to constructivism approach.

Secondary level of education is taken as the base for higher education

and further research and contribution towards the betterment and

development of mankind and nation. If the students of secondary level can

understand the concepts clearly than they can easily proceed for higher

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education and can make precious contribution towards the development of

nation.

The investigator observed most of the students of Santiniketan area

are dependent on private tuitions rather than the school teachers and class

room teaching. That is why the investigator has selected secondary level for

her research and there is no such study conducted on constructivist approach

towards the teaching learning in the secondary schools of Santiniketan, West

Bengal. Hence the investigator has felt the need to study this new approach

of teaching learning process in the secondary schools of Santiniketan, West

Bengal.

1.14 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In the context of the objectives of the study the investigator attempts to study

the constructivist approach for teaching learning process in the secondary

school of Santiniketan, west Bengal.

Title of the study

The title of the present investigation is entitled as “A study of

constructivism approach towards teaching learning in the secondary

school of Santineketan, West Bengal”

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1.15 OPERATIONAL TERM

Constructivism approach: It is an approach which recognizes the child as

natural learner and knowledge as the outcome of the child‟s own activity.

Secondary school students: Students of grade 9 and grade 10 of secondary

1.16 OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the study are as follows:

1. To study relationship between the teaching method and the

achievement of the secondary school students of Santiniketan.

2. To find out the difference between the score secured in pre test and

post test by grade 9 students.

3. To study the difference between the scores secured in the pre test and

post test by grade 10 students.

4. To examine the difference between male and female teachers

regarding constructivist approach.

5. To study whether the experience of teachers have impact on

constructivism approach.

6. To study the difference between the trained and untrained teachers

regarding the constructivist approach.

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 7. To examine the difference among various subject teachers in

secondary school in respect to constructivist approach.

1.17 HYPOTHESES

1. There is no significant difference between the pre test and post test of

grade 9 students.

2. There is no significant difference between the pre test and post test

scores of grade 10 students.

3. There is no significant difference between male and female teachers

regarding constructivist approach in the teaching learning.

4. There is no significant difference between the experience of teachers

and constructivist approach in the teaching learning.

5. There is no significant difference between the trained and untrained

teachers regarding constructivist approach in the teaching learning.

6. There is no significant difference among various subject teachers of

secondary school regarding constructivist approach in the teaching

learning.

1.18 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study is only confined to the secondary schools of Santiniketan which

include class 9 and 10. Secondly the study is limited to only one secondary

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school for pre- test and post –test, but all the secondary school teachers are

taken into consideration for the collecting data on constructivism approach.

1.19 CONCLUSION

The chapter deal with development of theoretical background of

constructivist which includes definitions, origin, principles, educational

implication, role of teacher, skills require for teachers, type of assessment,

different phases, table showing difference between traditional and

constructivist classroom, benefits and limitation of constructivism. It also

discussed the need of the study, statement of the problem, operational term,

and objectives of the study, hypothesis and delimitation of the study.

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