Constructivists believe that learning is a process of sense-making, of adding and synthesizing new information within existing knowledge structures and adjusting prior understandings to new experiences. Therefore, the meaning that each learner derives from a particular learning experience is unique and each individual's experience is filtered through their personal understandings, beliefs, and values. In order to best accomodate new experiences, the learner must experience disequilibrium, or dissatisfaction with their existing knowledge and beliefs.
Many constructivists believe also that learning is a social process.
Learners who are dissatisfied with their current level of knowledge engage others in a sharing, comparing, and reformulating of ideas. Through a collaborative process, learners restructure new understandings. However, the constructivist point of view challenges the traditional approach to instructional design. Uniform l earning objectives cannot be stated for all learners, given that the contstructivist approach recognizes that all learners enter at unique levels and derive their own meaning from the learning situation. Principles of Constructivist Learning Anchor all learning activities in a larger task.