Post on 17-Dec-2015
Progressivism vs. ConstructivismMaking A Change in Education
and Gaining Knowledge Through
Experiences
Philosophy Survey ResultsProgressivism=32Essentialism=25Social Constructivism=25Perrenialism=24Existentialism=20
ProgressivismPhilosophers:
John Dewey on progressivismJean Piaget on constructivism
A reaction against traditional methods of direct and
whole-class instruction and traditional curriculum
Active Learning• Favored a more active, collaborative style of
learning providing experiences for students• Students learn by doing.
I hear, and I forget.I see, and I remember.I do, and I understand.
Developmentally Appropriate PracticesHighly influenced by developmentally
appropriatePractices.
NAEYC position statement highlights teaching methods
as to how children develop and learn• Child development and learning• Individually appropriate• Culturally appropriate
Dewey and Progressive educationReflective thinkingFounded on ethics and moralsAllows students to become socially and
politically engaged
Progressivism to Child DevelopmentEducation is preparation for life
Dewey and Religious SentimentsPrimary task in life is growing upDewey: reinterpreted religious sentiments
into nonreligious formsStated individuals never truly outgrow
childhoods and religious upbringing
Teacher Role in Progressive Education
• Teacher facilitator• Center-based play• Learning centers with age-appropriate
activities• Individual assessments via student
observation• Prepare students for life and adulthood
Student Role in Progressive EducationIndividual thinkerCritical thinkerDiscovery and exploration in learning centersBecome actively engaged in experiences
leading to preparation for adulthood
Anecdote of Progressive EducationAllow pre-k students
to discover and explore classroom learning centers
Special guests invited to speak with pre-k students on community careers, civic awareness
Constructive EducationIndividuals benefit from previous experiences
when resolving problemsCognitive developmentSimilarity to Montessori philosophy
Constructive educationIndividuals create (construct) new
understandings from information of their own beliefs and ideas
Scientific theory: Individuals explain same object based on their perspectives
Theory of Constructivism• Not a theory of teaching but a theory of
knowledge and learning• Teachers are intense learners along with
students
Teacher Role in Constructive Education• Provide active participation• Provide dialogue• Provide real-life situations for learning where
students can form own explanations and discoveries
• Guide students to learn and develop content to carry into adulthood
Student Role in Constructive EducationAutonomousInquisitive thinkerLearn from experiencesLearn through active participation
Anecdote of Constructive Education• Teacher, as facilitator, provides learning
centers for pre-k students to be actively involved in real-life activities
• Teacher invites special guests to visit class to expose students to real-life situations
Study started as Progressive vs. Constructive education
Reality: Learning theories very similar at the pre-k grade level
Teachers are facilitators and guidesDevelopmental freedomsAttention to the whole childCooperation between home and schoolProvide guidance for students to prepare for
life
ConclusionSimilarities of Progressive and Constructive
education- encourage critical thinkers- discovery and exploratory play-based environment- problem solving skills- learn through experiences- learning freedoms
ReferencesFallace, T. (2011). Tracing John Dewey's Influence on Progressive Education, 1903-1951: Toward a Received
Dewey. Teachers College Record, 113(3), 463-492.
NAEYC Position Statement on Licensing and Public Regulation of Early Childhood Programs. (1998). Young Children, 53(1), 43-50.
Noori, K. K. (1994). A Constructivist/Reflective Paradigm: A Model for the Early Childhood Program at Tuskegee University.
Ültanir, E. (2012). AN EPISTEMOLOGICAL GLANCE AT THE CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH: CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING IN DEWEY, PIAGET, AND MONTESSORI. International Journal Of Instruction, 5(2), 195-212.
Little, T. (2013). 21st Century Learning and Progressive Education: An Intersection. International Journal Of Progressive Education, 9(1), 84-96.
Jorgensen, C. (2013). Moral Problems as Issues-Centered Social Studies Education: Discovering Dewey as a Guiding Foundation. International Journal Of Progressive Education, 9(1), 41-58.
SCHECTER, B. (2011). 'Development as an Aim of Education': A Reconsideration of Dewey's Vision. Curriculum Inquiry, 41(2), 250-266. doi:10.1111/j.1467-873X.2011.00546.x
Stallones, J. (2006). STRUGGLE FOR THE SOUL OF JOHN DEWEY. American Educational History Journal, 33(1), 19-28.