OK - the constructivist theory of learning has a lot going for it. However, the
way of teaching which has been developed in view of the theory clearly has a lot
of
problems. Surely its time for something better.

K-S-Taber wrote:

> Eric is quite right: however - the principles of constructivism in science
> education are derived from empirical evidence from science
> teaching/learning and research based psychology of learning.
>
> Constructivists typically believe that all people actively construct models
> of the world, based on various inputs (teaching, early life experience,
> liguistic clues, folk knowledge etc.) AND that the cognitive mechanisms
> that bring about learning are constrained by limited working memory, and by
> existing conceptual frameworks acting as the means for interpreting new
> information, etc., AND THEREFORE that learners' exsiting ideas are often
> both different from science models and are significant influences on new
> learning.
>
> Some constructivists are radical constructivists, and may believe that
> consensus science is purely historically/culturally contingent (and so
> says nothing about any external reality - which becomes a meaningless
> concept).
>
> However, even a teacher who is a pure realist about science (i.e. it
> uncovers an objective, knowable reality), can still be a constructivist in
> the more pragmatic terms I describe above! We are constructivists as
> educators. Some may go beyond that, but not all!
>
> Keith
>
> --On 17 March 2003 11:12 -0800 Eric Scerri <scerri@...> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > I find it amusing that somebody should show such unrestrained and
> > indiscriminate support for constructivism in science education given
> > for some of the highly dubious material that passes for
> > constructivism at least here in the US and especially among chemical
> > educators.
> >
> > Some of the authors in question even go as far as to claim that they
> > support relativism, thinking that it represents a new and enlightened
> > philosophical view by contrast with the "evils" of inductivism and
> > positivism.
> >
> > Specific details and references available on request.
> >
> >
> > regards,
> >
> > eric scerri
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >> In 2000 I taught in East Anglia. Having come from NZ
> >> where constructivists have captured the nation's curriculum (or at
> >> least made constructivist science teaching possible), I found the
> >> English system completely traditional.
> >>
> >> I taught GCSE Biology and Physics and felt that I was part of a
> >> conveyor belt designed to force a bunch of facts into kids' heads. I
> >> rarely carried out with the students a holistic, real science
> >> investigation.
> >>
> >> Does constructivist science education exist in the UK? Is
> >> Cambridge producing constructivist teachers and, if yes, do they
> >> step into staff rooms where some old wizened soul takes them
> >> aside and say "Forget all that stuff you learnt at Cambridge.
> >> Welcome to the real world"?
> >>
> >> England felt like that.
> >>
> >> Regards
> >> John Cruden
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> About this list:
> >>
> >> Purpose: an international forum for discussing aspects of learning
> >> in science, and for circulating news about publications, projects,
> >> etc., related to this theme.
> >>
> >> Membership: open to teachers at any level, researchers into learning
> >> in science and related fields, and any others interested in the
> >> topic.
> >>
> >> This list gives you the choice of receiving e-mails individually, or
> >> as a single daily digest of all messages circulated that day.
> >>
> >> homepage:
> >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts/
> >> bookmarks to other sites:
> >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts/links
> >> bibliography on learning in science
> >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts/files/
> >>
> >> This list is a moderated discussion group (ie postings are vetted
> >> for relevance to the group theme).
> >>
> >> Moderator: Dr. Keith Taber, Faculty of Education, University of
> >> Cambridge. http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/staff/taber.html
> >>
> >>
> >> to join an un-moderated general science education discussion list,
> >> please visit:
> >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/science-education/
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> >> http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/info/terms.html
> >
> > --
> >
> >
> > Dr. Eric Scerri ,
> > UCLA,
> > Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry,
> > 607 Charles E. Young Drive East,
> > Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569
> > USA
> >
> > E-mail : scerri@...
> > tel: 310 206 7443
> > fax: 310 206 2061
> > Web Page: http://www.chem.ucla.edu/dept/Faculty/scerri/index.html
> >
> > Editor of Foundations of Chemistry
> > http://www.kluweronline.com/issn/1386-4238
> >
> > Also see International Society for the Philosophy of Chemistry
> > http://www.georgetown.edu/earleyj/ISPC.html
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> >
> > About this list:
> >
> > Purpose: an international forum for discussing aspects of learning in
> > science, and for circulating news about publications, projects, etc.,
> > related to this theme.
> >
> > Membership: open to teachers at any level, researchers into learning in
> > science and related fields, and any others interested in the topic.
> >
> > This list gives you the choice of receiving e-mails individually, or as a
> > single daily digest of all messages circulated that day.
> >
> > homepage:
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts/
> > bookmarks to other sites:
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts/links
> > bibliography on learning in science
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts/files/
> >
> > This list is a moderated discussion group (ie postings are vetted for
> > relevance to the group theme).
> >
> > Moderator: Dr. Keith Taber, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge.
> > http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/staff/taber.html
> >
> >
> > to join an un-moderated general science education discussion list, please
> > visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/science-education/
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
> Dr. Keith S. Taber
> University of Cambridge Faculty of Education
> Homerton Site
> Hills Road
> Cambridge CB2 2PH
>
> kst24@...
>
> http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/staff/taber.html
>
> Physics Tutor
> Secondary PGCE Partnership Course
>
> Secondary Science Tutor
> KS2/3 PGCE Partnership Course
>
> Associate Editor
> Chemical Education: Research & Practice in Europe
>
> Chair
> Chemical Education Research Group of the Royal Society of Chemistry
>
> to join an electronic discussion list on learning in science please visit
> http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts
>
> to access links to information about learning in science please visit
> http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts/links
>
> to access links to web-sites for resources of interest to science teachers
> please visit
> http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/science-education/links
>
> About this list:
>
> Purpose: an international forum for discussing aspects of learning in science,
and for circulating news about publications, projects, etc., related to this
theme.
>
> Membership: open to teachers at any level, researchers into learning in
science and related fields, and any others interested in the topic.
>
> This list gives you the choice of receiving e-mails individually, or as a
single daily digest of all messages circulated that day.
>
> homepage:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts/
> bookmarks to other sites:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts/links
> bibliography on learning in science
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts/files/
>
> This list is a moderated discussion group (ie postings are vetted for
relevance to the group theme).
>
> Moderator: Dr. Keith Taber, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge.
> http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/staff/taber.html
>
> to join an un-moderated general science education discussion list, please
visit:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/science-education/
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/info/terms.html