constructivism vs CAPS

Report on ….

1.    Terms of Reference

  

This report investigates the principles of constructivism conforming with the general principles of education as described in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy for English First Additional Language Grade 10 to 12. Firstly I will discuss the term learning theories with the focus on constructivism. Thereafter I will focus on the effectiveness of this theory within teaching and learning. Lastly I will look at the principles of constructivism in relation to (CAPS) the Curriculum and Assessment Policy for English First Additional Language Grade 10 to 12.

2.    Procedure

a)    An investigation was done into the concept and effectiveness of learning theories.

b)    An investigation was done on the general principles of constructivism as a learning theory.

c)    An investigation regarding the correspondents between the general principles of constructivism and the general principles of CAPS was done.

d)    An investigation was done regarding the responsibilities of the teacher and the learner within the classroom.

3.    Findings

a)    There are many different theories on how people learn. Burns (1995, p99) regards learning as a relatively permanent change in behaviour with behaviour including both observable activity and internal processes such as thinking, attitudes and emotions. It is clear that Burns includes motivation in this definition of learning. Burns considers that learning might not manifest itself in observable behaviour until sometime after the educational program has taken place.

b)    Constructivist learning is based on the students' active participation in problem-solving and critical thinking regarding a learning activity which they find relevant and appealing. They are "constructing" their own knowledge by testing ideas and approaches based on their prior knowledge and experience, applying these to a new situation, and integrating the new knowledge gained with pre-existing intellectual constructs.

c)    Throughout the raging educational situation, social constructivism has always been upheld as the preferred teaching and learning methodology and millions of rands have been invested in this regard. This study is thus based on the concern that now after all the years of actively promoting social constructivist methodologies, the implementation of the CAPS could seriously contradict reasonable steps made in this regard. Triggered by these curricular issues, a qualitative case study was conducted. This study predicted the revelation of the extent to which group practical activities promoted learning, how knowledge is constructed in group-settings and whether practical activities enhance learning. The main findings of my study revealed that these practical activities can promote learning and therefore should remain a preferred method of teaching.

d)    This requires a concept or idea shift in teachers and learners in terms of attitude and belief around the roles of each. Within a combined constructivist framework, different cultures, a variety of standards, language and credit of meaning, are respected and encouraged. All are recognized as having strengths and weaknesses and the dignity of each is given more importance as the group moves to more advanced constructions of meaning. The teacher-learner relationship discusses rights and responsibilities on both sides. Behaving in a way that represents the ideal teacher-learner relationship creates a culture of respect, minimizes the likelihood of student mistreatment, and optimizes the education.

4.    Conclusions reached

A classroom of diverse learners with diverse language backgrounds can be a great challenge for a classroom teacher.  English Language Learners present a particular challenge to teachers as they represent such a wide range of academic abilities, English language abilities, and academic background. Constructivism is widely considered as an approach to investigate children’s level of understanding and the ways in which that understanding can be taken to higher level thinking. Constructivism is a way of learning and thinking. It is how students make sense of the material and how they can be taught most effectively. Constructivism as an educational theory holds that teachers should take into account what students know. Teachers then build on this knowledge and allow students to put their knowledge into practice.

5.   Recommendations

1     Both the teacher and learner must be made fully aware of the aspects surrounding constructivism in order to implement them effectively within the classroom.

2     Both the teacher and learner must be actively involved within the learning process with regard to cultural differences and involvement.