Week Two- Constructivism
Brewer and Daane 2002
I found this reading interesting. This article states thats some teachers do not believe in constructivist principles, however, they adopt constructivists ideology as they wish to be seen as doing the ’the right thing’. As they do not believe in these principles they do not adhere strictly to the scienifitic methods. It also states the knowledge is actively built up by the cognitive subject. The teacher should become a facilitator rather than an instructor. This reading uses the subject mathematics to show how constructivist princples can be used in mathematics.
When searching through the website The Learning Federation, I found some games that incorporate constructivist principles in order to make mathematics fun and interactive for the children. I strongly believe that constructivism is an essential approach to take when teaching mathematics especially in primary school. Children learn by doing and therefore will benefit more from a construcivist approach.
This is a link to a mathematical game that I found on this website. The game involves children making music by keeping the same patterns in the notes. Click here play this game
Which learning style/s does this ICT support? The games approach to mathematics or any key learning area supports visual or kinaesthic learners. Visual learners will benefit from seeing the learning, they will learn from the images that are used in the game. Kinaesthic learners will benefit from these games, as the games are completely hands on, where the children ‘do’ to learn.
How could this ICT be implemented as a good cognitive tool within the learning environment? This could be used either as a shared activity from the entire class by using the active whiteboard or by the children having their own computer or using it in pairs. For example; with the game that is linked through this site the children could make the music as a class, with the teacher selecting children to come and continue the pattern using the interactive whiteboard. The teacher could set the children at individual computers or in pairs (if possible) and the children can make the patterns and music together.
How is this ICT enabling the developing of creativity? This game allows for creativity as the children can choose which pattern they wish to play and then which instrument they wish to use for tha particular line of music. They children can then also change the line if they not hapy with the patterns when they are played together.
