Educational Psychology

Theory of Constructivism

The Constructivist theory of learning was mainly developed by Jean Piaget and later expanded by Lev Vygotsky and others.

It states that:

Learners actively construct knowledge rather than just receiving it passively from the teacher.

Learning happens when students connect new information with their previous knowledge and experiences.

The learner is at the center of the learning process (student-centered approach).

Key Principles of Constructivism

1. Active Learning – Students learn best by doing, exploring, questioning, and experimenting.

2. Prior Knowledge – New learning builds upon what the learner already knows.

3. Social Interaction – Learning is enhanced through discussion, collaboration, and sharing ideas.

4. Real-life Context – Knowledge is best understood when connected to real-life situations.

5. Teacher as a Facilitator – The teacher guides, supports, and provides experiences instead of only giving lectures.

Types of Constructivism

1. Cognitive Constructivism (Piaget) – Focuses on how individuals construct knowledge through personal experiences.

2. Social Constructivism (Vygotsky) – Emphasizes the role of society, culture, and interaction in learning (e.g., group activities, peer learning).

Classroom Implications

Use of activities, experiments, projects, and discussions.

Encourage students to ask questions and solve problems.

Promote collaborative learning (group work, peer teaching).

Assess students through open-ended questions, projects, and real-life tasks.

✅ In short: Constructivism says students "make their own knowledge" through experiences and interactions, while teachers guide them like facilitators.