Prepared and presented by: Prof. Paola Katherina M.

Gonzales,MA
San Beda College, Department of Psychology

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM

Constructivism
Knowledge and understanding are actively
required. Under various conditions, we might
discuss experiment or assume a specific role,
debate, investigate or expound certain issues.

Constructivism
Knowledge and understanding are socially
constructed in dialogue with others

Constructivism
Knowledge and understanding are created and
recreated. We should reinforce learning to make
it relevant.

Components of Constructivism:
Discovery learning
Inquiry learning
Cooperative Learning
Individualized learning
Learning with technology

Social Constructivism
Learners can make sense of new experiences by
relating them to their own previous experiences.
Memorizing facts and reproducing information in
tests are not the path to develop a deep and
flexible understanding of any subject. Mere
memorization does not lead to better
understanding of the material to be learned.
Learning is something that the learner does, not
something that is done to the learner. Learning
accounts for cognitive restructuring and so
students must be actively involved in the learning
process

Social Constructivism

Effective teaching involves continual probing of

the nature of student understanding.
Deeper understanding includes gaining insight
into the connections between disciplines and
knowledge they use in understanding them.
Superficial and encapsulated learning is the result
of teaching and curricula that emphasize the
coverage of content.
Reflective practice is a vital part of effective
teaching. It means that teachers provide activities
that promote student learning.

Social Constructivist approach

Emphasizes the social contexts of learning and
that knowledge is mutually built and
constructed.

Theory of Cognitive Development by

Jean Piaget
When he/she encounters new object, the
skills or schemas which he learned are being
transferred to this new object assimilation.
Adaptation to the new object is called
accommodation. Congruency between the
structure of the mind and the environment in
order to have the full grasps of the world is
called equilibrium.

Theory of Cognitive Development by

Jean Piaget

Four stages of cognitive development:

1. Sensorimotor stage from birth to two years of
age. Infants use senses and motor abilities to
explore and gain basic understanding of the
environment.
little experimenters
2. Preoperational stage from two to seven year of
age. As they represent objects mentally, they
can make use of words and symbols such as
drawing, a written word or a spoken word which
can be understood to represent a real object.

Theory of Cognitive Development by

Jean Piaget
3. Concrete Operational Stage lasts from
seven to eleven years of age.
Operations refer to logical operations or
principles we use in solving problems.
4. Formal operational Stage a child becomes
competent in using logical operations and
abstract concepts. It is the stage of
developing strategies and plans in solving in a
systematic manner.

Spiral curriculum and categorization

JEROME SEYMOUR BRUNER

Categorization
to perceive is to
categorize; to
conceptualize is to
categorize; to learn is to
form categories; to make
decision is to categorize.

Bruner suggested a system of coding in

which the learners have a hierarchical
arrangement of related categories to
help them facilitate easy transfer,
enhance retention and increase
problem solving ability and motivation.

The three models of representation:

Enactive
representation (action
based)
Iconic representation
(image based)
Symbolic
representation
(language based)

Spiral curriculum
a vehicle that develops the
same lessons at succeeding age
or grade levels as well as at
different levels of difficulty
Integration and cohesion of
knowledge.

The Zone of Proximal Development and

Social Constructivism

LEV SEMEONOVICH
VYGOTSKY

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

the range of tasks that are too difficult for the
child to master alone but that can be learned with
the guidance and assistance of adults or more
skilled children.

LOWER LIMIT: the level of skill reached by the child

working independently
UPPER LIMIT: the level of additional responsibility
the child can accept with the assistance of an able
instructor

Upper limit
Level of additional responsibility
child can accept with assistance
of an able structure

ZONE OF PROXIMAL
DEVELOPMENT
Lover limit
Level of problem solving reached
on these tasks by child working
alone

Scaffolding
Changing the level of support.

Language and Thought

Children use speech not only for social
communication, but also to help them solve
tasks. ( Vygotsky, 1962)
Young children talk aloud to themselves about such things as their toys and
tasks they are trying to complete. This piece doesnt go ; maybe ill try that
one. This is hard.

Seatwork
Look for a partner
In half sheet of paper (crosswise) answer the
following questions.

1. Create a sample curricula for

psychology majors First year to second
year.
Example: include one to 2 major
subject per year; topic, objective and
activities.

2. Create a situation applying

Vygotskys ZPD. Emphasizing lower
and lower limits.

3. Compare Vygotsky and Piagets

concepts by completing the chart.

Theorists and Theory

Socialcultural
context
(strong/little)
Constructivism
Stages

Key Process
Role of Language
View on learning
Teaching implications
(role of teacher)

Lev Vygotsky

Jean Piaget

Theorists and Theory

Lev Vygotsky

Jean Piaget

Socialcultural
context
(strong/little)

Strong emphasis

Little emphasis

Constructivism

Social constructivist

Cognitive constructivist

Stages

No general stages of
development

Strong emphasis on stages

(sensorimotor, preoperation, concrete
and formal operational stage)

Key Process

Zone of proximal development

Schema, assimilation, accommodation,

operations, conservation, classification

Role of Language

A major role: plays a powerful

role in shaping thought

Language has minimal role: cognition

primarily directs language

View on learning

Central role; helping the child

learn the tools of the culture

Refines child cognitive skills that have

already emerged.

Teaching implications A facilitator and guide: establish

opportunities for children to learn
(role of teacher)

Facilitator and guide: provide support for

children to explore their world and discover
knowledge.

with the teacher and more

skilled peers