Constructivism Learning Theory and Education: Impacts and Influence
As a theory of knowledge, and learning, constructivism has rapidly emerged as the theory
of choice for instruction, learning, and education standards construction (Matthews, 2012). The
impact of constructivism is evident in pedagogical practice, curriculum development, and
theoretical debates. The adoption of the constructivist perspective in contemporary education is
unprecedented. Teachers and other stakeholders in the education sphere have embraced
constructivist theory with such enthusiasm that is rare in the contemporary society, where
adoption of theories providing quick fixes is the norm (Jones & Brader-Araje, 2002). In this
paper, we argue that constructivism remains one of the most influential theories of learning and
one of the most promising in enhancing learning in contemporary education settings due to its
focus on the student rather than the teacher.
The rise of constructivism in the education sphere has been associated with the rise of a
range of reformist programs in education such as queerism (unique understanding of the world
from the lens of LGBTQ communities), progressive, feminist, multicultural, and child-centered
pedagogies (Matthews, 2012). These programs have both pedagogical and philosophical aspects,
which are both supported by constructivist theory. The reason is that constructivist theory styles
itself as an ontological theory (theory of objects and their dependencies), theory of knowledge,
and a theory of learning (as a psychological theory). For example, constructivism has been
integral in legitimizing queer theory, where researchers claim that it is possible to expand
thinking by examining hegemonic matrices and allowing students to perceive their experiences.
From the perspective of the queer theory, truth of nature involves cultural interpretations of
meaning, which provide the epistemological and ontological basis of being and knowing
3
(Matthews, 2012). The aspects of the queer theory, thus, align with constructivist thinking, which
focuses on knowledge construction through experiences.
The rise of constructivism can be attributed to frustrations arising from behaviorist
approaches to education. In the 1960s, behaviorism was the dominant learning theory (Jones &
Brader-Araje, 2002). The structure of pedagogy and schools was based on the principle that
learning could be successful if teachers provided the right stimuli to learners. The behaviorist
movement was associated with the rise of a series of strategies such as teacher performance
evaluation systems, outcome-based education, and management by objective (Jones & Brader-
Araje, 2002). Teachers were led to believe that they were directly responsible for learning. If
students were unable to learn, they had to restructure the environment to promote desired
learning or provide negative stimuli to stamp out any negative behaviors (Tolley, 2021). Yet, the
behaviorist movement was unable to produce the desired outcomes. Principals could use teacher
appraisal systems to evaluate teachers. However, teachers would perform exemplary in such
evaluations but were poor in providing meaningful learning to their students (Jones & Brader-
Araje, 2002).
Regardless of critics of constructivism, the theory has superseded other learning theories
such as cognitive theories in contemporary learning environments. One of the reasons for the
emergence of constructivism as a dominant theory is that it justifies that students are active
learners who should be placed at the center of learning (Metsamuuronen & Rasanen, 2018). The
second reason is that other learning theories, such as cognitivist and behaviorist theories, cannot
sufficiently explain the high-level thinking development, including the acquisition of complex
language skills (Metsamuuronen & Rasanen, 2018). While there are criticisms about the
epistemological basis of constructivism, practical educators have found the constructivist
4
approach useful in education and research. With the practical solutions and different
constructivist theories, there has emerged a consensus rooted in the constructivist perspective
that reflecting on a person’s experiences is essential in a person’s construction of knowledge and
meaning (Metsamuuronen & Rasanen, 2018). Thus, for many educators, learning is no longer a
Download this sample
Order this paper