The Role Of Constructivism in Teaching Science

Teaching science through traditional way of lecturing is very convenient, as in this method the teacher uses his notes or a book and the students listen. This is one reason that lecturing has been the conventional way of teaching science.This kind of teaching and learning process results in just the memorization of the content by the students. As a result students lack analytical, critical thinking and problem solving skills.

The effective way of teaching science is providing inquiry based learning. This is the true way of teaching problem solving skills. The aim of inquiry based learning is to drift the students from passively listening to actively solve a problem by continuing questioning. Inquiry based learning prepares the students to face the real world by making them problem solvers, critical thinkers and strong analyzers.

The article also compares constructivism and inquiry based learning. Though the structure for both seems to be similar, there is one important difference. While the role of teacher is assumed not important by the constructivism, it is instead crucial in inquiry based learning. In inquiry based learning teacher provides students with a challenge followed by further questioning that act as a guidance towards solving that problem. While in constructivism the students are given a tool and are expected to master it by exploring and working their own way.

The current vision, constructivist approach that OLPC originally envisioned for the XO, is to allow the students to develop their skills with the use of machine not necessarily while at school. But this unguided, undisputed and unchallenged use of it won't make it effective.

So though constructivism plays a very important role in teaching science as it allows students to explore and learn, it will be ineffective if it is not inquiry based.

◦Constructivism as a Referent for Science Teaching

This article compares two theories of knowledge objectivism and constructivism. Objectivism is an epistemology which is dominant in most educational settings today. According to objectivism the knowledge exists outside the bodies of learners. Knowledge resides out there in the books, independent of learners. Learners are encouraged to view objects events and phenomena with an objective mind, which is assumed to be separate from Cognitive processes such as imaginations, intuitions feeling, values, and believes. As a result teachers implement a curriculum to insure that students cover relevant science content and have a opportunities to learn truths which are documented in bulging books.
The constructivist approach believes the only tools available a learner are five senses:- seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting. An individual interacts with the environment through these five senses, and with these messages from the senses he builds a picture of the world. So constructivism asserts that knowledge resides in individuals. Knowledge cannot be transferred intact from the head of a teacher to the heads of students. The student tries to make sense of what is taught by trying to fit with his/her experience. So learning is defined as adaptations made to fit the world they experience.
Co-operative learning is one strategy that constructivists use in their classrooms. It allows individuals to test the fit of their experiential world with others. The interactions with others cause perturbations, and by resolving perturbations individuals make adaptations to fit their new experiential world.
According to constructivist science is not the search for truth. It is an active and social process that assists us to make sense of our world. Students should be given opportunities to make sense of what is learned by negotiating meaning; comparing what is known to new experiences and resolving discrepancies between what is known and what seems to be implied by new experience.
So try to be a constructivist, by providing students with an opportunity to use their prior knowledge and senses in making connections to the new concepts.