A constructivist approach to education sees knowledge and learning as developing through collaborative interaction. Learners work with each other under the guidance of and with the participation of an instructor within a community of learners to “construct” knowledge together. Learning is seen as an active process that takes place through interaction among learners in the give and take of ideas, insights and experience within the context of specific tasks. It is essentially a democratic process in which the teacher (the expert or authority) also takes an active part, but is not the “transmitter” of knowledge. Rather the teacher collaboratively contributes to the socially constructed knowledge. Ideas and understanding emerge from the interaction of the group, and learners have an attachment to this knowledge, as they have contributed to its development.
More and more we practice and encourage “collaborative learning” in our classes. Students work on group projects. They often form learning communities to work together to understand concepts and to solve problems. Many of the tasks students will be faced with in the workplace will involve collaboration, including problem solving, idea generation, collective brainstorming, creative thinking, and so on.
The Web 2.0 world fits nicely into the constructivist approach to education. It allows all participants in the process to have a voice and to contribute to a collaborative process which develops and refines understanding. Blog postings invite comment and criticism from readers, which has the potential to generate a back and forth discussion allowing many participants to refine or hone arguments and expression. YouTube provides an opportunity for anyone to express him- or herself in a visual/aural manner, and to invite the public to comment, positively and negatively on ideas expressed in the video. Commercial sites that allow for buyer feedback, ratings and reviews allow for a variety of opinions and viewpoints that enable a balanced understanding of the product under consideration. And Wikis directly encourage constructivist development of information/knowledge by allowing many writers to edit and contribute to the same text. The beauty of virtually all the above options is that no special computer knowledge is required to participate. If you can type, you can participate.
I would like to explore Web 2.0 possibilities within the framework of collaborative learning. If we place any value on the constructivist approach to learning, what possibilities can we see in the applications and options that Web 2.0 technology offers?
Web 2.0 technology allows students to interactively create content. They can review one another's work, suggest changes, and incorporate those suggestions in ways that allow for further feedback. Comments on videos or blogs are tracked, ensuring that students can hang on to that feedback easily. They can also work collaboratively in settings that don't allow for this otherwise - i.e., when distance would normally prevent collaboration.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree that web 2.0 fits in the constructivist approach to education. It is an amazing tool to construct a knowledge based on shared ideas, feedback, and reflections. That is what the collaborative style is about. Now-days with all the technology around, it is hard to keep students focused if the classroom is a teacher centered. Besides, one way communication in education is no longer an option. It is necessary for all teachers and in particular the language teachers to implement technological tools that encourage and motivate the students to be part of the learning process. In fact, being part of the learning process, students become more involved in what they are learning and how they wanted to learn which is a very positive thing in education. I personally learned the one way communication style. I can't deny that I learned a lot from it but i would of learned even more if i got the opportunities that students are having now with the technology outburst.
ReplyDeleteEven before I knew what active learning was, I was involved in it through an informal educational process within the 4-H club program for young people. Learning takes place in small groups, generally, with a leader who offers his or her skills to help shape the process through learning activities. We learned about a specific concept or skill, practiced it worked at it together solved problems, issues and challenges and shared what we discovered.
ReplyDeleteEver since Minnesota began to talk about outcome based education methods, and other new ideas since then, I have thought that people in the field of education should look to the 4-H model of youth development, because it contains the elements of good learning, addressing the multiple intelligences and learning styles.
Web 2.0 may be one way to reach some learners who do not do well within our educational systems that have students sitting at desks, completing worksheets, reading assignments on their own and writing essays. That can be a part of learning, however Web 2.0 interactive and collaborative opportunities may help to develop more constructivist strategies.
Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis and chat facilitate communication among a community of learners. The type of collaboration envisioned by the constructivists is now possible. Going forward, the ease of use of web 2.0 tools will improve. At the same time, more people the world over will have access to those tools. The snowball is rolling!
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