Contructivism's roots

Contructivism's roots

by Mokhtar Beldjehem -
Number of replies: 18

Constructivism
Schema theory is about structures, in particular, about structures that are created by the individual as part of the learning process. Each individual associates knowledge as structures in their memory. New knowledge is added to existing structures, or existing structures are restructured. In constructivism, students build mental models or constructs based on previous knowledge by dynamically interacting during the learning process.

The student accepts responsibility for learning, and the teacher becomes more of a facilitator or guide.

Hypertext supports constructivism by allowing the reader to take control of the learning process. Web pages in particular are an example of reader initiated learning. Readers try to discover principles and knowledge for themselves. The use of synchronous methods of communication supports an active dialog between the author and the reader. Les Vygotsky was a pioneer of constructivism.

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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Andrea Hall -
Actually, Mokhtar, Vygotsky was not a pioneer of constructivism, as constructivism is essentially an individualistic thing, check some of the stuff by Glassersfeld. He says that knowledge is individually constructed, and then learners may share with others. By contrast, Vygotsky says learning cannot occur without others as it is mediated, so learning must begin within a social environment. This is a sociocultural theory, which Wenger, Seely-Brown and others built on

However, both approaches go for the active learner, and of course Moodle is wonderful for supporting active learning!
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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Mokhtar Beldjehem -

Thanks Andrea for your thoughtful comments. Could you please elaborate much more, compare and contrast between Vygotsky and Glasserfeld.

In fact Vygotsky advocated the two aspects of learning(both individualistic and collaborative) in a coherent theory. However Glasserfeld focused on the individualistic approach.

Could you please provide much more information about the contribution of   Wenger, Seely-Brown and others in the framework of Vygotsky.

Anyway, I am convinced that the Vygotsky theory is the only valid theory of learning.

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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Mokhtar Beldjehem -
Thanks Alan for your thoughtful comments and the link. in fact I am exploring and trying to comprehend and to master the principles and the rational behind contructivism in order to build effective methodologies for the development of Moodle-based courses in practice. Unless we understand all these issues in an in-depth manner the development of on line courses remains an Art and we could never leverage the Seamless integration of Moodle tools. It is a crucial issue.

Furthermore it allows us to detect missing (unknown or new inexistant) required functionalities in Moodle in order implement Contructivism in practice too.

It seems that Bahktin is advocating and looking for a concept more rich that hypertext enriched with semantic and proximity relationship that we still looking for in Internet Technology. The hypertext navigational capacity implement some aspects of the individualistic learning abilities whereas collaborative activities (Chat, Forums, Wikis,Glossaries, Test, Assignments, Groups. ..) enhance the collaborative learning abilities.

Anyway, I still believe that Vygotsky's Theory is complete. Of course other ideas and viewpoints might help us to enhance and improve it.

Keep contributing and your good work.

Cheers,


-Mokhtar Beldjehem
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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Andrea Hall -
I agree with both of you Alan and Mokhtar, that Vygotsky's work has an amazing contribution to learning, and especially today as networked learning gains more acceptance in the educational community.

From what I understand, it took a while for V's work to come to light, being in Russia/Russian, and when the west got hold of it, interpreted it through a western mindset. So the best approach to understanding his work is through reading Russian edu psyc or those who read Russian (not me!) And as he died at only 33 a lot of his concepts were not developed or explained fully, so others continued his work.
From what I undertand, Mokhtar, both V. and constructivists (Glassersfeld Jonassen etc) do see both the community and the individual as important. However it is the roles of these that are different.

For me, and I guess you, it is how these theories play out in the design of courses that is important. Initially I used a const. approach and I would design courses with individual work where learners would have to go work it out for themselves (Jonassen has great examples of this approach under Designing Constructivist Learning Env) I found this was like making students 'discover gravity' again. Then I would design collaborative activities where according to the constructivist theories, students 'co-construct' as they dialogue. But this provides no clue as to how to actually design the interaction so it had no purpose, and students would often come up with wrong answers (though I think I was not supposed to say it was wrong as everyone constructs their own perception of truth, by this theory)

Now I design using a sociocultural approach, based on what I have seen in V's work. (See stuff by Scott Grabinger for this, or uow learning design site) So I start off by asking 'where would a learning community use and talk this knowledge' and build a course design strategy around that, with collaborative work first and then individual work afterwards. As Alan commented, scaffold and other concepts come in as you are extending their knowledge and need supports and more expert 'others' to structure all the work, and the forums etc now have a purpose as they are guided and help learners develop competency in new knowlege.

Hey sorry, I think I have talked on longer than I should.

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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Mokhtar Beldjehem -

Thanks all so much for your thoughful comments, indeed you helped me to learn about the subject in a true Contructivist maner.

Vygotsky' Constructivism theory is a valid and complete, however it is still a theory. What we need is to elaborate (contruct) a computational model to implement the  Vygotsky'ZPD and scaffolding faithfully. Seymour and Papert have already attempt it using some approaches succesfuly to some extent, according to them : Seymour Papert on Constructivism and (Papert’s) Constructionism:


"The word with the v expresses the theory that knowledge is built by the learner, not supplied by the teacher. The word with the n expresses the further idea that happens especially felicitously when the learner is engaged in the construction of something external or at least sharable" (Papert, 1991, p.3). "

For almost all discipline (especially (software) engineering), where the learner engage in contructing objects, models, modules, tools, systems, artefacts either conceptual or physical. Their theory seems to be valid even  not complete. They build effective software tools on it.

As I am interested mostly by building coursware dealing with algrithm design, compiler design, Fuzzy logic, Computational Intelligence, database design, software design, programming. Seymour and Papert approach is a promissing apprioach for me for the moment. To implement Vygotsky' Constructivism in a computational model is very hard; we need tight collaboration of psycologists, educationalists, computer and software scientists, a thing which beyond the reach of a  conventional laboratory of a computer science.  I am now more closer to the progressist school too.

Are we able to elaborate (contruct) a computational model to implement the  Vygotsky'ZPD and scaffolding faithfully in terms of software tool or in terms of a Moodle coursware. Better is to start by asking Sir Martin Dougiamas . . .

Keep the good work and keep posting

Thanks

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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Andrea Hall -
I think if you are wanting to find out about V's contribution to learning theories, it is best to read work written by Vygotskysts. Here are a few links:

http://webpages.charter.net/schmolze1/vygotsky/colewertsch.html

Cole and Wertsch are known 'experts' in the field

http://www.marxists.org/archive/luria/works/1976/problem.htm

Luria carried on V's work after he died, and he attempted to clarify issues that V had started

http://www.aare.edu.au/03pap/ver03682.pdf

Scaffolding concepts were not from V, but developed out of his work as Verenikina mentions here.

I don't work in a computational model field, so I am sorry I cannot contribute to that discussion! thoughtful

Regards,
Andrea
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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Mokhtar Beldjehem -

Dear Adrea,

Hi,

Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments and pointings.

Some e-learning researchers are advocating connectivism a new e-learning paradigm:

http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Even it stiil vague and it it is in its enfancy stage, It is proposed, descibed and presented as a new paradigm  beyond contructivism.

In fact intuitively and informally  Moodle is heavealy using connectivism in principle.

Some researchers claims that connectivism subsumes contructivism.

Many open questions . . .

What do you think?

Anyway, enjoy browsing, reading and learning in what ever paradigm suits you wink

Thanks in advance for your collaboration,

Cheers,

-MoB,

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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Mokhtar Beldjehem -

A very interesting neutral paper on Piaget versus Lev Vygotsky

http://www.massey.ac.nz/~alock/virtual/colevyg.htm

Enjoy reading and learning actively and cooperatively in a constructive manner

Cheers,

Mokhtar Beldjehem,

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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Andrea Hall -
Yes that is a good paper- it is the same paper I referred you to in an earlier posting! thoughtful Maybe his comments also answer some of your questions about connectivism???

Now just have to use it to strategise your teaching approach!

Andrea
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In reply to Mokhtar Beldjehem

Re: Contructivism's roots

by Paul Ganderton -
Hi Mokhtar and others,

At last, a moment to comment. I am less convinced that Vygotsky is complete. It is certainly one way forward and, according to this article is seen as more of a continuum. I would be happier to agree that Moodle is a constructivist package.

What concerns me about the application of both this approach and connectivist ideas is that it assumes a student body that is able to construct information in the way it seems fit and there is no guarantee that this produces the best (i.e. most advanced) thinking. In following such a course might we not be at danger of reducing Moodle to that which the least able (or most popular) could do?

Regards,

Paul
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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Mokhtar Beldjehem -

Thanks so much ALL for your messages, contributions and thoughtful comments, in fact I am more Vygotskyst than Piagist, I believe that building a compuational model (and implementing it in term of software program or tool) which simulates the Vigotsky.s ZPD and  Scafolding/Fading mechanism is a real chllenge for the E-learning communites, for sure building it on Moodle is stimulating and appealing. Of course, it  needs to produce towsends of PHP line code.

Cheers,

-MoB,

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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Andrea Hall -
Hey Mokhtar, look at this: http://ariadne.cs.kuleuven.be/edmedia/rankings.html EdMedia ranks Vygotsky's 1978 book as the most cited, followed by Wenger who built on his work. Interesting eh!

(Also, Paul, that is totally true- Vygotsky's work is incomplete, even though he was amazing. He built on others work and then people after him used his concepts further in new theories, eg Wenger, Seely-Brown, and others. And maybe we could too! approve )
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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Mokhtar Beldjehem -
Thanks so much Andrea for your thoughtful comments. Would you kindly point us to Wenger and Seely_Brown, and others who built upon Vigotssky's works or elaborate much more on these very important issues. It is a fact that the story of scientific
research confirms, new comers always built on the ideas of old scientists.
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Re: Contructivism's roots

by Andrea Hall -
Hi Mokhtar,
John Seely Brown's seminal paper is here: http://uow.ico5.janison.com/ed/subjects/edgi911w/readings/brownj1.pdf He talks about the importance of learning being 'situated' in real contexts, where students talk about real things that go on in those professional contexts, which makes learning go deeper and robust. So, for teaching strategies, this means that we need to design 'problems' or whatever that real professional people do, and design interaction where students use the domain language in genuine ways. Brown also wrote 'Minds on Fire' which i think is another seminal paper http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM0811.pdf because he is talking about the significance of 2.0/ networking and how it relates to how students learn. Because he bases it in sociocultural theories, I think this is a really important issue in how we design our courses today.

Wenger and Lave developed the concept of 'Communities of Practice' (see http://pubpages.unh.edu/~jds/CofPractice.htm) They propose that people learn as they are in a community, eg a work place community. That you learn as you become involved in how people talk and do their thing. I think this is related to Vygotsky's ZPD, each community has people who have expertise in different areas and they support the newbies who become more proficient through this support. For us as designers, it means that we need to provide the type of interaction where learners, who have different levels of expertise can support each other, and the interactive tasks should be designed to help that. I think this would be particularly true when you have adult learners, as they will have developed a lot of skills to a mature level in their workplace, and can share and support others in any continuing education, assuming the interactive tasks are designed to support it.

See also work by Jan Herrington and Ron Oliver who have done research on Situated learning (google them!)

Sorry, this is a bit long.
Andrea
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