Activity 3.1: PowerPoint Lecture on Constructivism

            People who follow Piaget’s constructivist theory would describe learning as occurring through a process of active construction in which people build upon existing knowledge through activities and experiences.  That word, active, is a very important part of constructivism, and Piagetian thinkers believe that individuals are active learners, and through cognition, interpretation, and free will, just to name a few, they make meaning for themselves through construction.  Also, constructivists believe that individuals are constantly seeking cognitive equilibrium, and when disequilibrium, or cognitive dissonance, is reached, individuals become motivated to self-regulate, or seek equilibration through assimilation and accommodation.  Through these two strategies, individuals try to adapt to their environment and organize their knowledge by fitting new information into their existing knowledge and modifying their existing knowledge structures to fit reality.  This is how learning occurs, according to constructivist thinkers.