Key Principles
- Learning is a contextualized, active, and constructive process of constructing knowledge rather than acquiring it.
- The learner is not a blank slate (tabula rasa).
- Each learner is unique in their world views, perceptions, cultural mooring etc and bring past experiences and cultural factors to a situation. New information is linked to prior knowledge and therefore mental representations are subjective.
- Knowledge is constructed from the learner’s previous knowledge, regardless of how one is taught. Thus, even listening to a lecture involves active attempts to construct new knowledge.
Instructor’s / Trainers Role.
- To provide varied stimuli to relate with learners of different backgrounds
- Accept various perceptions and interpretations of the information being shared.
- An active, discerning role
Learner’s /Student’s/ Participant’s Role
- Is of an information constructor.
- Should have ability to listen and comprehend and maybe even accept different perceptions.
References:
- http://www.umsl.edu/services/ctl/DEID/destination2adultlearning/2dlearningtheories.html
- Smith, M. K. (1999) ‘Learning theory’, the encyclopedia of informal education, www.infed.org/biblio/b-learn.htm, Last update:
- http://www.learning-theories.com/constructivism.html
Submitted by Lovely Kumar, Chief-Projects, Larks Learning
Contact: lovely@larkslearning.com or 91-9899108659