It’s been a few weeks since my last post and I’m still learning what it means to apply constructivism in the classroom. I’ve learned a lot by working with Julie to present our lesson and by participating as a learner in others’ presentations. It seems the biggest challenge for most of us has been to let go and trust the process. In doing so, the learning has seemed to take on a life of it’s own and has exceeded my expectations. I’ll share what I’ve learned by answering the questions I posed prior to presenting my Constructivist lesson.
1. How are we sure the learners will come to the right conclusion and learn the information we’ve determined they need to know?
The answer is we’re not sure. Ultimately, the learner should determine what they need to know. Though, those of us in corporate understand this wouldn’t necessarily be accepted by our managers and clients. We must plan the lesson in a way that we don’t give too much instruction but still achieve our objectives. The key is in the debrief and relies heavily on the instructor. The instructor must ask the right questions and then think on his or her feet and direct the answers in a way that will support their objective.
2. How do we decide when the learners are going off track?
It’s not hard to decide whether the learner is going off track. The instructor can roam the room while the learners are working on their assignments and listen to the discussions. When do we bring the learners back on track? If the learning environment is safe, it’s best to let them proceed as they wish. When they present their exhibit to the rest of the class, we hope they will recognize they may have wandered from the topic. They may also take the topic in a direction that was unintended, but in doing so, present a new perspective and learning opportunity for others. If the environment is not safe and going off track may put the learners in an uncomfortable situation, the instructor can ask the group questions to guide them back to the objective.
3. Who defines the right track – the learner or the ID that’s completed needs assessments to determine what the learner needs to know?
The answer to the first question applies to this question as well. Again, the instructor should have an objective (most likely determined through a needs assessment) but should also allow the learners as much flexibility to determine what they need to know.
The most important thing I discovered during our presentation is letting go and trusting the process can lead to great discoveries and learning beyond what I imagined. So, is putting aside our traditional thinking a hard habit to break? Yes. Is it worth stepping out of our comfort zone? Absolutely!
