Knowledge of construction: constructivism in elearning

How constructivism does the Elearning Stick

We have all taken lessons that seemed technically brilliant but that have left us confused or do not remember what we have just learned. The challenge for teachers and educational designers in Elearning is not the content, but ensuring that it really sticks. So what should you do? As a professional, you have to focus on determining the way people learn, not just what they learn. This is exactly what constructivism in Elearning is everything.

Constructivism changes the traditional approach to learning. Instead of receiving information passively, learners build or constructiontheir own understanding through experiences, exploration and reflection. This is particularly relevant in an Elearning environment. For what? Because digital learning concerns flexibility and personalization. Therefore, online courses can be designed to include activities that allow learners to think, make decisions and think. Let us explore this notion in more detail below and show how you can integrate it into your Elearning design.

What is constructivism?

Constructivism is essentially part of learning by doing. Instead of memorizing facts or saying what to think, learners actively build the way they understand the concepts by engaging with Elearning content, asking questions and connecting things to what they already know. Consider the constructivist approach as a puzzle, where each learner must bring together the pieces in a way that makes them sense.

Behind this idea, you will find Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner, two psychologists. Piaget believed that we all go through stages of cognitive development and build “schemes” – mental frameworks that help us understand the world. (1) Bruner, on the other hand, introduced concepts like Discovery Learning, (2) which involves letting learners find themselves answers and scaffolding, (3), which consists in gradually stopping learners with content as they become more confident. Basically, constructivism focuses on the learner, giving them an active role.

But how do people really learn with constructivism? It is a more personal process because it is based on how each learner gives meaning to learning material. It often starts with reflection. We adopt new information, compare it to what we already know and build our understanding. This is why previous knowledge play a huge role here. Everyone brings their own perspective, their own context and their own way of understanding. Given the above, let's see how to use constructivism to create more significant learning experiences.

Design Elearning with the constructivist approach

Problem solving tasks

During the introduction of problem solving tasks in Elearning, you offer learners realistic challenges that make them think critically, explore possible solutions and apply what they already know. This is much more useful than absorbent information passively. More specifically, you want to design scenarios that reflect real work or life situations that learners could face. For example, give health professionals a virtual patient scenario and ask them to decide which steps to take. For vocational trainingChallenge learners to help a fictitious business solve a customer service problem. These types of activities seem relevant, which stimulates both commitment and retention. During problem solving, learners build meaning as you go. They remember previous knowledge, test their ideas, learn errors and thus understand things better.

Exploratory learning

Exploratory learning is one of the most exciting strategies you can provide in an Elearning Constructivist environment. It is a question of giving learners the freedom to discover knowledge rather than to offer them. The whole is for them to make links, ask questions and actively discover the meaning. In an online lesson, exploratory learning means that learners should interact with content. For example, in history courses, clickable cards or drag and drop tools are added to discover hidden facts. Likewise, you can integrate virtual reality to immerse learners in an environment where they discover things by themselves, such as finding the right equipment and the right tools to carry out a chemistry experience.

Scaffolding

In Elearning, the scaffolding means giving just enough advice to help the learners move forward, but not so much that they do not feel challenged. It is the balance between support and independence. So how do you turn into an online course? Start with clear instructions and useful advice from the start. For example, when introducing a complex concept, you can offer it in the form of microlearning, infographics or tutorials step by step. As the learners gain confidence, start reducing help, perhaps by asking more questions or by presenting challenges without guides step by step. You can also use control points, where learners can take a break, think and check their level of understanding before proceeding. These can be quizs or short questions which help them to deal with what they have learned so far.

Real relevance

The learners quickly lose their interest when the content is out of words. Thus, you must design experiences that learners can connect to what they already know or, even better, be able to apply immediately. Ideally, you should offer activities and materials that place them in realistic situations so that they naturally connect the points between what they learn and what they do or want to do in real life. For example, in language learning, make them listen to real conversations between native speakers and use what they learn in a role -playing scenario with their peers.

Reflection

In traditional learning, learners can skip lessons or move on without stopping to think about what they learned. However, in a constructivist approach, learners give meaning to everything. This is called reflection. But how do you apply reflection in an online course? Even a simple question in mid-spare can do the trick, like: “How would you apply this in your own role?” You can also include discussion prompts or self-assessment quizs that encourage learners to take a break and assess their progress. When the learners reflect, they do not remember the information but to connect it to what they already know on site, adding a context to the learning material.

Conclusion

The elearning and constructivism are well together. In an online environment, learners can actively engage with content at their own pace, acquire knowledge and solve problems in a way that corresponds to their personality and their way of learning. As a result, they take control of their learning journey and gain more confidence. The next time you conceive an online experience, give constructivism a chance and think about how you can make lessons more interactive, collaborative and practical.

References:

(1) Piaget learning diagram and theory: 3 fascinating experiences

(2) Discovery Learning – Bruner

(3) Jerome Bruner on the scaffolding of learning