Which
of these learning activities/skills lend themselves to student’s individual or
group construction? How might you structure learning activities that lead
students to discover these skills/these principles?
Our lesson takes a multi-disciplinary approach with math and geography to challenge students to solve a problem. This problem requires them to draw upon knowledge they learned previously in their life as well as knowledge they have gathered from the activity. Constructivism is a learning theory that highlights the importance of past knowledge and internal thinking in learning new material.
The activity first gives students a location on a map. Then using a formula, the students have to find a given slope. Applying that slope to the map, they then find another location on the map along that slope, and research some facts about that location that they chose. Using the formula requires them use previous math knowledge and apply it. they have already been taught how to use slope in theory, but now they have to apply it to the real world. This task also requires some general understanding of maps. Obviously this activity is not fully developped as we ran out of time in class to work on it. It could be modified to encourage collaboration. Work could be split up among students so that they do different parts and come together to expalin their work to other students. The important part is that this activity allows students to come up with an infinite number of answers (the plot they point on their slope) that are all correct. This encourages individual discovery.
I think in general with activities, educators can structure them in stages so that students see and understand how they build. You could show that with an example that trying to do the 2nd part before the 1st would not work because the prerequisite knowledge has not been yet learned. Also, technology is a great tool for educating with constructivism because it allows for individual exploration of a subject. Here is a brilliant video of a man who has explored this idea of individual exploration with technology and learning through experience. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VLje8QRrwg It is not necessarily strictly an example of constructivism, but its emphasis on exploration and building on prior experience makes it a compelling answer to the problem of teaching certain material.
I think in general with activities, educators can structure them in stages so that students see and understand how they build. You could show that with an example that trying to do the 2nd part before the 1st would not work because the prerequisite knowledge has not been yet learned. Also, technology is a great tool for educating with constructivism because it allows for individual exploration of a subject. Here is a brilliant video of a man who has explored this idea of individual exploration with technology and learning through experience. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VLje8QRrwg It is not necessarily strictly an example of constructivism, but its emphasis on exploration and building on prior experience makes it a compelling answer to the problem of teaching certain material.
I really like the activity that your group created, and I think you might even be able to apply it - have the students find points on a map at the school, and calculate slope, or even expand to consider geocaching. There's so much you can do with this that makes is a discovery activity and really builds on the constructivist principles.
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