Table Of ContentApplying
Standards-Based
Constructivism:
A Two-Step Guide for Motivating
Elementary Students
Pat Flynn, Don Mesibov,
J.
Paul Vermette, R. Michael Smith
~~ ~~o~!~~~~G~oup
New York London
First published 2004 by Eye On Education
Published 2013 by Routledge
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Applying standards-based constructivism : a two-step guide for motivating elementary students I
Patrick Flynn ... [et al.].
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 1-930556-66-7
1. Elementary school teaching-United Stares. 2. Constructivism (Education)-United Stares.
3. Motivation in education-United States.!. Flynn, Patrick, 1940-
LB1555.A66 2003
372.1102-dc22
2003059512
10987654321
ISBN: 978-1-930-55666-9 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-317-92291-9 (ebk)
Preface
The goal of this book is to combine basic concepts of constructivist theories of learning
with practical classroom applications. It is not our intent to try to convert nonbelievers.
Rather, we want to provide practical application strategies for those who have already be-
gun to explore constructivist theories of learning, but are seeking ways to improve on im-
plementation.
Thisbookisdesignedtobe theplacewheretherhetorichitstheroad.The theoryisde-
scribed,theresearchiscited,andmostimportantly,thediscussionandexamplesofpractical
applicationinaschoolandclassroomsettingarehere.Whatwe’retryingtodemonstrateisa
practical way to apply constructivist theory in a teacher’s day-to-day classroom life.
Theauthors’viewpointshavebeenhonedthroughtheirexperienceseachyear,withcut-
ting edge professional educators, students, and parents—pre-K through university—who
participateinThe Constructivist DesignConference, heldannuallysince1995.The confer-
ence,whichinvitesactiveengagementofapproximately300people,isafive daymodelof
what the authors would like to see happening in schools and classrooms.
Participants come on teams that model the collaborationand group work that research
demonstratesisanessentialpartoflearning.Team participantscome withataskandafter
five days, they leave with a product.
Teamsworkontasksthathaveauthenticityforthem.Theireffortwillresultinaproduct
they can use or a plan they can implement when they return to their home districts.
Afacilitator, assigned to each team, models the role of the teacher in the classroom.
Participants are immersed in behaviors essential to a constructivist environment: they
design a rubric to define their expectations for the week; they reflect individually, in jour-
nals,andcollectivelyasateam;conferenceorganizersviewtheirroleasresourceproviders
and gophers.
The opening afternoon of the conference represents the exploratory phase of the
Two-Steplessonmodeldescribedinthisbook;mostteamsmoveintodiscoverybythesec-
ond day.
The Conference serves two interrelated purposes: through the Conference participants
begintoworkontheirtasks,andsimultaneously,theyexperiencewhatitisliketoworkina
constructivist learning environment. Additional information is available on the website of
the Institute for Learning Centered Education, www.learnercentereded.org.
Thisbookisdesignedtobeaccessibletothereaderandtoserveasareadyreference.Itis
organizedtobereadstraightthroughortobereadbyskippingfromsectiontosection.The
chaptersaresetuptoaccommodateeitherapproach.Therearefourchaptersandeachisdi-
vided into sections.
iii
The Way the Sections are Organized
Section Heading
Asection heading indicates where the section is going.
Learning Objective
Alearning objective states what the reader will learn from the section.
Main Points
The Main Points outline a section.
Reality Check Questions
Thesearequestionsthatthereadermayhavewhilereadingasectionofthebook.Some
of the answers to these questions are written as hyperlinks designed to link one section of
the book to another.
Thoughts for Reflection
Thesearequotesplacedattheendofasectiontopromptthereadertoruminateonacen-
tral point of the section.
End of the Section Assessment
Thesearequestionsposedtohelpreadersself-assessthedegreetowhichtheyhaveun-
derstood the last section.
Examples of the Two-Step
These are abbreviated versions of the Two-Step lessons provided to keep the reader in
touchwiththeultimatepurposeofthebook—thereader’sabilitytocreateTwo-StepModel
lessons.Theseabbreviatedlessonsappearinsection2,butaremorefullydevelopedinAp-
pendix A.
Other Details Regarding this Book
(cid:1) Concept Map: Sections of the Two-Step Concept Map appear throughout the
book to assist the reader.
(cid:1) Voice: This book has four authors. However, to avoid confusion, the book is
written in one voice as if there were only one author.
iv ApplyingStandards-BasedConstructivism
(cid:1) Pronoun Use (avoiding he/she): To sustain the flow of the book, the authors
haveelectedtousethesingularpronounsheandshe,alternately,inlieuofusing
the he/sheconstruction.
(cid:1) Use of State/Provincial Standards: Forty-nine out of 50 states have established
state learning standards and performance indicators. Most states have also de-
velopedcorecurriculumtoexpresstheirlearningstandards(Iowaisthesoleex-
ception). The examples and exemplars put forth in the book make use of New
YorkStatelearningstandards,performanceindicators,andcorecurriculum.Be-
causethereisahighdegreeofsimilarityamongstatestandards,itshouldberela-
tivelyeasytoletNewYorkState’sstandardsstandinforthoseofotherstatesand
provincesinCanada.OtherStateandProvincialstandardsarereferenced.Then
again, a reader may be more comfortable replacing the book’s standards’ ele-
ments with those of his own state/province.
Preface v
Concept Map
The Two-Step Model
beginswith
ExploratoryPhase
whichuses
Activities,Exercises,&Dialogues
as
PlannedInterventions
toaccess
andassess
Learners’ Learners’Prior Learners’
PriorKnowledge Understanding Perception
tostimulate
Learners’ Learners’
Understanding Interest
whichpreparesfor
DiscoveryPhase
whichrequires
AuthenticPerformanceTasks basedon District/State expressedin District/State
LearningStandards Curriculum
designedtorequire
LearnerEngagement toprovide
Sourceof
Opportunities/
whichleadsto Teacher whichbecomes
Occasions
Observation
LearnerConfusion causes LearnerIntrinsicMotivation toprovide
tobecome
toresolve toforce
Guide/Coach
LearnerMentalActivity
through
tosustain Spontaneous&Planned
Interventions
vi ApplyingStandards-BasedConstructivism
whichstudents Recite/Reproduce/
Information whichis FactualContent
areexpectedto Recall
Knowledge whichare Skills/Concepts whichstudents Understand/Apply
areexpectedto
PerformOperations
Competencies whichare Internalized whichstudentsare AccomplishTasks
Capacities expectedtouseto
ProduceProducts
expressedas assessment
requires
expressedas
Rubrics
Teacher’s
detailedin OLbejaercntiivnegs become PDeimrfoernmsaionncse expressedas Dialogues wsiltluldeeandtsto
beingableto
Exemplars
assessment
requires
expressedas
DesignInquiries
Creative Capacities+ which maylead
Competencies whichare PositiveDisposition students MakeCreations studentsto
useto beableto
DesignTasks/Products
ConceptMap vii
Concept Map
Understanding Requires Engagement
(cid:1) The Authentic Task Constructivist Instructional Sequence begins
with the Exploration Phase that uses exercises, activities, and
teacher initiated dialogues as planned interventions to enable the
teachertoaccessandassessthelearners’priorknowledge,thelearn-
ers’priorunderstanding,andthelearners’perceptions/paradigms.
Planned interventions are instruction the teacher has anticipated
will be needed. Planned interventions in the Exploratory Phase are
generallyprovidedto all the students as a class. They often involve
the use of teaching techniques such as cooperative learning
procedures (e.g., jigsaws, carousels, pair-shares).
(cid:1) TheExploratoryPhaseisdesignedtointroduceandforeshadowthe
underlyingknowledgeandconceptstobeaddressedintheDiscov-
eryPhase.Thus,theExploratoryPhasebeginstobroadenthelearn-
ers’understandingandstimulatesthelearners’interestinthecurric-
ulum content/unit of study being explored.
(cid:1) The Discovery Phase follows the Exploratory Phase. In the Discov-
eryPhaselearnersareassignedanAuthentic-PerformanceLearning
Task.
(cid:2)
Theselearningtasksarebasedonthedistrict/statelearningstan-
dards expressed in district/state curriculum, and detailed in the
teacher’s learning objectives.
(cid:2)
The teacher’s learning objectives may include:
(cid:1) Information that is factual content; students are expected to
recite, reproduce, and recall.
(cid:1) Knowledge: skills/concepts students are expected to under-
stand and apply.
(cid:1) Competencies that are internalized capacities that students
are expected to use to perform operations, accomplish tasks,
and produce products.
(cid:1) Creative competencies that are capacities plus positive stu-
dent dispositions that students may use to design inquires,
make creations, design tasks/products.
(cid:1) The teacher’s learning objectives become performance dimensions.
Theses performance dimensions form the basis of rubrics, are illus-
trated in exemplars, and are expressed in dialogues with students.
(cid:1) TheAuthentic-Performance taskslearnersareassignedmust be designedtore-
quirelearnerengagementleadingtolearnersbecomingintrinsicallymotivated.
Thisallowstheirteachertoobservethelearnersworkingtoaccomplishthetask.
(cid:1) This observation facilitates the teacher’s role as guide and coach through in-
structionalresponsestostudents’needs,whicharedefinedthroughtheiractions
and words as they continue to work on their task. This kind of instruction is
called an intervention. There are two types of interventions: planned interven-
tions and spontaneous interventions:
(cid:2)
Planned interventions are instruction the teacher has anticipated will be
needed.IntheExploratoryPhase,plannedinterventionsmaybeprovidedto
allthestudentsasaclasswhentheybeginataskorwhentheyhavereacheda
specificpointinworkingtoaccomplishthetask.Theyofteninvolvetheuseof
teachingtechniquessuchas;thedevelopmentofrubrics,cooperativelearning
procedures (e.g., jigsaws, carousels, pair-shares), graphic organizers, journal
writing, concept maps, etc
(cid:2)
Spontaneousinterventionsareteacherresponsestoindividualorsmallgroup
needs, usually provided on the spot as the opportunity presents itself.
(cid:1) Thelearners’engagementintheirauthentictaskcauseslearnerstobecomecon-
fused. This learner confusion may come from one of two sources:
(cid:2)
Thelearnerunderstandsthegoalofthetaskbuthe/sheisatalossregarding
the steps to be taken to achieve the goal or,
(cid:2)
The learner’s confusion may stem from the learner’s growing awareness of
the existence of knowledge/information/skills/concepts that conflict with
his/her prior perceptions.
(cid:1) Itisthisconfusionthatforceslearnerstobecome mentallyactivetofindresolu-
tion to their confusion.
(cid:1) Iftheteacherbecomesawarethatstudentsarebecomingsofrustratedwiththeir
inabilitytoovercometheirconfusionthattheyareindangerofgivinguporde-
veloping negative attitudes, the teacher scaffolds their efforts with an interven-
tion to assist them in sustaining their intrinsic motivation.
(cid:1) It is through engaged mental activity that learners accumulate the factual con-
tent and come to understand and apply the skills and concepts involved in de-
veloping the capacity to perform operations, accomplish tasks, and produce
products.
(cid:1) Ifintheprocessofdevelopingacapacitythelearneralsodevelopsapositivedis-
position,thenthelearnermaybecomeabletooperateatahigherlevelofperfor-
mance;onetypifiedbythedesigningofinquires,productionofunique/original
creations, and the designing their own tasks/products.
ConceptMap ix
