Constructivism and Education

An international collection dealing with the constructivist approach to education.

Marie Larochelle (Edited by), Nadine Bednarz (Edited by), Jim Garrison (Edited by)

9780521109604, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 30 April 2009

320 pages, 8 b/w illus. 2 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm, 0.47 kg

"Marie Larochelle, Nadine Bednarz and Jim Garrison well deserve praise in acting as editors of the stimulating set of fifteen papers in Constructivism and education. These contributions show with some clarity that education can and does have an intellectual rationale in the epistemology of constructivism." Leslie Smith, Studies in Science Education

This international and interdisciplinary collection presents and discusses the many issues and educational practices that are touched on by constructivism. Drawing on perspectives from a range of different fields (ethics, mathematics education, philosophy, social psychology, science education, social studies), this book invites us to reposition ourselves in relation to the major currents that have influenced education in this century, namely pragmatism, genetic epistemology, and social interactionism. The essays call for new reflection on the questions that are central to the project of education and that, in particular, involve the validity of knowledge and types of knowledge, the compartmentalization of school subjects, the mediating role of teachers, and, above all, the ends of education. In so doing, this book relaunches the discussion on constructivism's potential for the social empowerment of groups and individuals.

Part I. Introduction: 1. Constructivism and education: beyond epistemological correctness Marie Larochelle and Madine Bednarz
Part II. From Epistemological Constructivism to Teaching: A Variety of Views: 2. Why constructivism must be radical Ernst von Glaserfeld
3. An epistemology for didactics: speculations on situating a concept Albert Morf
4. Toward a pragmatic social constructivism Jim Garrison
Part III. Teaching Within the Constructivist Mode: Practices and Promises: 5. Individual construction, mathematical acculturation, and the classroom community Paul Cobb, Marcela Perlwitz and Diana Underwood-Gregg
6. The construction of answers to insoluble problems Maria-Luisa Schubauer-Leoni and Ladislas Ntamakiliro
7. Voice and perspective: hearing epistemological innovation in students' words Jere Confrey
8. Constructivism-in-action: students examine their idea of science Jacques Désautels
9. Constructivism and ethical justification Gérard Fourez
10. Social studies, trivial constructivism, and the politics of social knowledge Stephen C. Fleury
11. Practical knowledge and school knowledge: a constructivist representation of education Yvon Pépin
Part IV. The Mediating role of Teachers and Teacher Education: 12. Sociocultural perspectives on the teaching and learning of science Kenneth Tobin
13. Remarks on the education of elementary teachers Heinrich Bauersfeld
14. Constructivism as a referent for reforming scinece education Michael L. Bentley
Part V. Conclusion: 15. Critical-constructivism and the sociopolitical agenda Jacques Désautels, Jim Garrison and Stephen C. Fleury
Notes
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Philosophy & theory of education [JNA]