009 ~ Constructivism ~ Dr. Rick Worch The Teaching & Learning Professor

Guest Introduction
Today’s guest is a professor in the School of Teaching and Learning at Bowling Green State University. He teaches Science Methods for the Inclusive Early Childhood Classroom, Advanced Methods in Elementary School Science, Advanced Pedagogy and Best Practices, Qualitative Approaches to Classroom Inquiry, as well as Issues and Trends in Curriculum and Instruction. His research focuses on “Play” in human and nonhuman primates, lesson study with preservice and inservice teachers, and the acquisition of pedagogical content knowledge. He is a good friend and collogue. Please welcome Dr. Rick Worch.
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Table of Contents:

00:00 - Introduction - Learning Theory & Constructivism
07:25 - Interview with Dr. Rich Worch

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Learning Theory & Constructivism
Learning Theory explains how students understand, process, integrate, and retain knowledge throughout learning. Prior experience, environmental factors, cognitive ability, and emotions play a large part in a student’s world view or understanding of the world they live in. The world view influences the way knowledge and skills are acquired, changed, and retained. There are generally 3 contemporary theories of learning teachers use to guide their teaching practices: Cognitivism, Transformative Theory, and Constructivism.
 
Cognitivism
Cognitivism stems from Gestalt Psychology and focuses on the learner and memory. In Gestalt theory, psychologists believe that humans learn by making sense of the relationships between new and old information. The human mind views entities as part of a bigger picture and as components of more complex systems (Cherry 2019). Cognitive theories of learning focus on the learner instead of the environment and have two underlying assumptions: 1) the memory system of the brain is structured and an operational processor of information; 2) prior knowledge plays a key role in learning (Smith 2018). Because each individual has a unique view of the world, humans create their own learning experiences and uniquely decipher information in ways that may differ from others.
 
Transformative Theory
Transformative learning theory explains how people adjust and reinterpret meaning (Taylor 2008).
It is related to the mental process of creating change in a frame of reference (Mezirow 1997). A frame of reference defines the way humans view the world and emotions play a large part in creating that view (Illeris 2001). Adults typically reject information that conflicts with their views and understanding of the world. Frame of reference is made up of habits of mind and points of view. Habits of mind (such as mindset or persistence) are very difficult to change but possible, however points of view may change over time as a result of reflection, criticism, or feedback (Mezirow 1997). Transformative Learning occurs when a student critically ponders evidence in support of competing understandings and points of view (Mezirow 1997).
 
Constructivism
Constructivism is a concept often mentioned when discussing science classroom-learning environments. In fact, much of the current science education research and literature has focused on constructivism. Constructivism is a philosophy about how people learn, and specifically addresses how knowledge is acquired and constructed. More specifically, “according to the constructivist view, meaningful learning is a cognitive process in which individuals make sense of the world in relation to the knowledge which they already have constructed, and this sense-making process involves active negotiation and consensus building” (Fra