Constructivism and Constructionism are compared quite simply by Dr. Michael Orey in our DVD segment for this week. Constructivism is “a theory of knowledge stating that each individual actively constructs his/her own meaning”; whereas, Constructionism is “a theory of learning that states people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others”. (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008) My simplistic interpretation of these two definitions is Constructionism is Constructivism with an added component of “building stuff” to augment the learning process and to assist the student in making more connections with their current networks of knowledge. As a visual Arts teacher, I am a constructionist at heart, and a participant in project-based learning. According to Thomas, Mergendoller, and Michaelson (1999), as well as, Brown and Campione (1994), “projects are complex tasks, based on challenging questions, that serve to organize and drive activities, which taken as a whole amount to a meaningful project. They give learners the opportunity to work relatively autonomously over extended periods of time and culminate in realistic products or presentations as a series of artifacts, personal communication, or consequential tasks that meaningfully address the driving question”. (as cited in Orey, 2001) This is what I, humbly, believe I do in visual arts.
The whole truth is, the arts can contribute so much more to project-based learning than they currently are. In my research this week, I found a wonderful series of films in Edutopia that emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary education with the obvious inclusion of the arts. I was not able to view all eight films, but I will in the next few weeks. They call upon us, as educators, to realize the power of personal expression and multi-sensory learning, and to collaborate with each other in order to use the arts in all disciplines. What better way to construct project-based learning? Technology is an essential piece in creating artifacts, but I fear in the process of integrating technology into the 21st century classroom, that products produced with one’s own hands will lose their educational importance. Artistic expression is intimately connected with the human experience, and can not be minimized, even with the looming importance of technology in education.
Brown, A.L., & Campione, J.C. (1994) Guided discovery in a community of learners. In K. McGilly (Ed.), classroom lessons: integrating cognitive theory and classroom practice (pp. 229-272). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program seven. Constructivist and Constructionist Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Thomas, H.W., Mergendoller, J.R., & Michaelson, A. (1999). Project-based learning: a handbook for middle and high school teachers. Novato, CA: The Buck Institute for Education.
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Kim
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reference to the videos. I am definitely going to look at them. I think that a course like yours sreams out to have cross curricular projects. Other teachers would see a dramatic increase in their end products when they collaborated with you and your students. This teamwork would benefit everyone involved and is something you should really push. Maybe at first you could find one willing teacher and when the others saw the results they would be anxious to join in.
Ray,
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention having one connection because on Friday I discussed collaboration with a colleague and friend. She was very positive, and I followed up with her new teammate with positive results,as well. Scheduling will be the issue, but we would be willing to sacrifice planning when necessary. I know our principal would be supportive. We just have to figure out the logistics.
Next year will be a year of changes, anyway because we are becoming a school of 750 from a population of 1800 this year. This means a staff of approximately 120 will become 40-50. I assume planning and communication will be much easier, a s a result. We'll see.
I agree with you about the importance and power of having interdisciplinary projects. I teach math and we are usually left out of the mix and I think that math and art have this in common. My school tries to incorporate month long units with lessons and projects that revolve around the same focal point and it is also suppose to span across the curriculum. However, it always turns out that the only ones involved are History, English, and the tech class that teaches them powerpoint and word. Math usually gets "excused" from the cross curriculum work because we need to worry about the regents exam and don't have much room for straying from the required topics.
ReplyDeleteVicki,
ReplyDeleteYou are right, math does get left out of the mix, but I do use a lot of math in my art classes (middle school math). We measure, divide to the decimal to organize space, and estimate. It is one small way I can support the standardized state tests. Math teachers have their hands full just covering the basic standards required during the course of a year.