Presents created letters and responses from a character representing an authority to develop ways of teaching what constructivism is and ways to address the obstacles that teachers might face in adapting a mathematics reform and constructivist approach in the classroom. Contains 16 references. (ASK)

Considers the idea of "intentional knowledge" and the difference in nature between "knowledge" as a construct of society, and 'knowing' as construct of an individual. Discusses how the theory of didactical situations differs from other constructivist theories with regard to the notion of "intentional knowledge." Uses two cases to illustrate the…

After a brief introduction to cognitive psychology, this paper provides a set of principles from cognitive psychology, information processing theory, and constructivist psychology; outlines examples of the existence and often longtime, conscious use of contemporary cognitive psychology assumptions and conceptions in the social and behavioral…

This paper argues that the shift from behaviorist learning theories to constructivist and social constructivist theories provides an opportunity to develop a hybrid model of mathematics instruction for students with learning disabilities. The proposed model embeds important skill learning in meaningful contexts. Evaluation data on such embedded…

The primary purpose of this book is to help teachers develop new insight into the learner's experience of science learning in school settings. The book focuses on the personal experience of the learner, taking the position that learning must be understood not only as a cognitive experience but also as an emotional, personal, social, and cultural…

This monograph addresses the basic ideas of constructivism in the context of science teaching. Instructional practices for applying constructivist-based teaching principles explained in this document include using open-ended, hands-on activities; cooperative learning; various questioning strategies; student journals; and a curriculum based on the…

This paper answers several frequently asked questions about constructivism, including how to define it, how to plan the curriculum, how to assess student understanding, what to do with the information, where to begin, how students work in a constructivist classroom, and why constructivism is important. (SM)

Presents evidence from data on how well five first-grade classes did without any formal instruction showing that if children's numerical reasoning is strong, then formal instruction of missing addends is unnecessary. Explains the findings in light of Piaget's constructivism and discusses educational implications. (ASK)

Examines key psychological principles in contemporary theories of learning (constructivism) and highlights conceptual connections between them and aspects of critical thinking and epistemological maturity described by the reflective judgment model of adult intellectual development. Also describes an undergraduate psychology lesson that bridges…

Constructive-developmentalism is a theory of learning that incorporates two major concepts: (1) that students construct knowledge by organizing and making meaning of their experiences, and (2) that this construction takes place in the context of students' assumptions about and creation of knowledge. A gap often exists between instructor and…

Presents a teacher's experiences with teaching fractions by employing the constructivist approach. Concludes that children will go much further with depth, pleasure, and confidence if they are allowed to construct their own mathematics to make sense to them every step of the way. (ASK)

Presents a historical overview of learning theories in mathematics education applied to the teaching of integers. Theories discussed are meaning vs. rote learning; direct vs. incidental; discovery vs. exposition; concrete vs. abstract; and construction vs. transmission. Includes a reproducible activity sheet and 19 references. (MKR)

Purpose: Seeks to explain some of the dynamics of scripts creation as used in training, to offer some theoretical underpinning regarding the influence of script creation on behavior and performance, and to offer some examples of how script creation is applied in training activities. Design/methodology/approach: The paper explains in detail and…

This paper looks at the ideas of R. Skemp which emphasize fostering "intelligent learning" in the teaching of mathematics. Skemp posits that schematic learning takes place when new concepts are constructed by the learner. Three modes of building such internal schema are proposed. Teachers are urged to ensure that at every stage the new…

The Iowa-Scope, Sequence, and Coordination (SS&C) Program assists schools with reform of their entire middle school programs, grades 6-8, and features the science, technology, and society (STS) instructional approach. This reform translates to the creation of new frameworks for the school program and aims to produce "constructivist"…