Constructivism Case Study Analysis

1. Describe two similarities between the traditional lesson and the constructivist one as described above. What are two differences?

There were similarities with the measurements. Both groups used a single component such as a yard stick or a foot or hand and used repetition to obtain a desired length. Another similar aspect of finding the measurements was that the students were excited to figure it out. Differences ranged from the amount of time it took to come up with the results to a decision making process that was eventually made by the students. They were able to study it and use discovery learning along with problem solving skills. The traditional method had no problem solving skills, it only used counting to come up with the answer.

2. What are two benefits and two drawbacks of the constructivist approach as described above? Why? In your opinion, are the benefits worth the costs? Explain your response.

Benefits are better learning and more understanding along with higher order thinking. Students made their own decisions, the first approach gave the students the method of achieving the goal, which the teacher provided. The constructivist approach showed a great deal of organization between students ideas. During this time the students actually grasped an understanding of measurement and why we need the same tool for all measurement. It was a real life experience to them in learning. The constructivist approach was way too long for a simple exercise of measurement. It took three days for the students to come up with the answer, opposed to one hour. Teacher should have also intervened with some suggestions to keep the students ideas on track. The teacher mentioned she thought they were headed in the direction she wanted them to go, but they decided to go a different route, she should have guided them a little better in those thought processes. I believe that hands on learning is a great method of teaching, it is even better when the students are involved in the decision making processes. I think they will retain more information in this technique because the pathways are being created and distributed in the same learning process.

3. How does the constructivist lesson described above promote critical thinking? Give specific examples of critical thinking from the case study and include a definition of critical thinking to support your response.

It involves the students and places them in a real life situation. The students learned that each hand and foot was different so they would need to come up with a different method to show the king. They understood and demonstrated critical thinking when they thought of how someone else would take the information and how they might process it. In doing this they realized they needed to modify their methods. I would say critical thinking is; thinking with regards to someone Else's views rather than yourself as the single problem solver.

4. Would the constructivist activity be considered an authentic activity? Why or why not?

I would agree that it is a authentic activity because the students made it real. It was a situation at first, but because of the higher order thinking involved they made it their own and it became authentic to them as a group. It could have played out differently if the task didn't go as planned and I don't think the teacher planned it to be that way at first.