The complex zone of constructivist teaching: a multi-case exploration in primary classrooms

Abstract

This case study investigates the variety of constructivist approaches to teaching evident in classroom practice. Teaching practices associated with constructivist perspectives have been prevalent in curriculum reforms for some time. Meanwhile, constructivist approaches have been critically discussed in scholarly literature, revealing problematic and ambiguous aspects. This study introduces a model describing constructivist teaching practices according to the following dimensions: knowledge structuring activities, exercise of student autonomy, organisation of authentic learning environments and problem-oriented learning activities. This model is used to analyse the classroom practice of five primary teachers using video recordings. The results of this analysis suggest that the teaching approaches differed primarily in the degree of student autonomy allowed, so that either more comprehensive constructivist teaching methods or rather minor constructivist teaching techniques were emphasised. The distinction between constructivist teaching methods and constructivist teaching techniques is suggested as an explanation of the observed variation among constructivist approaches to teaching. This study identifies the characteristics of these teaching practices, helping researchers and teachers to articulate more nuanced teaching approaches in the future.

Keywords:

• Constructivism
• teaching approaches
• exercise of student autonomy
• video-observation

Acknowledgements

authors wish to thank sincerely the participating teachers for opening their classrooms and dedicating their time and expertise.

Notes

1. As an example, whereas a constructivist learning principle emphasising the role of student’s prior conceptions is generally taken to be well established, how to take this into account in teaching is a more controversial issue; the debate between proponents of authentic inquiry activities and supporters of direct instruction is both prolonged and complicated (e.g. Tobias and Duffy 2009).

3. Although Herbart perceived different subjects at the centre of the curriculum (concentration), also he stressed the need to interrelate these with one another (correlation) (Pinar et al. 2002).