Little did I know that there was a distinction between constructivism and constructionism. While they are both related, I guess I have always mentally just grouped them together and didn’t really think about the difference. Constructivism is the theory that each individual constructs their own meaning for things. Constructionism is the theory of learning that people learn best when they build something that can be shared with others.
I think that the main idea behind instruction when using a constructivist or constructionist approach is that the students should have the responsibility to discover the information on their own and produce something to demonstrate their knowledge, as well as be able to share that with others. Technology is a great aid for constructivist and constructionist instructional strategies. One way that technology could be used in my classroom on a daily basis is by posting a discussion question on the class blog and having students comment on the posts during the week. This allows them to share their thoughts with the other students, creates discussion outside of the classroom, and allows them to think at a higher level and share that. Other types of technology that I use with my students are PowerPoint, Excel, research on the internet, and virtual field trips. I will send emails home to parents with websites for review. Many of these websites are applet sights and provide immediate feedback to the student.
A project that I will be starting with my students soon is a roller coaster project where they have to decide on the most thrilling roller coaster, but it has to be based on data. The students have to research 10 roller coasters and compare data on those 10 roller coasters such as the maximum speed, maximum height, and length of ride. This information will be inserted into Excel where they will find the mean, median, and mode for each category. Then they will create a graph for each. Lastly, they will create a PowerPoint describing their data and presenting which roller coaster they think is the most thrilling with their supporting reasons. This is a great project that integrates many concepts that we have learned this year and because it’s about roller coasters, the kids love it. Then, when they go on a roller coaster this summer, they will think about it in a whole new way!
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I know I should post about constructivism and constructionism, but I want to comment on your awesome project! How exciting to explore roller coasters and use those to review concepts your class studied this year. I will be incorporating a similar project into my curriculum at the end of next year. Thank you for the wonderful idea!
ReplyDeleteAs for constructivism and constructionism, since your students will be presenting the information they discovered, your project covers both learning theories. Once again, great assignment!
I love you project with the roller coasters. My coworker did a project like it but the students had to create a roller coaster with a tube and a marble and try to create the best hill that would generate the most speed. Then the students had to create a power point on their process. I love projects where students are able to create something and then understand what they learned and possibly teach others about what they have learned.
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent idea. You have incorporated technology with a lesson that I know your students will be quite interested in. What child is not interested in roller coasters? Have you ever considered letting your students have the option of presenting their data in the form of a podcast along with a powerpoint? It might require a little more time but I think they would love it!
ReplyDeleteYour roller coasters lesson is a great idea. It is successful for so many reasons. First, it is very engaging. It immediately captures the attention of students. I believe that nearly all children are interested in amusement parks and roller coasters. Secondly, it is relevant. Many of our students will go to amusement parks this summer or have in the past. Lastly, it incorporates technology that students will probably use again and again in other classes.
ReplyDeleteAs for the constructionism component; your students are making something that is truly interesting to them and this learning experience is likely to be very memorable for them.
Great project idea! I just emailed my 5th grade team, sharing your idea. Yes, I gave you the credit! Your assignmet hits many different state standard in one fun and engaging ride(pun intended). This is a excellent example of incorporating constructionism with 21st technology skills.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the feedback on the roller coaster project. If you try it, please let me know how it goes and if there is anything that you change about it to make it better.
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