Constructivist Instruction: Success or Failure? » (1st Edition)

Constructivist Instruction: Success or Failure? brings together leading thinkers from both sides of the hotly debated controversy about constructivist approaches to instruction. Although constructivist theories and practice now dominate the fields of the learning sciences, instructional technology, curriculum and teaching, and educational psychology, they have also been the subject of sharp criticism regarding sparse research support and adverse research findings. This volume presents:

• the evidence for and against constructivism;
• the challenges from information-processing theorists; and
• commentaries from leading researchers in areas such as text comprehension, technology, as well as math and science education, who discuss the constructivist framework from their perspectives.

Chapters present detailed views from both sides of the controversy. A distinctive feature of the book is the dialogue built into it between the different positions. Each chapter concludes with discussions in which two authors with opposing views raise questions about the chapter, followed by the author(s)’ responses to those questions; for some chapters there are several cycles of questions and answers. These discussions, and concluding chapters by the editors, clarify, and occasionally narrow the differences between positions and identify needed research.

Foreword Robert J. Sternberg x

Preface xii

Part I Introduction 1

1 The Success or Failure of Constructivist Instruction: An Introduction Sigmund Tobias Thomas M. Duffy 3

Part II The Evidence for Constructivism 11

2 Reconciling a Human Cognitive Architecture David Jonassen 13

3 Constructivism in an Age of Non-Constructivist Assessments Daniel L. Schwartz Robb Lindgren Sarah Lewis 34

4 Taking Guided Learning Theory to School: Reconciling the Cognitive, Motivational, and Social Contexts of Instruction Phillip Herman Louis M. Gomez 62

5 Beyond More Versus Less: A Reframing of the Debate on Instructional Guidance Alyssa Friend Wise Kevin O'Neill 82

6 Constructivism: When It's the Wrong Idea and When It's the Only Idea Rand J. Spiro Michael Deschryver 106

Part III Challenges to the Constructivist View 125

7 What Human Cognitive Architecture Tells Us About Constructivism John Sweller 127

8 Epistemology or Pedagogy, That Is the Question Paul A. Kirschner 144

9 How Much and What Type of Guidance is Optimal for Learning from Instruction? Richard E. Clark 158

10 Constructivism as a Theory of Learning Versus Constructivism as a Prescription for Instruction Richard E. Mayer 184

11 The Empirical Support for Direct Instruction Barak Rosenshine 201

Part IV An Examination of Specific Learning and Motivational Issues 221

12 Learning and Constructivism Walter Kintsch 223

13 From Behaviorism to Constructivism: A Philosophical Journey from Drill and Practice to Situated Learning J. D. Fletcher 242

14 What's Worth Knowing in Mathematics? Melissa Sommerfeld Gresalfi Frank Lester 264

15 "To Every Thing There is a Season, and a Time to Every PurposeUnder the Heavens": What about Direct Instruction? David Klahar 291

16 Beyond the Fringe: Building and Evaluating Scientific Knowledge Systems Richard A. Duschl Ravit Golan Duncan 311

Part V Summing Up 333

17 An Eclectic Appraisal of the Success or Failure of Constructivist Instruction Sigmund Tobias 335

18 Building Lines of Communication and a Research Agenda Thomas M. Duffy 351

Index 368