Knowledge Construction
Chapter 7
Constructive processes in
learning and memory
Individual Constructivism: Storage
• Influenced by
Individual Constructivism: Retrieval
• Combining partial information with
general knowledge, assumptions about
the world
– leads to reconstruction errors
Social Constructivism
• Meaning is jointly constructed
– two or more people at the same time
• distributed cognition
– by groups or cultures over time
• science, literature, art
Organizing knowledge
Concepts
• Mental grouping of similar events, objects,
ideas, or people
• “Smallest units of thought”
• Can be concrete (dog) or abstract (noun)
• Learned through experience (dog) or
direct instruction (noun)
Schemas & Scripts
• Schema
• Script
• Influenced by culture
Theories
• Integrated sets of concepts & principles
to explain particular phenomena
• “Naïve theories” constructed by
individuals
Worldviews
Promoting effective knowledge
construction
General Strategies
• Provide opportunities for observation,
experimentation
• Present experts’ perspectives
• Emphasize conceptual understanding
• Encourage classroom dialogue
• Assign authentic activities
• Scaffold theory construction
• Create a community of learners
When knowledge construction
goes awry:
Addressing learners’
misconceptions
Misconceptions
• Beliefs inconsistent with accepted and
well-validated explanation
– world is flat (k-2)
– plants “eat” soil, fertilizer (Grades 3-5)
– division always leads to smaller number
(Grades 9-12)
• Individually, culturally constructed
• Can inhibit new learning
Promoting Conceptual Change
• Identify misconceptions before
instruction begins
• Look for, build on elements of truth in
students’ existing understandings
• Convince students that existing beliefs
need revision
• Motivate students to learn correct
explanations
• Preserve students’ self-esteem; do not
ridicule them for misunderstandings
• Monitor students for persistent
misconceptions
Diversity in constructive
processes
Factors Influencing Constructive
Processes
• Individual student knowledge
• Student core beliefs
– culture, religion
• To encourage learning:
– expose students to diverse perspectives
– develop community of learners
– accommodate students with special needs
The big picture
The Big Picture
• Learners construct knowledge on their
own & in collaboration with others.
• Learners integrate what they learn to
make generalizations.
• Learners’ constructions are sometimes
productive and sometimes
counterproductive.