Six Central Tenants of Constructivism

1.We cannot know an objective reality.
2.Knowledge is subjective.
3.Knowledge of two people can be said to be “taken-as-shared” to the extent that their constructions seem to function in the same way in given situations (Cobb, 1991).
4.Knowledge is constructed through the process of adapting to the events and ideas one experiences (Fosnot, 1996; von Glaserfeld, 1996).
5.The construction of knowledge is significantly influenced by one’s environment and by the symbols and materials one uses or has ready access to (Fosnot, 1996).6.“Readiness to learn” has a different meaning for cognitive constructivists


Honebein (1996) describes seven goals for the design of constructivist learning environments:

•Provide experience with the knowledge construction process;
•Provide experience in and appreciation for multiple perspectives;
•Embed learning in realistic and relevant contexts;
•Encourage ownership and voice in the learning process;
•Embed learning in social experience;
•Encourage the use of multiple modes of representation;
•Encourage self-awareness in the knowledge construction process.


The 5E's of a constructivist lesson:
Engage - students encounter the material, define their questions, lay the groundwork for their tasks, make connections from new to known, identify relevance
Explore - students directly involved with material, inquiry drives the process, teamwork is used to share and build knowledge base
Explain - learner explains the discoveries, processes, and concepts, that have been learned through written, verbal or creative projects. Instructor supplies resources, feedback, vocabulary, and clarifies misconceptions
Elaborate - learners expand on their knowledge, connect it to similar concepts, apply it to other situations - can lead to new inquiry
Evaluate - on-going process by both instructor and learner to check for understanding. Rubrics, checklists, teacher interviews, portfolios, problem-based learning outputs, and embedded assessments. Results are used to evaluate and modify further instructional needs