Constructive pedagogical practices are considered to encourage an effective classroom, where teachers and students work together to achieve their learning goals. Constructivism theory is basically depending on observation and scientific study of learning patterns of learners. Piaget’s cognitive and Vygotsky’s social constructivism are two dominant types of constructivism in the classroom. Both theories suggest useful teaching methods and learner-directed concepts based on purposeful and relevant knowledge, such as encouraging students to use effective strategies i.e. experiments, real-world problem solving, reflection and discussion about their learning experience and assess their understanding. The constructivist teachers ensure they understand
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Jean Piaget, a well-known Swiss scientist, philosopher and developmental psychologist dedicated to understanding how individuals gain knowledge. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development claims that individuals cannot be given information, which they immediately comprehend and use; instead, individuals must establish their own knowledge (Piaget,1953). He studied about cognitive development of children and adolescents and concluded that each of us are born with certain tendencies: organizing, thinking, into their own psychological schemas. He argued that children build conceptual structures in memory to store information and then they use that information to make sense of their world (Smith, Cowie, and Blades, 2015). Piaget thought in term of children becoming "little scientists" gathering data, processing, and making sense of the information (Powell, 2006). Initially, the inception of his ideas were based on observation of his own children as they played and learned together (Powell et al, 2010). For instance, Webb (1980) argues that if six students are taught one science lesson, each of them will have a unique learning experience. Following on, he argues that children schemas are formed through the process of assimilation and accommodation when experiencing four different stages of development (Wadsworth, 2004). When it comes to stages of Piaget’s theory: …equilibration occurs when …show more content…
Lev Vygotsky, the founder of social constructivism, believed in social interaction and that it was an essential part of learning along with an individual critical thinking process. All Vygotsky’s research and ideas are collectively revolving around in social constructivism and language development such as intellectual dialogue, the zone of proximal development (ZPD), social interaction, culture and inner speech (Vygotsky, 1962). ZPD has been explained as a zone where learning begins when a child is assisted in learning process in the classroom (Vygotsky, 1962). Many theorists and educators have supported that Vygotsky’s theory of assisting a child in learning process certainly works (Powell et al., 2010). For example, students work on their assignment with the help of their teacher, students start with a new concept, then they involve their teacher for assistance or feedback. This way their zone improves or in social constructivism context, students individually initiate an action of learning on their own and then with the help of their teacher they enable themselves to understand new
Jean Piaget, a well-known Swiss scientist, philosopher and developmental psychologist dedicated to understanding how individuals gain knowledge. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development claims that individuals cannot be given information, which they immediately comprehend and use; instead, individuals must establish their own knowledge (Piaget,1953). He studied about cognitive development of children and adolescents and concluded that each of us are born with certain tendencies: organizing, thinking, into their own psychological schemas. He argued that children build conceptual structures in memory to store information and then they use that information to make sense of their world (Smith, Cowie, and Blades, 2015). Piaget thought in term of children becoming "little scientists" gathering data, processing, and making sense of the information (Powell, 2006). Initially, the inception of his ideas were based on observation of his own children as they played and learned together (Powell et al, 2010). For instance, Webb (1980) argues that if six students are taught one science lesson, each of them will have a unique learning experience. Following on, he argues that children schemas are formed through the process of assimilation and accommodation when experiencing four different stages of development (Wadsworth, 2004). When it comes to stages of Piaget’s theory: …equilibration occurs when …show more content…
Lev Vygotsky, the founder of social constructivism, believed in social interaction and that it was an essential part of learning along with an individual critical thinking process. All Vygotsky’s research and ideas are collectively revolving around in social constructivism and language development such as intellectual dialogue, the zone of proximal development (ZPD), social interaction, culture and inner speech (Vygotsky, 1962). ZPD has been explained as a zone where learning begins when a child is assisted in learning process in the classroom (Vygotsky, 1962). Many theorists and educators have supported that Vygotsky’s theory of assisting a child in learning process certainly works (Powell et al., 2010). For example, students work on their assignment with the help of their teacher, students start with a new concept, then they involve their teacher for assistance or feedback. This way their zone improves or in social constructivism context, students individually initiate an action of learning on their own and then with the help of their teacher they enable themselves to understand new