Unit 3.

3 Cognitive Processes
Module 14 Constructivism: Knowledge Construction/Concept Learning

✓Take the Challenge!

In this Module, challenge yourself to attain the following learning outcomes:

• explain the role of constructivism in facilitating learning.
• describe strategies that promote knowledge construction.
• describe strategies to facilitate concept learning.

Introduction
This Module discusses constructivism which was mentioned in the previous modules of
Piaget and Bruner. It is the distillation of most of the principles of cognitive psychologists.

Advance Organizer

Engage!
Read the quotation below:

“Teaching is not about filling up the pail;

It is about lighting a fire.”

—Williams Butler Yeats Treats

1. What concepts/ideas/images came to your mind when you read “Teaching as filling
up the pail”? Elaborate.
When I read “teaching as filling up the pail,” I imagine a classroom where students
are treated as empty containers waiting to be filled with information. This suggests a
teacher-centered approach in which knowledge is transferred directly from teacher to
learner through lectures, memorization, and repetition. The focus is on quantity how
much content is covered or stored rather than on understanding or application. Learning
in this sense appears passive, with students receiving facts without necessarily
questioning, exploring, or connecting ideas to real-life experiences.

2. What concept/ideas/images came to your mind when you read “Teaching is about
lighting a fire”? Elaborate.
The phrase “teaching is about lighting a fire” brings to my mind images of curiosity,
passion, and inspiration. It suggests that teaching is not merely about delivering
information but about awakening students’ interest and love for learning. Here, the
teacher acts as a guide who encourages critical thinking, creativity, and discovery. Once
the “fire” is lit, students become active learners who seek knowledge independently, ask
questions, and continue learning beyond the classroom. This concept emphasizes
motivation, lifelong learning, and the development of skills rather than simple content
mastery.

Explore
What do you think the quotation meant? What two kind of teaching are being referred to?
The quotation means that true teaching is not just about giving information, but about inspiring
students to want to learn. Teaching as “filling up the pail” this kind of teaching focuses on
pouring knowledge into students as if they are empty containers. The teacher talks, the students
listen, memorize, and repeat information. Learning is mostly passive, and success is measured by
how much information students can recall, such as in tests or exams. On the other hand teaching
as “lighting a fire” focuses on awakening curiosity, interest, and passion for learning. The teacher
motivates students to think, ask questions, and explore ideas on their own. Learning becomes
active and meaningful, and students continue learning even outside the classroom.
Explain
So far, you have studied about both the behavioristic and cognitive views of learning.
Behaviorism focused on the external, observable behavior. Learning is explained as a connection
between the stimulus and the response. Reinforcement is the key to learning. Behaviorists saw
learning as a change in behavior brought about by experience with little acknowledgement of the
mental or internal aspects of learning. On the other hand, the cognitive view focuses on the
internal processes. Learning is an active process. Learners initiate experiences, search for
information to solve problems, and reorganize what they already know to come up with new
insights.

In the quotation above, “filling up the pail” is more linked to rote learning and
behaviorism. It connotes that teaching is dominated by the teacher and the learners are passive
receivers of knowledge. “Lighting the fire” is related to the cognitive perspective and
constructivism. It signifies that teaching involves giving opportunities for learners to explore
and discover. Learners construct their own meaning. Learners generate insights and are
“enlightened”.

More associated with cognitive psychology than behaviorism, constructivism focuses on

knowledge construction. You were introduced to constructivism in Module 14 on Bruner’s
theory. Just as there are different views within cognitive psychology, constructivism also has
different “versions”.

Two Views of Constructivism

Individual Constructivism. This is also called cognitive constructivism. It emphasizes
individual, internal construction of knowledge. It is largely based on Piaget’s theory.
Proponents of this type choose child-centered should be allowed to discover principles through
their own exploration rather than direct instruction by the teacher.
Social Constructivism. This view emphasizes that “knowledge exists in a social
context and is initially shared with others instead of being represented solely in the mind of
an individual.” It is based on Vygotsky’s theory. Here, construction of knowledge is shared by
two or more people. According to social constructivists, the opportunity to interact and share
among learners help to shape and refine their ideas. Knowledge construction becomes social, not
individual.

Characteristics of Constructivism

Whether one takes the individual or social view of constructivism, there are four
characteristics that these two views have in common. According to Eggen and Kauchak, these
are:
1. construct understanding. As discussed earlier, constructivists do not view learners as
just empty vessels waiting to be filled up. They see learners as active thinkers who
interpret new information based on what they already know. They construct knowledge in
a way that makes sense to them.

2. learning depends on current understanding. Background information is very

important. It is through the present views or scheme that the learner has that new
information will be interpreted.

3. Learning is facilitated by social interaction. Constructivists believe in creating a

“community of learners” within classrooms. Learning communities help learners take
responsibility for their own learning. Learners have a lot of opportunities to cooperate
and collaborate to solve problems and discover things. Teachers play the role of a
facilitator rather than an expert who has all the knowledge.

4. Meaningful learning occurs within authentic learning tasks. An authentic task is one
that involves a learning activity that involves constructing knowledge and understanding
that is so akin to the knowledge and understanding needed when applied in the real
world. Example, a writing activity where six-year olds prepare a checklist of things they
need to do in school is a more an authentic activity than for them to be working only on
tracing worksheets with dotted lines.

Organizing Knowledge
Concepts. A concept is a way of categorizing objects or events in our mind. A
concept of “teach” includes a group of tasks such Concepts. A concept is a way of
grouping or as model, discuss, illustrate, explain, assist, etc. In your life as a student you
would learn thousands of concepts, some simple ones, others more complicated that may
take you to learn them more gradually. The concepts you learn are also revised as you
learn more and experience more.

Concepts as Feature Lists. Learning a concept involves learning specific

features that characterize positive instance of the concept. Included here are defining
features and correlational feature. A defining feature is a characteristic present in ALL
instances. Example, a triangle has three sides. Having three sides is a defining feature of a
triangle because ALL triangles should have three sides. If one doesn’t, then it is not a
triangle. A correlational feature is one that is present in many positive instances but not
essential for concept membership. For example, a mother is loving. Being loving is a
feature commonly present in the concept mother. But a mother may not be loving. So
“being loving” is only a correlational feature, not a defining one.

Concepts as Prototypes. A prototype is an idea or a visual image of a “typical”

example. It is usually formed based on the positive instances that learners encounter most
often. Example, close your eyes now and for a moment think of a cat. Picture in mind
what it looks like You probably thought of the an image of the common cat we see, rather
than some rare breed or species. Once learners have their own concept prototypes, the
new examples that they see are checked against this existing prototype.

Concepts as Exemplars. Exemplars represent a variety of examples. It allows

learners to know that an example under a concept may have variability. Example, a
learner’s concept of vegetable may include a wide variety of different examples like
cauliflower, kangkong, cabbage, string beans, squash, corn, potatoes. When he
encounters a new type of vegetable like “bitsuelas”, he would search from the exemplars
he knows and looks for one that is most similar, like string beans.

Making Concept-learning Effective. As a future teacher, you can help students

learn concepts by doing the following:

• Provide a clear definition of the concept

• Make the defining features very concrete and prominent

• Give a variety of positive instances

• Give negative instances

• Cite a “best example” or a prototype

 • Provide opportunity for learners to identify positive and negative instances

• Ask learners to think of their own example of the concept

• Point out how concepts can be related to each other

Schemas and scripts. A schema is an organized body of knowledge about

something. It is like a file of information you hold in your mind about something. Like a
schema of what a teacher is. A script is a schema that includes a series of predictable
events about a specific activity. Examples would include knowing the series of steps done
when we visit a doctor, or what transpires at the beginning of the class when the teacher
arrives.

Your role as a teacher is to bring learners to construct their own knowledge such
that they have a well organized set of concepts. Aim to make clear those concepts that are
still vague for them, and to pave the way for them to overcome misconceptions. It is
important that you acquire skills on how to facilitate concept formation and development.
Constructivism can be an excellent guide for you.

Applying Constructivism in Facilitating Learning

• Aim to make learners understand a few key ideas in an in-depth manner, rather
than taking up so many topics superficially.
• Give varied examples.

• Provide opportunities for experimentation.

• Provide lots of opportunities for quality interaction.

• Have lots of hands-on activities.

• Relate your topic to real life situations.

• Do not depend on the explanation method all the time.

Extend by Researching

Read a research or study related to knowledge construction or concept learning .

Fill out the matrix below.
 Problem Research Methodology
The study addressed the issue of whether The researchers conducted a review and analysis
constructivist approaches, particularly problem- of empirical studies on problem-based learning.
based learning (PBL), are effective in helping They examined classroom-based research,
students construct knowledge and develop deep experimental studies, and learning outcomes
conceptual understanding compared to related to students’ conceptual understanding,
traditional direct instruction. problem-solving skills, and knowledge
construction processes.
Title and Source (APA 7th Edition)
Hmelo-Silver, C. E., Duncan, R. G., & Chinn, C. A. (2007). Scaffolding and achievement in
problem-based and inquiry learning: A response to Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark (2006).
Educational Psychologist, 42(2), 99–107. [Link]
Findings Conclusions / Recommendations
The study found that students engaged in The researchers concluded that constructivist
problem-based learning were able to construct learning environments, such as problem-based
deeper conceptual understanding, improve learning, are effective for concept learning when
problem-solving skills, and transfer knowledge combined with appropriate scaffolding from
to new situations. While direct instruction teachers. They recommended that educators
helped with short-term factual recall, PBL balance guidance and student exploration to
supported long-term learning, critical thinking, support active learning and avoid
and meaningful knowledge construction when misconceptions.
proper guidance was provided.

Extend with Synapse Strengtheners

1. Having studied about constructivism and its application in teaching. Give at least five
characteristics of a constructivist teacher. You may express your answer by writing a
poem or a drawing or a clip art/photo essay.
(Poem)
The Constructivist Teacher
A constructivist teacher does not just tell,
But asks good questions and listens well.
They guide the path, not lead the way,
 Letting learners discover truths each day.
They value ideas students bring inside,
Past experiences are learning’s guide.
Mistakes are welcomed, not pushed aside,
For errors help knowledge grow deep and wide.
They build lessons rich with real-life ties,
Encouraging thinking, not just replies.
Collaboration blooms within the class,
As minds connect and meanings amass.
Reflection is key in all that they do,
Shaping the learner’s character deep and true.
Thus learning is built, not simply received
In a constructivist class, students believe.

Extend by Applying
1. Think of a topic related to your field of specialization.
2. Indicate how you can apply contructivism for your students to construct their own
understanding of the topic. The first one is partially done for you.
Topic: Types of Sentences According to Purpose
(Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative, Exclamatory)

Constructivist Implications What I will do to teach the topic

Have few key ideas. I will emphasize the following key ideas:
• Sentences have different purposes
• Each type has a specific function and
punctuation
• Meaning depends on how a sentence is used
in context
Give varied examples. I will present examples from dialogues, social
media posts, classroom instructions, and short
stories so students can see how sentence types
appear in different contexts.
Provide opportunities for experimentation. I will let students transform sentences from
one type to another (e.g., declarative to
interrogative) and observe how meaning and
tone change.
Provide lots of opportunities for quality I will use pair and group activities where
interaction. students discuss, classify sentences, and
explain their choices to classmates.
Have lots of hands-on activities. I will conduct sentence sorting games, role-
playing activities, and sentence building tasks
using cards or worksheets.
Relate your topic to real-life situations. I will ask students to identify sentence types
used in daily conversations, text messages,
announcements, and classroom instructions.
Do not depend on the explanation method all Instead of long lectures, I will use discovery
the time. activities, guided questions, and student-
generated examples to help learners construct
their own understanding.

Evaluate
1. Explain the role of constructivism in facilitating learning.
Constructivism facilitates learning by emphasizing that learners actively construct
knowledge rather than passively receive information. It recognizes the importance of
students’ prior knowledge, experiences, and social interactions in shaping understanding.
Through constructivist teaching, learners are encouraged to explore, question, reflect, and
make meaning on their own, which leads to deeper understanding and long-term retention.
The teacher’s role shifts from being a transmitter of knowledge to a facilitator who guides,
supports, and scaffolds learning experiences.
2. Describe strategies to promote knowledge construction.
To promote knowledge construction, teachers can use inquiry-based learning where
students investigate questions or problems and develop their own explanations. Collaborative
learning strategies such as group discussions, peer teaching, and cooperative projects allow
learners to share perspectives and co-construct meaning. Teachers can also use open-ended
questions, reflective journals, and problem-based tasks that require students to connect new
information with prior knowledge. Providing real-world contexts further helps learners
construct meaningful and relevant understanding.

3. Describe strategies to facilitate concept learning.

Concept learning can be facilitated by presenting a few essential ideas supported by
varied and concrete examples. Using concept maps, graphic organizers, and comparison
activities helps students see relationships among ideas. Teachers should allow students to
classify, contrast, and apply concepts in different situations to strengthen understanding.
Guided discovery, hands-on activities, and formative feedback also support learners in
refining and clarifying their concepts while correcting misconceptions.

5-minute non-stop writing

Your 5-minute non-stop writing begins NOW!
From the Module on Constructivism: Knowledge Construction/Concept Learning, I
realized that learning is not simply about receiving information from the teacher but about
actively making sense of ideas through experience, interaction, and reflection. I came to
understand that students enter the classroom with prior knowledge, beliefs, and experiences
that strongly influence how they learn new concepts. Because of this, teaching becomes more
meaningful when lessons connect to what learners already know and allow them to explore
ideas rather than memorize them.
I also realized that constructivism changes the role of the teacher. Instead of being the
sole source of knowledge, the teacher becomes a facilitator who guides students through
questioning, discussion, and discovery. This approach encourages learners to think critically,
ask questions, and take responsibility for their own learning. Mistakes are no longer viewed
as failures but as valuable opportunities for growth and deeper understanding. Moreover, the
module helped me see the importance of social interaction in learning. Through
collaboration, group work, and dialogue, students are able to share perspectives and co-
construct meaning. These interactions help clarify misconceptions and strengthen conceptual
understanding. Learning becomes a shared process rather than an individual task.