Constructivist Approach

Constructivism is the epistemological idea that we construct our knowledge by linking new information to what we already know, rather than simply being passive recipients of knowledge. Thus, a constructivist approach to education is one in which educators encourage students to solve problems by actively engaging in tasks that require [Page 384]the learners to create an interpretation of the outside world in order to construct their own new knowledge rather than relying on instructor driven didactic methods only. In addition to being at odds with a more didactic approach to education, constructivism is a cognitive learning theory, in which active cognitive processing is a fundamental element of learning.

The emphasis on the learner’s active cognitive processes in constructivism is generally considered to be at odds with ...