Constructivism represents a heterogeneous body of theoretical approaches across different disciplines for these alliances, as well as, attracting and antagonizing vast audiences within these disciplines, including psychology and education. A major influence on the rise of constructivism has been the theory and research in human development.…

The purpose of this study was to determine which of three competing models will provide, reliable, interpretable, and responsive measures of elementary students' understanding of the nature of science (NOS). The Nature of Science Instrument-Elementary (NOSI-E), a 28-item Rasch-based instrument, was used to assess students' NOS…

The Community of Inquiry Framework is based on the premise that online learning is a collaborative constructivist activity. However, not all courses are similarly oriented. In general, courses can be divided into constructivist and objectivist. In constructivist courses, learners develop solutions to problems through sustained discourse and…

Noting that current discussion of the best way to accomplish the goal of "No Child Left Behind" has focused on the value of play versus a structured program for early education, this paper uses science education as a model for examining how children learn and the problems arising when artificial lines are drawn between work and play. The paper…

Describes pedagogical content knowing (PCKg) based on a constructivist view of teaching and learning, emphasizing knowing and understanding as active processes. PCKg requires teachers to understand students' learning and the environmental context in which teaching and learning occur. The paper applies the model of PCKg to teacher education…

This paper describes the Netherlands' Pyramid Project, a classroom-based early intervention program which integrates nursery school and primary school organization and content for 3- to 6-year-olds who need special support, such as ethnic or language minority (allochtone) children and children from disadvantaged situations. Section 1 of the paper…

A two-tier intervention study was designed to provide descriptive models of constructivist learning environments supported by appropriate technology, as they emerged in project classroom. Tier 1 was a collective case study of approximately 150 classrooms in 5 southwestern states whose teachers received training in applying technology. Tier 2…

This paper explores how human service learners subjectively experience a web-based approach to learning. The course was a new iteration of an earlier course on enhancing cultural competency and involved a sample size of 72 participants. A course on cultural competency can be a difficult one to deliver via a web-based medium given the potentially…

The first volume of the 29th annual conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains plenary lecture and research forum papers as listed below. Short oral communications papers, poster presentations, brief summaries of discussion groups, and working sessions are also included in the volume. The plenary…

The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference intention was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There had been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a…