2.3| Constructive Learning

What is Constructive Learning?

According to the Technology Integration Matrix, technology should help students connect new information to their prior knowledge rather than to passively receive information.  The Constructive Learning Characteristic Links to an external site. is concerned with the flexible use of technology to build knowledge in the modality that is most effective for each student. While Active Learning and Constructive Learning are both concerned with reducing or eliminating the amount of information passively received by the student, Constructive Learning is more concerned with engaging students' higher-order cognitive functions to build knowledge for themselves while Active Learning is concerned with students being actively involved in instructional activities in the classroom. 

The following chart shows what Constructive Learning looks like for teachers, students, and the classroom setting at each level of the SAMR framework, cross-walked against the five levels of the TIM.

SAMR Levels
TIM Levels	Entry Information delivered to students	Adoption Guided, conventional use for building knowledge	Adaptation Independent use for building knowledge; some student choice and exploration	Infusion Choice and regular use for building knowledge	Transformation Extensive and unconventional use of technology tools to build knowledge
The Teachers...	The teacher uses technology to deliver information to students.	The teacher provides some opportunities for students to use technology in conventional ways to build knowledge and experience. The students construct meaning about the relationships between prior knowledge and new learning, but the teacher makes the choices regarding technology use.	The teacher creates instruction in which students use of technology tools is integral to building an understanding of a concept. The teacher gives the students access to technology tools and guides them in exploring and choosing appropriate resources.	The teacher consistently allows students to select technology tools to use in building an understanding of a concept. The teacher provides a context in which technology tools are seamlessly integrated into a lesson, and is supportive of student autonomy in choosing the tools and when they can best be used to accomplish the desired outcomes.	The teacher facilitates higher-order learning opportunities in which students regularly engage in activities that may be impossible to achieve without the use of technology tools. The teacher encourages students to explore the use of technology in unconventional ways and to use the full capacity of multiple tools in order to build knowledge.
The Students...	Students receive information from the teacher via technology.	Students begin to utilize technology tools to build on prior knowledge and construct meaning.	Students begin to use technology tools independently to facilitate construction of meaning. With their growing conceptual understanding of the technology tools, students can explore the use of these tools as they are building knowledge.	Students consistently have opportunities to select technology tools and use them in the way that best facilitates their construction of understanding.	Students use technology to construct and share knowledge in ways that may not be possible without technology. Their deep understanding of the technology tools allows them to extend the use of the tools in creative ways to construct meaning.
The Setting...	The setting allows the teacher to present content to all students.	Basic technology tools that allow for building knowledge are available on a limited basis to students for conventional uses.	Technology tools that facilitate the construction of meaning are available to students for conventional uses.	The setting includes a variety of technology tools and access to rich online resources to meet the needs of all students.	The setting includes robust access to a wide variety of technology tools, robust access to online resources and communities, and the ability to publish new content online.

  Implementing Constructive Learning in the Classroom

In the video to the right, the ASCD discusses that in a classroom context, students have to be doing the thinking in order for the work to be rigorous.  Like Active Learning, Constructive learning invites teachers and students to move away from the "Sage on the Stage" method where students are predominantly passive receivers of information.  While Active learning focuses on students' physical involvement in classroom activities, Constructive Learning focuses on the cognitive load placed on students' brains by the instructional activity.  Higher levels of Constructive Learning implementation require teacher-facilitated high-order thinking activities where students use technology tools to explore and construct knowledge for themselves.

Here are some ways you might integrate more Constructive Learning in your classroom:

• Students create their own mini lessons reviewed by their peers Links to an external site. (Excellent connections to Active and Collaborative Learning, too!).
• Have students create their own multimedia study guides Links to an external site. (A great alternative to the software mention in this video is Microsoft OneNote, which is already part of our Office 365 suite of products).
• Younger learners can demonstrate mastery through Activities in SeeSaw Links to an external site..
• Instead of creating plain PowerPoint presentations, have students create videos, podcasts, or even storyboards instead - give students some choices, and provide robust rubrics to guide them!
• You can also encourage student choice in Canvas assignments Links to an external site. by selecting multiple submission types for students to demonstrate their understanding

Learn more about how the productive struggle of rigorous, brain-engaging knowledge construction is a precursor to deeper and more durable understanding here Links to an external site..

  Connections: Profile of a Graduate

The Richmond County Digital Learning Framework is designed to align with our Profile of a Graduate.  Students who regularly exercise choice in constructing knowledge and connect it to prior learning are more likely to:

• Demonstrate Openness to new and diverse perspectives (Critical Thinker)
• Analyze and interpret situations, patterns, and data (Critical Thinker)
• Weigh evidence to make complex decisions (Critical Thinker)
• Exhibit pride in producing quality work and fulfilling requirements (Responsible Citizen)
• Share ideas or create products to solve challenging tasks (Innovative Problem-Solver)
• Convey those ideas in a variety of formats (Effective Communicator)

  Connection Reflection: An Inter-Connected Matrix

By now you may have noticed there is a lot of overlap between elements of the Technology Integration Matrix; implementing one element of the matrix effectively often improves implementation of other ares of the matrix as well.  Consider the following video which details a specific Active Learning method.  In what ways does this strategy also lean on Collaborative and Constructive learning to be successful?  What effects do the implementation of Active, Collaborative, and Constructive approaches have on the way that students learn?