I really enjoyed reading about constructionist approaches to teaching and learning this last week. I thought a lot about how I could incorporate project-, problem-, and inquiry-based methodologies into the way that I run my classroom. The greatest benefit that I see is that this kind of approach provides for real-life connections between the things that I am asked to teach and the everyday lives of my students. I often hear the question, “Why do we need to know this?” With this approach, the question is answered.
I think students can also see the “forest for the trees” when they are presented with the material in this way. I often get caught up in the minutia of what we are doing, and that can obscure the big picture from my students’ view.
A constructionist approach also encourages students to be involved and motivated. I know that my students enjoy coming to class more when we are doing this kind of activity. I think that students also go deeper into the meaning and learning when they must apply what they are learning to solving a problem or creating a project.
A few years ago I moved from 6th grade to 8th grade. Last year I had some students from my last year in 6th grade. We were talking about government and one of them said that it was like when we did this simulation in sixth grade. They were right, and I was actually amazed that this particular student remembered anything from my class two years earlier. The simulation had attracted the attention of this generally unmotivated student and he learned something that he was able to apply quite a bit later.
Finally, I thought this quote expressed the practical nature of Constructionist learning theory in a nutshell.
"This is the way that mathematics started. It started not as this beautiful, pure product of the abstract mind. It started as a way of controlling the water of the Nile, building the pyramids, sailing a ship. And gradually it got richer and richer." Seymour Papert (MIT)
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Doug,
ReplyDeleteYou have some excellent thoughts here! You mentioned that you notice your students being more motivated with hands-on, real life, project-based learning activities. I also noticed that a lot in my students as well. When students are engulfed in these projects they no longer act as though they are sitting in a classroom where the teacher is in charge. They then start to take charge of their own learning and usually end up finding solutions to more than the main problem that they started with. I love that part! To see students wanting to find answers and asking high level questions of themselves and their classmates, and then find ways to find solutions is truly an awesome thing to watch!
Magan
Doug,
ReplyDelete“Why do we need to know this?” or “When are we ever going to use this?” are two questions I hear often too. I agree that the benefit of connecting the information we teach to ‘real-life’ is essential. Some of the strategies from this week can help us do that. I will admit creating my own ‘project-based’ activity felt a little intimidating when beginning but with so many resources available through websites/technology, the possibilities are endless. We do not need to recreate the wheel for our students, just by using the resources available we can ‘tweak’ it a little to make it applicable for our students and areas.
I enjoyed your example of the student who remembered the information from the 6th grade. It shows that although we may not think we are reaching our students, some actually do remember!
~Leilani