Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: constructivism, was quantization

LUDWIK KOWALSKI writes:

Date: Sun, 17 May 1998 Hugh Logan <hlogan@ix.netcom.com> wrote:

... one is disappointed to find out how little is understood by the
students after attending lectures.

Donald Simanek once formulated the most basic law of learning. He wrote
NOTHING WORKS UNLESS STUDENTS WORK? Attending lectures should be only the
first step. The whole point of constructivist's practice, as I understand
it, is to impose active participation during the time which would otherwise
be devoted to lecturing. But even this does not work if there is no desire
to learn independently at home. Trivial? Yes. Worth repeating?


I'd like to point out that, from a constructivist point of view, students
may actively construct new knowledge while listening to a lecture. We
have all done it. The trick is to make sure that the students have
sufficient relevant knowledge prior to the lecture so that they can
attach appropriate meaning to the words and sentences they hear.
Clearly, the more knowledgeable the audience is, the more effective the
lecture will be.

My practice has changed over the years so that I generally do not lecture
in my first year physics course until after the students have been
engaged in trying to explain some common experience. The common
experience may be a lab activity, a demo, a film, or something that I can
be sure all students have experienced (e.g., putting their hands out a
car window).

In my second year AP class, I am more likely to lecture first. There are
two reasons. One, the students have a greater base of knowledge, so my
lectures are more likely to engage the students in an active construction
of knowledge. Two, I compromise best practice with a need to cover a
syllabus to prepare for the AP exam.

Dave

David J. Hamilton, Ed.D. * And gladly woulde he learn,
Portland Public Schools * and gladly teche.
djhamil@teleport.com * - Chaucer