Abstract
This chapter considers constructivist perspectives on learning, which involve a shift from viewing learners as responding to external stimuli to seeing them as ‘active in constructing their own knowledge’ and consider that ‘social interactions are important in knowledge construction’ (bruning et al. 2004). For constructivists, learners develop knowledge directly by experiencing things and by reflecting on the consequences of such experiences; and they learn actively through cognitive processes, constructing an understanding of the world around them. After completing this chapter, readers will be able to: •understand various constructivist approaches to teaching; •explain various constructivist perspectives on learning, including the work of piaget, bruner and vygotsky; •appreciate the strengths and limitations of various constructivist perspectives; •conceptualize various constructivist approaches; and •critically apply constructivist approaches to teaching in a Chinese context. Copyright © 2011 Hong Kong University Press.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Learning and teaching in the Chinese classroom: Responding to individual needs |
| Place of Publication | Hong Kong |
| Publisher | Hong Kong University Press |
| Pages | 31-61 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9789888053926 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9789888083428 |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 |