Cultural constructivism: the confluence of cognition, knowledge creation, multiculturalism, and teaching

Abstract

Knowledge is created in the crucible of culture, and is mediated by the nature of nature. In the teaching of diverse students, teachers need to understand the process by which cultural paradigms, juxtaposed to the process of knowledge construction, may potentially create multiple realities for different students. When teaching diverse students, therefore, teachers need the heightened awareness by which they can more effectively decipher student knowledge. This will enhance their ability to direct their teaching towards their intended learning outcomes. In this paper, some activities are shared to illustrate the process by which culture may serve as a context for knowledge construction, and its implications for teaching.