Classy Constructivism

 Constructivism is an awesome concept with regards to teaching children.  I think that the shift from teacher centered, lecture based classes that do little more than teach kids how to memorize facts, is long overdue.  I think that it’s convenient that as this theory is becoming more widely accepted, technology is also becoming more readily available to students.  Technology allows for a vast amount of opportunities for learning to take place in a constructivist manner.  An example that I found is a lesson where students were asked to create a commemorative, interpretative, interactive, and educational museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad.  This museum would document the Underground Railroad used by slaves to escape from the South and seek freedom in the North.  The students were allowed to use a variety of sources to obtain their information, but a big resource for them was the Internet, which can provide students with websites, journal articles and old newspaper articles. This project is constructivist in nature because it promotes both group collaboration and individual creativity. The task is authentic in that the students are learning about something significant in our history that really happened.  This project took place over a four-week time span.  First the teacher introduced the students to the idea of a museum, and gave some history about the Underground Railroad.  Then the students and teacher brainstormed ideas together of what types of exhibits and information would be included.  This aspect of the lesson involved the kids working together to come up with a plan.  Next, the kids were asked to come up with their own ideas of what they wanted to study and research.  After having a one-on-one conference with the teacher to review what each individual student would research, the students were let loose to gather information.  Finally, the class collaborated to combine information and complete the museum.  This was done at a 6^th grade level.  I think that in my case, some special education kids would have been able to participate in this project, with some additional help and guidance.