New Learning Environments And Constructivism - The Student' Perspective

New learning envts and constructivism - The student's perspective - David Gijbel, et al

I did not do a review of the article but was more interested about the different types of learning envts and so picked up some points on that and recorded it here.

New Learning Envts
(a) Project-based education
(b) Case-based learning
(c) Problem-based learning
(d) Task oriented learning
(e) Practical work
(f) Work place laerning
(g) On-line learning

Features Of Problem-Based Learning
(a) Student centred
(b) Small student group under guidance of facilitator
(c) Tutor as facilitator
(d) Authentic problem
(e) Problems encountered used as a tool to achieve required knwledge and the problem solving
skills necessary to eventually solve the problem
(f) Self directed learning

Features That Can Enable The Constructive Building Of Knowledge
(a) Arguments, discussion, debates
(b) Conceptual conflicts and dilemmas
(c) Sharing ideas with others
(d) Material and resources targetted towards solutions
(e) Motivation towards reflections and concept investigations
(f) Meeting students' needs
(g) Making meaning, real-life examples


Reflection
PBL is a great tool but the problem is constructing an authentic problem. Many of us are not creative or knowledgable enough to create the problem which has all the dimension mentioned above. If MOE could build up resources that we could implement, more teachers would embark on these new learning envts.

If we used all the new learning envts mentioned above, then I will say we are a true educator and not just a person who dessiminates information. Learning would be so exciting. However, the type of learning you use must be suitable to the type of pupils you are teaching. Some of these methods are quite high leve and pupils would need a lot of scaffolding and hand-holding. But imagine the bebfits if we can train pupils to think for themselves.

However, even if we have the lesson plans or case studies, etc provided to us, that does not mean we would know how to implement them in an effective way that allows for maximum learning. These forms of learning require skills that teachers need to develop otherwise the lessons would just be a waste of time and degenerate into a chaotic mess.