The Implications of

Constructivism on Classroom

Management

What is Constructivism?

• Learning is a process of structuring meaning in an active

way.

• Learning is subjective.

• Learning is shaped with situations and conditions of the

environment.

• Learning is a social process. Students share their ideas

and communicate.

What is Constructivism?

• Learning is an emotional process.

• Learning is student-centered.

• Learning is developmental. It is affected by students’

social, physical and emotional developments.

• Learning is permenant.

• Learning includes conceptual changes.

• The quality of learning is important in learning process.

Subtitles of Classroom Management

• Communication

• Motivation

• Learning Techniques and Methods

• Physical Environment

• Discipline

• Evaluation

Communication in a constructivist classroom:

• The interaction in the class is recipricol rather than

teacher-centered.

• Students are engage with their activities rather than

listening.

• Teacher asks questions rather than giving directions.

• Students’ voices are heared mostly rather than the

teacher’s.

Communication in a constructivist classroom:

• Teacher speaks less than the students.

• Teacher’s and students’ questions are not for only a single word.

• Students’ speaking in normal tone is enough for taking the other

students’ or the teacher’s attention.

• Teacher’s speaking in normal tone is enough for taking the

students’ attention.

• Students help to each other.

Motivation in a constructivist classroom:

• Motivation is one of the key componenets in learning.

Not only is it the case that motivation helps learning, it is

essential for learning.

• There is no punishment.

• There is no prize.

• There is an intrinsic motivation.

Motivation in a constructivist classroom:

• Students are aware of the responsibility of their own

learning.

• Students choose which topic they want, search for it.

• Students are motivated by the learning itself.

• Sustaining motivation to learn is strongly dependent on

the learner’s confidence in his or her potential for

learning.

Motivation in a constructivist classroom:

• Studenst continue working even if the time is up.

• Students search outside of the classroom.

• Teacher and students accept classroom as ‘our class’.

Techniques and methods in a constructivist classroom:

• Teacher encourage direct student intellectual involvement trhough:

• Discussion• Small group work• Student presentation• Debate• Simultations• Brain-storming• Individul study

Techniques and methods in a constructivist classroom:

• Teacher acceptes and encourages students autonomy.

• Teacher acceptes induvidual differences.

• Students are asked open-ended questions and allowed

time for resdonding.

• Teacher encourages students to higher-level thinking.

Techniques and methods in a constructivist classroom:

• Students communicate with both teacher and

classmates.

• Students engage in experince.

• Raw data, primary sources, malipulatives, physical and

interactive materials are used by students.

Physical environment in a constructivist classroom:

• The walls of the classroom are full of with students’ works.

• The shape of students’ desks are appropriate for learning

and communication.

• Every student can see each other in classroom.

• Students’ desks are movable.

• Students assert their ideas about the physical environment

of the classroom.

• The classroom should be clear.

Discipline in a constructivist classroom:

• Teacher should give opportunity to the students to

choose between two behaviours.

• Teacher should try to understand the reason of the

problem behaviours.

• Teacher should clarify his expectations.

• Teacher should focus on the present behaviour of the

student.

Discipline in a constructivist classroom:

• There should be a reliable communication between

teacher and students.

• Teacher should behave consistently.

• Teacher and students should establish the rules of

classroom together.

• Teacher and students should find solutions to the

problems in a cooperative way.

Discipline in a constructivist classroom:

• Teacher should use logical consequences rather than

punishment.

• Teacher should help students to be responsible

individuals.

• Students should be encouraged to be autonomous

learners. Therefore they can take the responsibility of the

negative consequences of their behaviours.

Evaluation in a constructivist classroom:

• The purpose is to help students for learning.

• Learned information are evaluated not memorized ones.

• During evaluation, learning continues.

• Whether the information is appropriate for situation or

not is evaluated.

Evaluation in a constructivist classroom:

• The process of learning is evaluated not the outcomes of

the learning.

• Performance, problem based learning, group works and

practical matters sare used for evaluation.

• The basic of evaluation is to direct them sharing and give

them opportunities.

Prepared by:

• Çiğdem Mutlu

• Didem Ünal

• Meltem Aktaş

• Meryem Topal

• Tülay Kasapoğlu

3-L