Constructivism as a philosophical stance

I created an assignment that will give students more autonomy for their learning. The assignment intends to engage student knowledge base and critical thinking skills. This assignment provides a new approach to instruction and assessment of learning. I have found that students are both apprehensive and anxious to create a project to demonstrate learning. They wonder whether they are on the right track or if they have enough information. They want to make sure that it is exactly what the instructor wants, which makes them think about the theories more critically. I find that assignments of this approach require students to come out of their comfort zone, apply the learned material, and to make it meaningful and practical for the project. They are nervous about the freedom that such an approach allows them in academe. Students have been conditioned to the textbook and multiple choice formats, just as instructors have been conditioned. I admit that it requires time for everyone to adapt to change. However, by the end of the semester, students are proud of their work. I enjoy reading the completed assignments and acknowledging the variety of perspectives and approaches that are presented. Students can be creative when they are given the opportunity.

 

The following exert was taken from http://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/constructivists.html

The information from the College of Psychotherapies expresses my sentiments about constructivism and the rational for this assignment.

Philosophical position

Constructivism as a philosophical stance sees the world’s ‘reality’ as mediated through the experience of each individual. This is not to deny the reality of lived experience, rather that a person can change their lived experience by making sense of the world in different ways. Constructivist positions see existence as contextual and relational. The act of the construal – i.e. making both sense and meaning of being human – can only be understood in terms of living in a shared world which is socially negotiated through shared perspectives with others.

This understanding affirms the engaged reality of the other and proposes that how everyone lives in the moment is always ethical, for example, based on the principle of personal integrity. In other words, how we perceive and describe the world and others who inhabit it with us, is always an ethical act.

One of the advantages of the Constructivist approach is that it emphasizes ‘fit’, not as in fittest but as in good enough fit with ‘reality’ rather than minds content. Therefore, it tells us not what to think but rather how to explore and understand why we think and experience the way we do.

The Assignment

 

 

Developmental Psychology Project (100 points possible)

 

As a class, we will have discussed multiple theories of development throughout the semester. The project requires that you analyze three (3) of the following theories related to development: Freud; Erikson; Vygotsky; Piaget; Bandura; Schaie; Kohlberg

 

Review the theories of the aforementioned theorists. Select only three of the theories to use for this project. Consider what area of focus most resonates with you. You will synthesize/integrate information from the three theories to create your own theory.

 

You must contribute your own ideas, which should be based on perspectives you believe were neglected by the theorists or not well supported. That is, if you find that you wanted more from a particular theory, you should incorporate those ideas into your newly created theory.

 

* You are to develop your own theory that addresses one area of focus of lifespan development, such as cognitive development, physical development, personality development, etc. You should refer to your chosen three theorists, but must not copy a stage from any theorists verbatim.

 

1. Write a narrative to clearly describe, define, and explain your theory.

2. Provide rationale for your selected components/stages of development.

3. Create a visual (i.e. chart, table, diagram, etc.) of your theory, which depicts major components and descriptions. This visual should be on its own page, so that your theory is clearly depicted and easy to follow. It should be a standalone visual of your theory narrative (i.e. one-page chart or table).

 

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Grading Rubric for the Project

 

 

	POINTS POSSIBLE
	Proficient	Emerging/Indicated	Not There
Select and Reference to only three (3) theorist/theories from the list provided	Use of 3 Theories 10 points	Use of 2 Theories 4 points	Use of 1 Theory 0 points
Evidence of synthesis and integration of stages from selected theories	Use of 3 Theories 10 points	Use of 2 Theories 4 points	Use of 1 Theory 0 points
Developmental components/ stages are clearly defined and presented in a logical and practical manner	30	14	0
Rationale clearly indicated for the components/ stages of your new theory	20	10	0
English Language Standards, including grammar, spelling, etc.	10		0
Visual Representation clearly depicts your new theory (chart, table, diagram)	20	10	0
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE 100