Fourth, if new knowledge is actively built, then time is needed to build it. First recognize that construction in learning is not just the domain of children but of learners, all learners. Furthermore, such professional development provides opportunities for teachers to test their understandings and build new ones. It is also useful to remember the educator's maxim, Teachers teach as they are taught, not as they are told to teach. Thus, trainers in constructivist professional development sessions model learning activities that teachers can apply in their own classrooms.
Constructivism represents one of the big ideas in education.
Its implications for how teachers teach and learn to teach are enormous. If our efforts in reforming education for all students are to succeed, then we must focus on students. To date, a focus on student-centered learning may well be the most important contribution of constructivism. All rights reserved.