SS 102 Midterm Summary

Constructivist Theory in Teaching Social studies

Constructivism has become the parlance of educators, teachers, education policy-makers, and curriculum
specialists for the last three decades. Much has been said about this educational philosophy, including the impact of its
implementation on the lives of both teachers and the learners.
Constructivism
- is a theory of learning that has roots in both philosophy and psychology. The essential core of constructivism is
that learners actively construct their own knowledge and meaning from their experience (Fosnot, 1996; Steffe &
Gale, 1995).
- Constructivism is the theory that says learners construct knowledge rather than just passively take in
information. As people experience the world and reflect upon those experiences, they build their own
representations and incorporate new information into their pre-existing knowledge (schemas).
The Basic Tenets of Constructivism:
 knowledge is not passively accumulated, but rather, is the result of active cognizing by the induvial.
 Cognition is an adaptive process that functions to make an individual’s behavior more viable given in a particular
environment.
 Cognition organizes and makes sense of one’s experience, and is not a process to render an accurate
representation of reality; nd
 Knowing has roots in both biological/neurological construction and social cultural, and language based
interaction (Dewey, 1916/1980; Garrison, 1997, 1998; Maturana & Varela, 1992).
Types of Constructivism
1. Cognitive Constructivism
This typically associated with information processing and relies heavily on the components process of cognition. It
emphasizes that in order to acquire knowledge, an individual has an active role in cognizing stimuli that formed part of
his/her experiences. Adaptive process is essential in this kind of knowledge creation. It maintains the idea that an
independent yet knowable really exists. This differentiates cognitive constructivism from radical and social
constructivism.
2. Radical Constructivism
It believes that the acquisition of knowledge (e.g., ideas, concepts, process, insights, etc.) is an adaptive that
could be attributed from the active cognition of an individual translating an experientially based mind.
3. Social Constructivism
As a school of thought lies between the transmission of the knowable reality of the cognitive constructivists and
the construction of a personal reality of the radical constructivist. Social constructivism “upholds the social nature of
knowledge and that knowledge is the result of the social interaction and language usage, and thus is a shared, rather
than an individual, experience”.
Bakhtin (1984) explained this position by saying that “truth is not being found inside the head of an individual person; it
is born between people collectively searching for truth, in the process of their dialogic interaction.”
Instructional Planning
According to the Department of Education (2016), instructional planning is the process of systematically
planning, developing, evaluating, and managing the instructional process by using principles of teaching and learning.
Instructional planning is a continuous process. Plans can be modified or made flexible in order to accommodate
the varied needs of learners.
For instructional planning to be considered effective, it is important for teachers to address these three questions:
1. What should be taught?
2. How should it be taught?
3. How should instruction and student learning be assessed?
Two vital characteristics are expected of teachers:
1. They must be informed decision-makers.
2. Teachers must be reflective practitioners.
Types of Instructional Planning
A. Long-range Planning
 this type could prove to be most challenging for beginning teachers, especially since this involve planning for the
whole year.
 curriculum mapping, the process of determining when you will teach each topic or concept.
 curriculum guide serves as the teacher’s most important tool in long-range planning.
Curriculum mapping a particular grade level, it is important to look at the following:
a.) Grade level standard b.) Topic c.) Content
B. Unit Planning
 A major division of the year-long plan. It is a cluster of related lessons organized around a central topic, issue, or
problem and developed in a logical sequence. It can be designed for any length of time, some ranging for just a
week while others cover a whole quarter.
Elements and Processes of unit plan:
1. Unit Title – develop an idea or adopt a topic for study and translate it into a brief, clear statement of your theme
or problem focus.
2. Time Requirement -determine approximately how much time will be spent on the unit.
3. List of Topics – brainstorm and break the big idea or theme for the unit into set or more specific ideas and
subtopics.
4. Target Students – indicate for which group of students or grade levels the unit is intended. Include them in the
planning by allowing them to identify big questions and issues of interest to them.
5. Rationale – construct a brief overview of what the unit is about and why it is important to learn it.
6. Goals – identify a goal or set of basic goals that the unit will be designed to accomplish
7. Objectives – outline the specific objectives that enable the goals to be accomplished. Make sure to arrange
them in logical and sequential order.
8. Teaching Strategies – identify and develop related significant teaching strategies and activities.
9. Resources – identify, locate, and organize all the individuals and the instructional resources that are available
and will be needed.
10. Evaluation Procedures – develop a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the unit. Include formal and informal
assessment.
C. Lesson Planning
 this document serves an outline of what you will be teaching in a given day or days. It should follow a logical
sequence that will facilitate maximum learning for students.
 a major requirement for teachers in basic education. Newly-hired teachers are required to prepare a daily
Detailed Lesson Plan (DLP) during their first year, while those with at least one year of teaching experience are
expected to fill out a Daily Lesson Log (DLL).
Importance of Instructional Planning:
1. Planning gives lessons focus and direction.
2. Thought-out planning is a way better than on-the-spot teaching.
3. Planning can also help counter classroom management problems.
4. It is important for a teacher to evaluate the experience, learn from their mistakes, repeat effective strategies,
and modify for future instruction.
Things to Consider in Planning Instruction
The following Factors that may affect learning:
1. Cognitive
- A primary element in instructional planning. Teachers need to know what they will teach in order to effectively
prepare their lesson.
Two Types of Knowledge:
1. Declarative Knowledge – entails knowing about something. It comes in the form of facts, concepts, and
generalization.
Example: In a geographical class, identify the elements of a map.
2. Procedural Knowledge – is knowing how to do something. It is in the form of skills.
Example: determining the absolute location of the Philippines on the world map.
2. Objectives
- is a specific statement of a learning outcomes. It describes what we want our students to do and how we will know if
they are already there.
- It is important because these statements are vital in assessing student learning and evaluating the effectiveness of
instruction.
Bloom’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain by Benjamin Bloom
Knowledge – lowest
Comprehension-
Application –
Analysis -
Synthesis -
Evaluation – highest
3. Classroom Environment
- A positive classroom environment can be easily achieved through the establishment of classroom rules and routines at
the start of the school year.
- Routines are efficient means of doing things in the classroom that will avoid wasted time and behavior problems.
4. Materials
- Schoenfeldt and Salsbury (2009) defined materials as any item, tool, or piece of equipment used to support the lesson
before, during, or after instruction.
- Sousa (2001) recommends in selecting materials that must appeal to different senses and as much possible, the sense
of hearing, sight, and touch should be tapped since these contributes the most to learning.
5. Students
- is the heart of the learning process. They should be given outmost consideration in instructional planning.
In order to effectively facilitate learning teachers should the account the following:
 1. Student readiness – it refers to the ability of a student in relation to a given topic and skills.
2. Student interest – a powerful motivator to engage students in the learning process.
3. Intelligence Preference or Learning Style – refers to the different cognitive inclinations that a person has for
learning.

6. Teacher
- According to Mishra and Koehler (2006), a teacher’s knowledge is comprised of three components: content knowledge,
pedagogical knowledge, and technological, knowledge.
Type Teacher’s knowledge
1. Content Knowledge – refers to the teacher’s knowledge about the subject matter that will be taught.
2. Pedagogical Knowledge – refers to the teacher’s knowledge about the process of teaching and learning.
3. Technological knowledge – is the teacher’s knowledge of and ability to use technological tools and associated
resource.
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)
- It means the effective teaching of a given subject with the use of technology.
- Teachers with a high level of TPACK knows how and when technology can be used to assist instruction and when
technology should not be used because it impedes learning.
A Designing a lesson, a teacher should include student’s interest to use ideas familiar to them as a means of connecting
unfamiliar ideas.
When deciding which textbook use for classroom instruction is to compare each book to the established district and
state curriculum standards for the course.
Portfolio is a systematic collection of student’s work.
Cognitive theorist views that learning involves the acquisition of knowledge and skills, the formation of mental
structures, and the processing of information and beliefs.
Jean Piaget is the proponent of Cognitive Development
In unit of instruction, a teacher has determined the needs, interests, and abilities of the students. And the criterion
should be applied next is the objectives should conform to state standards.
The most important consideration in constructing objectives for a unit of instruction an appropriateness for meeting
student needs and state standards.