¶ … theories emphasize mainly on student activity as opposed to teachers teaching. The argument is that a student's experiences coupled with study are areas where learning begins. This is closely associated with the change in psychological theories with regard to learning from behaviorism to constructivism. I use active teaching as opposed to passive teaching. Passive learning takes place when the student only takes in whatever the tutor avails. This form of learning is considered less effective compared to active learning, in which the student seeks out whatever he or she needs to understand. Thus, passive learning seems to promote surface learning instead of deep learning. Since deep learning entails the search for meaning in whatever is learnt, it is insightful (Roberts, 2001).
I rely mostly on constructivism in my teaching. In constructivism, learners are considered sense-makers since they not only record the given information but also interpret it. This understanding of learning propelled the shift to "knowledge-construction" from the "knowledge-acquisition" metaphor. The increasing evidence that supports constructive reality of learning is also supported by earlier work of prominent theorists like Jerome Bruner and Jean Piaget. Although there are several versions of constructivism, it is commonly acknowledged...
This implies that if I choose only one teaching style (direct instruction, collaborative learning, inquiry learning, etc.), students will miss the opportunity to maximize their learning opportunity. Clearly, as a teacher I am unable to reach each student on same level in one lesson; hence, by applying a range of learning styles through the course enables all students to have the opportunity of learning in more than one way that is in line with their individual learning style (NDT Resource center, n.d).
Combining a number of instructional approaches seems to be educationally effective. Since my goals entail a number of ideas-and-skills supported by several instructional approaches where each is useful in attaining some goals and even assisting students with various learning preferences. Hence, I usually try to develop eclectic instruction that brings together the best in each approach. The general claim in constructivism is individuals learn by utilizing…
