Constructivist approach is that weapon of education that facilitates the entire teaching-learning process qualitatively and quantitatively. It refers to a student as an active learner rather than a passive receiver. Here the learners try to create their knowledge and understanding by own from what they have perceived and experienced from the surroundings. The major aspects of constructivism can differ according to the views of different psychologists, but the key fact of constructivism is the activeness of the learners while making sense of all perceived information and constructing the required knowledge. It is Khan an epistemological view of learning rather than teaching [1]. Applying this approach in teaching-learning process ensures the spontaneous development of the students. In the process of constructing knowledge, the student is an active participator while teacher plays the role of a friend, guide, motivator, facilitator etc. Though the students are the central part of education in a constructivist setting, it cannot be organized successfully without the support of a teacher. In a constructivist classroom, teachers’ role is rooted in negotiation whereas in traditional classroom it is rooted in authority [2]. In today’s technology-oriented education, it’s a big issue that either this constructivism approach can be implemented successfully or not in present teaching-learning scenario. The teacher should provide a suitable environment to the learners to nourish and assist them for the reflection of their knowledge.

Objectives of the Study

The central objective of this conceptual paper is the need and different aspects of adopting constructivist approach in teaching-learning process. It puts emphasis on the theoretical view of Social Constructivism as well as analyzing the differences between Traditional and Constructivist teaching-learning approach. It also gives light on some issues or questions that revolves around us regarding the implementation of constructivist teaching-learning process in today’s technology-oriented education.

Theoretical Perspectives

It’s important to have a clear view on the theoretical perspective of Social Constructivism. Constructivist approach hypothesizes that individual will try to make sense of all information that they perceive, and that each individual will, therefore, construct their own meaning from that information [2]. Students process their information simultaneously that helps them to know ‘How to learn’. Constructivism Approach is basically classified into three major categories that are- Cognitive Constructivism by Jean Piaget, Radical Constructivism by Ernst Von Glasersfeld and Social Constructivism by Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky. The specialty of Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism in respect to other theories lays in the role of social interaction in children learning. Vygotsky believes that society plays a pivotal role in shaping the students’ behavior, but this point is neglected in Piaget’s first wave of Constructivism. Social Communication and interaction help to formulate more extensive and reliable knowledge based on a system of consensual sharing, testing and evaluation [3].

Vygotsky’s view on Constructivism refers concepts following the action rather than preceding it (Figure 1). It means activity leads to the concepts; concepts do not lead the activity [4]. There are so many terms involved in this approach that are significant in students’ learning such as Social Interaction, More Knowledgeable Other (MKO), Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), Scaffolding etc. Vygotsky’s theory of Constructivism gives us a way to consider both the psychological and the social aspect of Learning [5]. At first, children’s knowledge occur through the interactions with people (Inter-Psychological level: between people) and later, children assimilate and internalize their knowledge adding their own values (Intra-Psychological level: inside the child). The MKO, someone who has a better understanding and ability than the learner on that particular field, works as a facilitator for the learners in their learning. This MKO can be a teacher teacher, peers, adult or younger one or anyone else. The support provided to the learners is called Scaffolding that makes the learners able for independent problem solving later. The learner has the ability of independent problem solving in their Zone of Actual Development. They are also able to solve their problems with the help or assistance of others in the Zone of their Potential Development. ZPD is the gap between these two zones. Here, the Zone of Proximal Development is that zone where teacher and learners work together, the support and guidance is provided to the learners for their problem solving and the child can solve their problem with that scaffolding.

Figure 1: Children learning in Constructivist Setting

A Comparative Analysis on Traditional vs. Constructivist Teaching-Learning

In traditional approach of teaching-learning, the key role of a teacher is to provide sufficient knowledge to the students by which the intellectual development of the students can be secured. It is simply preparing the students for their competitive tests and achieving degrees as per the criteria. It never emphasizes on deeper understanding of the students; rote learning and memorization are two basic parts of traditional teaching-learning system. It neither gives importance on students’ entry level behavior nor on their psychological aspects and individual differences. There is no scope of knowledge construction and generating new sense of experiences of the students in traditional teaching-learning system as it is completely teacher oriented, here students are just passive receivers. Academic Achievements are the only criteria that should be fulfilled by the students with the acceptance of teachers’ instructions.

In changing context of teaching-learning system, constructivist approach is based on the belief that learners are actively involved in their learning. They are the makers of meaning and understanding. If this approach can be implemented in teaching-learning process, the teacher will definitely be able to activate and motivate the students so that they can develop their own construction of knowledge and understanding. In Vygotsky’s view, children learn through highly interactive process with the supportive guidance of the teacher as knowledge cannot be separated from the socio-cultural context. The instructional design following constructivist ideology avoids directing pupil towards a solution to the problem rather it encourages self-conceptualization of the solution [6]. In today’s constructivist pedagogy individual difference matters, psychological aspects of the students are given priorities, and the concept of learning without burden is approved. The view of Social Constructivism addresses an elaborative interaction with others that opposed the individual investigation of Solo Constructivism. 

Constructivist approach and students’ Academic Achievement

Constructivist approach is more effective means for increasing students’ academic achievement with proper understanding of the contents in comparison to chalk-and-talk or conventional method of teaching. Many researchers have proved this concept in their research works by studying the effectiveness of Constructivist approach on students’ Academic Achievement such as-

Mercy, O. et al. [7] conducted a study to know the effectiveness of a Constructivist Instructional approach on students’ Academic Achievement. The findings showed a significant difference between the performance of a constructivist and non-constructivist students. Constructivist approach was proved more effective to increase the academic achievement of students.

Sarkar, C. and Meenakshi [8] conducted a study on the effectiveness of Constructivist approach on Academic Achievement of Senior Secondary School students of science. In this study, Academic Achievement of the students taught through Constructivist Instruction showed higher than the students taught through traditional method of teaching.

Sandhu, B. K. and Rani, S. [9] conducted a study on the effect of Constructivist approach on Academic Achievement of Elementary School students in Hindi. Academic Achievement of the students taught by Constructivist teaching approach was proved higher than the students who were taught by Traditional method of teaching.

Adak, S. [10] conducted a study on the effectiveness of Constructivist approach on Academic Achievement in Science at Secondary Level students. The result revealed that Achievements of the students exposed to the Constructivist 7E Model (Elicit, Engage, Explore, Explain, elaborate, Evaluate and Expand) was better than the Traditional method of teaching. 

Kim, J. S. [11] conducted a study to know the effect of a Constructivist teaching approach on students’ Academic Achievement. The result revealed that constructivist teaching was more effective than Traditional teaching in term of Academic Achievement of students. 

Role of Teachers in Constructivist Classroom Setting

The fundamental role of a teacher in a constructivist setting is not imparting knowledge and information to the students. Teachers should provide the opportunity to the students to carry out their own experiments. A teacher must enable the students and encourage them by giving proper assistance for their problem solving so that they can achieve the ability of independent problem solving later. In Vygotsky’s viewpoint, teacher is the More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) who gives the students scaffolding. Teacher is expected to discourage competition among students while encouraging collaboration and sharing of experience among them [12]. Teacher should prepare the learners with the thought that sense making is more reliable and significant than content learning. Rote memorization should be completely neglected. In the way of constructive learning, students’ motivation is intrinsic, it is not externally imposed.

In a single word, teacher is a facilitator for the students in constructivist teaching learning perspective. It is very easy to forget the contents if the way of acquiring knowledge is only hearing, learning by doing is more fruitful for the students to make the contents more understandable and easier to reflect. Students are independent learners who motivate themselves towards their activities and regulate themselves positively; they should be aware of daily conception and be involved in every aspect of their learning. Teacher just assists the students for developing their insights for constructive learning. Students should also realize that teachers are not the transmitter of knowledge who stuffs their brain with theoretical knowledge; students should not be dependable on the teachers for their problem solving. Question-answer is a very important part of applying constructivist approach in classroom setting for exploring new ideas and concepts. It makes the student-teacher relationship friendlier and easier that leads the students towards their goal and also helps to remove the negativity and hesitations of the students. Monitory approach is not accepted in constructivist education; teacher is not the controller and leader of the class. Students’ opinion, thoughts, beliefs, values, and point of views- all these are granted by the teacher in a constructivist classroom setting. Here, a teacher approves collaborative learning, reciprocal teaching, experiential learning, concept mapping etc for making the process of students’ knowledge construction smoother and faster. Teachers should prompt the students for moving them towards their desired direction.

‘Question Marks’ Regarding the Relevance of Constructivist Teaching-Learning in The Era of Technology

Constructivist mechanism contributes to the educational system in general, to teachers, students and all other aspects of education. For the successful implementation of this approach teachers must create a supportive and healthy environment where students can find out new information relating their prior knowledge and experiences. Teacher provides students the opportunity to gain practical experiences and learning by doing. By using technological tools, individuals can access information, construct new information and produce new concepts by using this information [13]. 

We all know that technology is a tool that enables the learners in multiple ways; it increases the availability and accessibility of various resources in the field of education. Anyone anytime can access education from anywhere if there is a support of technology. The concept of Blended Learning is now a widely used matter in teaching-learning scenario; it refers to the approach which is the combination of both face-to-face teaching-learning and teaching-learning through the use of ICT. The basic goal of Blended Learning is to provide the most efficient and effective instruction experience by combining delivery modalities [14]. This approach makes the students more flexible than conventional approach as it facilitates both teachers and learners while the instruction period.

Presently we all are going through a pandemic situation due to the rapid growth of Corona Virus; it is the period of closed access system when there is no running school, no college, no university, no facial communication between teachers and learners. As formal education cannot be stopped, we all are going on with the use of technology. Virtual process is the only way for conducting and continuing the teaching-learning process through different technological platforms; teachers and learners are geographically remote from each other during the instruction. It’s a big controversy that how can constructivist approach be applied in teaching-learning process in this technological era.

It’s a great challenge to implement the constructivist approach successfully in today’s education where we all are going through internet dependency. There are so many questions arise regarding this issue such as, in Technology-oriented online teaching-learning system,

• Is it possible to provide enough support to the students?

• Are the students able to express their views as per their requirements?

• Is there any chance of learning by doing for the learners?

• Is it possible to build a good rapport between the teacher and students?

• Is there the actual chance of peer collaboration?

• Is it possible for all the students to access internet while teaching-learning?

• Is there really any scope of teacher v/s student interaction like face to face teaching-learning system?

• Is there any possibility for the active participation of the learners in teaching-learning process?

• Is there any chance to engage both teachers and learners in different educational activities?

• Are there proper chances for the students to provide feedback time to time?

• Do the students get actual chances to make their doubts clear after the particular time period of online classes?

• Is it really a learner centric education?

• Can education in online platforms (like Google Meet, Zoom Cloud Meetings etc.) be an alternative of a classroom teaching-learning?

• Most importantly, can the knowledge be really constructed by the learners?

So, these are some general questions revolving around us regarding the use of Constructivist approach in today’s technology based teaching-earning. Internet dependency among students is increasing day by day; especially in this pandemic situation technology becomes an inseparable part of students’ life. We are helpless without technology but its unlimited and uncontrolled use makes students addicted to Internet which is harmful for both of their physical and mental health. The gradual advancement of technology in the field of education can be considered as a boon for the students as it facilitates them in various ways, but in parallel it is also bane for the students in respect of present scenario.

A constructivist teaching fosters learners’ reflective thinking, critical thinking and problem-solving ability that enable them for their learning in practical life situations. It makes up all the gaps of traditional teaching-learning system. Constructivist approach is a new paradigm in teaching and learning in respect to conventional approach; it simultaneously encourages students to be actively involved in their learning activities. This concept hypothesizes that students should be engaged in their thoughts and actions so that they can construct their own meaning in a suitable collaborative problem-solving environment created by the teacher. It is helpful for the students in construction of their new knowledge and understanding from the processed data and information. Though rapid technological enhancement and enrichment have a great influence on different aspects of teaching-learning system, in today’s perspective it is really tough to draw conclusions that the use of technology in education is either a blessing or a curse for the students. But, this approach engages students in their learning by motivating and asking thoughtful open-ended questions to them that facilitate students’ social interaction and influence their practical learning.

1. Khan, S.H. “Constructivism: Towards a Paradigm Shift in Classroom Teaching and Learning.” Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies, vol. 6, no. 51, 2019, pp. 12455–12463.

2. Bada, S.O. “Constructivism Learning Theory: A Paradigm for Teaching and Learning.” IOSR Journal of Research and Method in Education (IOSR-JRME), vol. 5, no. 6, 2015, pp. 66–70.

3. Mohammed, S.H. and L. Kinyo. “The Role of Constructivism in Enhancement of Social Studies Education.” Journal of Critical Reviews, vol. 7, no. 7, 2020, pp. 249–256.

4. Bhattacharjee, J. “Constructivist Approach to Learning—An Effective Approach of Teaching-Learning.” International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies (IRJIMS), vol. 1, no. 6, 2015, pp. 65–74.

5. Woolfolk, A. et al. Fundamentals of Educational Psychology. 11th ed., Pearson, 2012.

6. Dagar, V. and A. Yadav. “Constructivism: A Changing Paradigm for Teaching and Learning.” Arts and Social Science Journal, vol. 7, no. 4, 2016, pp. 1–4.

7. Mercy, O. et al. “Effectiveness of a Constructivist Instructional Approach on Student Academic Achievement in Chemical Bonding in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.” International Journal of Education and Evaluation, vol. 5, no. 3, 2019, pp. 42–55.

8. Sarkar, C. and Meenakshi. “Effectiveness of Constructivist Approach on Academic Achievement of Senior Secondary School Students of Science.” European Journal of Business and Social Sciences, vol. 7, no. 2, 2019, pp. 756–775.

9. Sandhu, B.K. and S. Rani. “Effect of Constructivist Approach on Academic Achievement of Elementary School Students in Hindi.” International Journal of Education, vol. 7, June 2017, pp. 1–4.

10. Adak, S. “Effectiveness of Constructivist Approach on Academic Achievement in Science at Secondary Level.” Educational Research and Reviews, vol. 12, no. 22, 2017, pp. 1074–1079.

11. Kim, J.S. “The Effects of a Constructivist Teaching Approach on Student Academic Achievement, Self-Concept, and Learning Strategies.” Asia Pacific Education Review, vol. 6, no. 1, 2005, pp. 7–19.

12. Akpan, V.I. et al. “Social Constructivism: Implications on Teaching and Learning.” British Journal of Education, vol. 8, no. 8, 2020, pp. 49–56.

13. Isik, A.D. “Use of Technology in Constructivist Approach.” Educational Research and Reviews, vol. 13, no. 21, 2018, pp. 704–711.

14. Kumar, A. “Blended Learning in Higher Education: A Comprehensive Study.” Proceeding of International Conference on Business Management and Information Systems, 2012, https://www.academia.edu/19666209/Blended_Learning_in_Higher_Education_A_Comprehensive_Study.