Social Discourse, Anyone?
Based on what I have learned about constructivism, I would say that the Papert’s first story has these elements implemented right out the gate. For example, Debbie and the other fourth graders are learning about fractions through computer software. Their job is to use Logo to design a course to teach others about fractions. Students are using their knowledge to teach and produce, rather than learning to learn about fractions. They are constructing their own program using their knowledge about fractions rather than passively learning about fractions. Students are building their own representations of what they know in order to teach others (buffalo.edu.)
Another constructivist approach is when students were asked told they could explain whatever they wanted about fractions. This allows some negotiation between the teacher and students. It puts the ball in their court and gives them the freedom to do the explaining on what they believe to be important about the subject. Students can then share their ideas with the class and might even cross over into answering something that someone else their own age might be confused about when it comes to fractions.
The negotiation also helps students have a dialogue with teachers. When students are told to teach whatever they see fit about fractions it allows them to go and construct their own methods of how fractions work and report back. This opens up a space of conversation between teachers and students who can learn for themselves and then come back for clarification on the subject, thus helping students construct their own knowledge (buffalo.edu.)
Finally, when Debbie was asked about fractions, she said "you can put them on everything." This depicts constructivism because she was no longer thinking of concrete definitions that school had taught her. Debbie was not thinking of her own personal world of examples that she could use to teach others in order to construct her own knowledge.
I believe the learning moral that is conveyed is that students can change the way they think through their sense of self. For example, when Debbie was asking the questions that related to her way of thinking, then she was changing the way she thought about fractions. Her curiosity led to her being able to evaluate the world around her and build her own understanding of the subject as she continued to learn more about it.
I chose this story because I liked how students were able to choose what they wanted to teach about fractions. Nothing in our curriculum is like this assignment they had so it was fascinating to me to think about how things would go if I were able to implement this in my own classroom rather than following what the curriculum says to do. I feel like I can implement aspects of this in my own lessons but I would not be able to go as deep as Debbie's school did.
*References*
Constructivism. (2022, March 23). Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation- University at Buffalo.
Papert, S. (1993). The children's machine. New York: Basic books. Chapters 5, 6 and 7