Knowledge Construction

Chapter 7

Constructive processes in learning and memory

Individual Constructivism: Storage

• Influenced by

Individual Constructivism: Retrieval

• Combining partial information with general knowledge, assumptions about the world – leads to reconstruction errors

Social Constructivism

• Meaning is jointly constructed – two or more people at the same time

• distributed cognition

– by groups or cultures over time• science, literature, art

Organizing knowledge

Concepts

• Mental grouping of similar events, objects, ideas, or people

• “Smallest units of thought”

• Can be concrete (dog) or abstract (noun)

• Learned through experience (dog) or direct instruction (noun)

Schemas & Scripts

• Schema

• Script

• Influenced by culture

Theories

• Integrated sets of concepts & principles to explain particular phenomena

• “Naïve theories” constructed by individuals

Worldviews

Promoting effective knowledge construction

General Strategies

• Provide opportunities for observation, experimentation

• Present experts’ perspectives• Emphasize conceptual understanding• Encourage classroom dialogue• Assign authentic activities• Scaffold theory construction• Create a community of learners

When knowledge construction goes awry:

Addressing learners’ misconceptions

Misconceptions

• Beliefs inconsistent with accepted and well-validated explanation– world is flat (k-2)– plants “eat” soil, fertilizer (Grades 3-5) – division always leads to smaller number

(Grades 9-12)• Individually, culturally constructed• Can inhibit new learning

Promoting Conceptual Change• Identify misconceptions before instruction

begins• Look for, build on elements of truth in

students’ existing understandings• Convince students that existing beliefs

need revision• Motivate students to learn correct

explanations• Preserve students’ self-esteem; do not

ridicule them for misunderstandings• Monitor students for persistent

misconceptions

Diversity in constructive processes

Factors Influencing Constructive Processes

• Individual student knowledge

• Student core beliefs– culture, religion

• To encourage learning: – expose students to diverse perspectives– develop community of learners– accommodate students with special needs

The big picture

The Big Picture

• Learners construct knowledge on their own & in collaboration with others.

• Learners integrate what they learn to make generalizations.

• Learners’ constructions are sometimes productive and sometimes counterproductive.