BRUNERS CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY Two views of Constructivism:
Main Concepts: 1. Individual Constructivism- also called cognitive
1. Representation constructivism. It emphasizes individual, internal
3 ways to represent knowledge: construction of knowledge.
Enactive – learning through actions on physical 2. Social Constructivism- “knowledge exists in a social
objects context and is initially shared with others”
Iconic – learning through models and pictures
Symbolic – learners has developed the ability to Characteristics of constructivism:
think in abstract, use symbol system to encode 1. Learners construct understanding
knowledge 2. New learning depends on current understanding
2. Spiral Curriculum- teaching the same content in 3. Learning is facilitated by social interaction
different ways depending on student’s developmental 4. Meaningful learning occurs within authentic task
levels
Principle of instruction stated by Bruner: Concept – is a way of grouping/categorizing objects in
Readiness our minds
Spiral organization 1. Concepts as a feature list- involves learning specific
Going beyond the information given features
3. Discovery Learning –refers to obtaining knowledge Defining Feature- characteristics present in all instances
for oneself Correlational Feature- one that is present in many
positive instances but not essential for concept
Four major aspects that a theory of instruction should membership
address (Bruner, 1996) 2. Concepts as Prototype
Predisposition to learn Prototype-is an idea or a visual image of a “typical”
Structure of knowledge- refers to the ways in example. Usually formed based on positive instances
which a body of knowledge can be structured that learners encounter
Effective sequencing 3. Concepts as Exemplars
Reinforcement Exemplars- represent a variety of examples. It allows
4. Categorization learners to know that an example under a concept may
Categories- are “rules” that specify four thing about have variability.
objects. 4. Schemas and script
Kinds of categories: Schema- is an organized body of knowledge about
1. Identity Categories- include objects based on their something
attributes or features Script- is a schema that includes series of predictable
2. Equivalent categories- provide rules for combining events about a specific activity
categories
3. Coding System - categories that serve to recognize
sensory input
TRANSFER LEARNING- happens when learning in one Uses of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy
context affects performance in another context 1. It provides educators with a common set of terms
Circumstances of learning 2. It helps in the drafting of learning standards across
Classrooms level
Workbooks 3. It serves as a guide in evaluating the school’s
Tests curriculum objectives
Drills 4. It guides the teacher in formulating learning
Types of Transfer outcomes
1. Positive Transfer –occurs when learning in one
context improves performance in some other context The WICS Model- intelligence is viewed a set of fluid
2. Negative Transfer – occurs when learning in one abilities to learn from experience and to adapt to one’s
context impacts negatively on performance in another surroundings
3. Near Transfer – transfer between very similar W-isdom
contexts. Also referred as “Specific transfer” I-ntelligence
4. Far Transfer- transfer between contexts that on C-reativity
appearance seem remote and alien to another. Also S-ynthesized
called as “general transfer”
Remember: Your role as a teacher is not to educate
The Original Bloom’s Taxonomy six levels: (all nouns) the mind alone, but to educate the soul as well. Accept
Knowledge- teaching with facts, stating, this not as a job but embrace it as a mission.
memorized rules, principles/definition
Comprehension- understanding concepts, rules The use of WICS model includes:
and principles Admission
Application – using what you comprehend in Instruction
real-life situations Assessment
Analysis – brokering down into parts for in- Reasons why WICS model was successful for teachers
depth understanding of these applied concepts, and their learners:
rules and principles Celebrated the differences of learners through a
Synthesis- put together elements of what has supportive learning environment
been learned Made students remember better what they
Evaluation – assess/judge based on setoff learned
standards on what they have learned Build on the strengths of the learners
Strengthened the motivations of the learners
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (all verbs)
remember
Understand
Apply
analyze
create
evaluate
The Knowledge Dimension
Factual
Conceptual
Procedural Knowledge
Metacognitive knowledge
PROBLEM SOLVING AND CREATIVITY
Torrance Framework for Creative Thinking (1979)
Fluency – refers to the production of a great
number of ideas/alternate solutions to a
problem
Flexibility – refers to the production of
ideas that show a variety of possibilities or
realms of thoughts. It involves the ability to
see things from different points of view
Elaboration- is the process of enhancing
ideas by providing more details
Originality – involves the production of
ideas that are unique or unusual
Creative Problem Solving (CPS) – is an intentional
process for solving problems and discovering
opportunities
Divergent Thinking – exploring more possible solutions
to a problem
Convergent Thinking – finding one well-defined solution
to a problem
Stages of Skeleton of a very rich process (Van Gundy)
Stage 1: Mess Finding – sensitize yourself that
need to be tackled
Stage 2: Data Finding – gather information
about the problem
Stage 3: Problem Finding – convert a fussy
statement of the problem into a broad
statement more suitable for idea finding
Stage 4: Idea Finding – generate as many ideas
as possible
Stage 5: Solution Finding – generate and select
obvious evaluation criteria and develop the
short-listed ideas from idea finding as much as
you can
Stage 6: Acceptance Finding – problems are
exposed to be solved, not to dishearten
progress
“GOODLUCK, FUTURE EDUCATORS”!
-Ma’am Jen
