Constructivism

Overview

Constructivism is based on the philosophy that individuals actively create their personal understanding of the world. This theory emphasizes the learner’s current worldview, opinions, prior experiences, and beliefs as the starting point for constructing new knowledge. Social interaction with peers is key to comprehending and constructing new knowledge The learner is viewed as an active and intrinsically motivated participant in constructing knowledge. The instructor becomes a facilitator who supports the learner through creating an active and supportive learning environment.

Dates, Key Researchers, and Connections to Learning

1896 - 1980 John Piaget, Psychologist

Considered a radical constructivist, Piaget considered the individual to be at the center of creating and acquiring knowledge through the interpretation of external stimuli. As new knowledge is acquired, the learner seeks cognitive equilibrium by working through cognitive conflict arising from internal schema coming into contact with the unknown external reality (knowledge is synthesized). Cognitive equilibrium is achieved when new knowledge is assimilated or accommodated into existing schema.

1896 - 1934 Leo Vygotsky, Psychologist

Vygotsky’s social constructivism prioritizes the need for the learner to co-construct knowledge through social interactions or groups and emphasized the importance of language and culture in cognitive development. This approach utilizes the More Knowledgeable Other to help learners attain a higher level of learning, and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) to find the zone at which learning is challenging but attainable. Scaffolding is essential to the ZPD approach and can take many forms of support until it is gradually withdrawn.

1859 - 1952 John Dewy, Philosopher/Educator

Dewy embraced Piaget’s (cognitive aspect) and Vygotsky’s (emphasis on social learning) views of constructivism. Dewy emphasized the need to connect learning activities with real world activities and showed that those who learn through creativity and collaboration, will demonstrate higher levels of knowledge (Bhling & Hart).

Implications for Instructional Design

Learning experiences are multifaceted. The design of the activity will have a focused content objective (Objective: Evaluate the effect of disease on a select population), but also requires the learner to construct meaning and systems of meaning (Associated: Learning how to search population databases to find how disease affects a select population).
Activities are designed so that leaners feel in control of their learning (autonomy and ownership).
Activity elements must include problem-solving, exploration, questioning and connections to personal interests to encourage intrinsic motivation.
Learning experiences are challenging. They require individuals to utilize prior knowledge, or schema, and peer interaction so they actively explore and interact to construct new knowledge.
Learning is contextual. Activities are connected to what is going on in the real world.
Learning experiences consider how to account for and incorporate the learner’s application of personal and unique knowledge, persona, beliefs, etc.
Learners collaborate in small groups with peers. In this setting, ZPD and modeling by expert peers is utilized.

Keller's ARC Model and Instructional Design

To develop a problem-solving approach, instructional designers apply Keller's ARCS Model of motivation (Pappas).

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths

Views learners as capable, independent critical thinkers who are self-motivated. This brings ownership and self-satisfaction to the learning process.
Learners are self-directed and actively involved in the learning process (versus passive absorbers of information).
Learning activities account for individual cognitive levels of the learners.
Learning applies meaning to processes and systems. These principles can be applied to other learning settings.
It encourages collaboration and problem-solving.
Real-world application helps students realistically adapt concepts and critically think.

Limitations

True application of constructivism discards standardized curriculum. This may create issues with learners falling behind, having no clear means of assessment, and learners simply copying other students. (Bright Hub Education)
Learners may not have the ability or previous knowledge to properly construct new knowledge, this can lead to confusion and frustration.
There is a lack of structure in the classroom, which is essential for some learners and the evaluation process.
It is difficult to know if learning outcomes account for everything, especially if the mode of measurement is not conducive to self-reflection.
Constructivism relies on instructor engagement and self-reflection, which may not be realistic in a learning setting.

Learning Scenario Based on Constructivism

Learning Activity

This is an introductory assignment to population health. Learners propose evidence-based strategies to address inequity in healthcare for an underserved population.

Learner Demographic

Online/Master of Science in Nursing. All learners have a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN), whose prior education and training reflect accreditation standards on knowledge, concepts and skills. They each have varying degrees of clinical or practice experience depending on time in the profession. Learners will have different emphases within the nursing profession.

Overview of Learning Scenario

Introduction to population health assignment. Learners propose evidence-based strategies to address inequity in healthcare for an underserved population.

Learners are assigned collaboratives groups of 4 people.
Learners discuss populations they see in their local practices that appear to struggle with access to care or healthcare outcomes and propose reasons for why they believe the identified population struggles. The dialogue is intended to create discussion on the topic, which may lead to debate, based on professional and personal experiences. For parameters in the discussion (if needed), learners utilize guiding principles from nursing that govern ethics for the profession.
Learners, as a group, select an underserved population. They utilize professional databases to gather demographic information and identify factors leading to inequity.
Based on their findings, learners propose evidence-based strategies to address inequity and improve healthcare outcomes for their selected population.
Learners discuss opportunities within their communities that can be addressed by utilizing the tools and strategies from this exercise.
Learners self-reflect and, as a group, discuss how they will approach individuals from different populations now based on the understanding of health inequities and factors that cause them.

Application of Constructivism to Population Health Activity

Zone of Proximal Development

The skills learners have as a BSN nurse provide the foundation for mastering these new concepts and skills. However, professional experience and knowledge will differ, as will the learner's personal experience and beliefs. Both influence the success an individual will have when working with marginalized communities.

Skills to Master with Guidance

Utilizing population data bases. (Learning how to search and use filters to gather demographic information).
Identifying factors leading to health inequity. (Defining factors based on data).
Challenging implicit or explicit bias (How the learner's prior perception or beliefs of "underserved populations" and "causes of health inequity" differ from what is now known)
Designing evidence-based strategies. (Identifying interventions that address health inequity (policy changes, access to resources in local communities, practice changes, etc.).

Social Constructivist Strategy: Anchoring

Learners have vested interest in healthcare already, so they have some context for the importance of this new topic and the knowledge upon which to build. The topic also incorporates application of new concepts or skills to help their local community or healthcare organization. Finally, it allows the student to self-reflect on their personal views or beliefs and determine whether they are based on accurate information, which helps encourage meaningful engagement and an opportunity to amend knowledge if needed. The collaboration with peers provides an opportunity to work with different skilled nurses for peer learning.

Scaffolding Strategy

The assignment is broken down into more manageable tasks, and since this is an introduction to population health, it allows learners to investigate these tasks with peers.

The tasks include:

Forming an understanding that there are definable factors that contribute to health inequity.
Demographic data can be found on specific databases, and this data can be used to understand inequity.
Once data is understood, it can be used to establish a clear plan for making changes to improve health care outcomes.
Future Benchmarking: This assignment introduces foundational concepts and skills the learner will need to apply in formal assessments.

References

Evanick, J., (2023). From behaviorism to connectivism: A comprehensive guide to instructional design theories for online learning. eLearning Industry. Retrieved from: https://elearningindustry.com/from-behaviorism-to-connectivism-comprehensive-guide-instructional-design-theories-online-learning

Reynolds, J., (2018). Implications of learning theories on instructional design. eLearning Industry. Retrieved from: https://elearningindustry.com/learning-theories-instructional-design-implications

Mcleod, S., (2023). Jean piaget and his theory and stages on cognitive development. Simple Psychology. Retrieved from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html

Mcleod, S., (2023). Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of cognitive development. Simple Psychology. Retrieved from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

Pappas, C., (2015). Instructional design models and theories: Keller's ARCS model of motivation. eLearning Industry. Retrieved from: https://elearningindustry.com/arcs-model-of-motivation

Scwartz, M., (2018). The implications of 3 adult learning theories on instructional design. eLearning Industry. Retrieved from: https://elearningindustry.com/adult-learning-theories-on-instructional-design-implications-3