Erin Rabenberg

Dr. Mark Hawkes

ESPY 302
November 15, 2013
Constructivism Creates Committed Learners
How do students best learn? The definition of learning is essential to
the answer of this question, the textbook defines learning as a long-term
change in mental representations and associations due to experience
(Ormrod 18). Learning is making sense of the things around us and of the
information that we are presented with. This is best achieved from the
theoretical perspective of constructivism.
According to constructivism when a learner encounters something new
they have choices as to what they do with this new information. Learning
takes place through the processes of assimilation and accommodation.
Assimilation is an idea proposed by Jean Piaget. When a person takes in new
information or experiences something for the first time and then combines it
into ideas that they already have is assimilation (Cherry). The learner fits
this new information in where they think it should go into their already
existing knowledge base. For example a student is given a soccer ball and
he calls it a basketball. The student has wrongly placed the soccer ball in his
preexisting schema, a general understanding of what an object or event is

typically like (Ormrod 28), for basketballs since it was similar to his
knowledge of basketballs. Learners may accommodate, also an idea from
Jean Piaget, information and experiences. This involves altering ones
existing schemas and ideas (Cherry). The difference is that when a learner
accommodates their viewpoint is changed. A physical education student is
given a soccer ball for the first time and he starts dribbling it like a basketball
because his schema of balls is that you bounce them. The teacher then
shows the student the correct way to kick the ball using his feet and the
student changes how he views this new type of ball. The student
accommodated the new information and developed a new concept for soccer
balls. Learning, according to the constructivism theory, takes place when a
learner experiences something new or is presented with new information and
then it is the learners responsibility to compare this information with
preexisting schemas or develop a new concept to make sense of what they
have encountered. Assimilation and accommodation help learners make
sense of the world around them and therefore is effective when it comes to
gaining knowledge. These processes are the basis for how people learn in
light of the constructivism, but there are bigger aspects of the theory.
Benjamin Franklin summed up the ideas in constructivism best when
he said, Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and
I learn (Schultz). Students ideas about the world around them are not
permanently changed when they are simply told, rather it is when students
are actively involved do they make sense of the information they are

presented with and relate is to their own life. Constructivism is based around
the idea that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the
world through experiences and then reflecting on what happened. This gives
the learner an active role in the learning process (Concept to Classroom).
Students need to be actively involved in order to learn. This is because
children, according to Jean Piaget, learn through their experiences, are
naturally curious, and they need to interact with their environment (Hawkes).
Constructivism is not rote memorization but it is centered on real world
situations and the students questions (Concept to Classroom). From the
constructivist viewpoint learning is all about experiences and observations
and how the learner makes sense of them when compared to previous
knowledge. While constructivism is concerned with the internal aspects of
which a teacher cannot manipulate, the teacher plays a critical role in the
learning process.
There are many ways that teachers can apply the principles of
constructivism in their classrooms and the realm of physical education is one
place where these principles prove effective. Constructivism is a great
approach to physical education because it helps children become skillful
movers and develop positive attitudes towards themselves and physical
activity. When taking a constructivist approach to physical education the
teacher should start with the big ideas by starting with teaching students
how to move and then progress to specific skills like how to properly hit a
baseball and finally to sport education where strategies of the game are the

main objective. The teacher should guide and involve the students in the
classroom (Cummiskey). One of the most important principle in
constructivism is engaging the students and letting be active participants in
the learning process. In order to achieve this the teacher needs to let the
students interact. Small groups are effective (Newman). When doing a
section on weight lifting split the students into groups of 3 to 5 students and
allow them to develop their own programs with a few guidelines. This forces
the students to consider others viewpoints and how to voice their own
opinion both are skills that are important in real world situations. Students
working in small groups promotes social and communication skills because it
emphasizes collaboration and the exchange of ideas (Concept to Classroom).
It is important that the teacher is more than a drill sargent that only gives
instruction and does not allow for questions and time for students to work
through new experiences. Allowing students to ask questions and explore
answers is an important aspect of constructivism (Concept to Classroom).
Teachers should have a place like an online discussion board for example
where students are comfortable sharing their opinions and different ideas on
the topic are discussed. This also allows the teacher to know their students
better because it is vital to build on the students preexisting conceptions.
The classroom should be structured around the students. When students
feel like they have a part in what they are learning about makes them
excited and eager to learn. The curriculum should not be fixed but rather
change with the needs of the students as students explore things they do not

understand (Newman). In physical education if a teacher is showing the

students how to properly swing a tennis racquet and a question is asked as
to why proper form is important a discussion on reducing injury could take
place although it was not planned for that class period. Because
constructivism is focused on reflecting on new information a journal could be
kept by the students. They could write in it at the end of each class period.
The idea would be to record questions they have about what was done in
class that day, what else they would like to know about the subject, and how
it could relate to real world situations. Students need to be engaged and
active in the learning process, small groups accomplish looking into new
perspectives, and the curriculum should not be fixed in order to
accommodate questions. Implementing the principles of constructivism are
effective in physical education.
Students learn best in the light of constructivism. As an educator it is
necessary to engage and involve students in the learning process, providing
guidelines while allowing them to make sense of the world around them
through assimilation and accommodation. Allowing the students to discover
for themselves and providing support and questions children grasp the ideas
that are presented to them. When students are given an active role in the
learning process they become excited about what they are learning about
and this leads to students who have a thirst for knowledge.

Works Cited
Cherry, Kendra. Psychology. About.com, n.d. Web. 12 November 2013.
Concept to Classroom. Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004. Web. 10
November 2013.
Hawkes, Dr. Mark. Cognitive Development. PowerPoint presentation for
ESPY 302. 11 November 2013.
Cummiskey, Matthew. Constructivist Learning in K-5 Physical Education.
PowerPoint Presentation. Temple University. 11 November 2013.
Newman, Jamie. How to Implement Constructivism in Physical Education. 8
April 2011 Web. 10 November 2013.
Ormrod, Jeanne Ellis. Essentials of Educational Psychology. New Jersey:
Pearson Education, 2006. Print.
Schultz, Frank. Whose Quote is it, Really? GazetteXtra.com. GazetteXtra, 8
April 2011. Web. 10 November 2013.