Developing Activities Based on the Constructivist View of Learning and Investigating of Their Effectiveness

Abstract

According cognitive scientists, learning is a mental process and is to occur by giving a meaning to knowledge reaching to mind (Cüceloğlu, 1997). This basic idea agreed with the constructivist view of learning extensively accepted. This view suggested that persons could make sense of new phenomena encountered by using their existing prior knowledge and experiences (Wittrock, 1974; Hand & Treagust, 1991; Duffy & Jonassen, 1991). Bodner (1986), one of the most important advocators of this view, suggested that knowledge is constructed in the mind of the learner and is seldom transferred intact from the mind of the teacher to that of the students (Bodner, 1990). For this reason, it is very important to provide students with learning environments in which students constructs their concepts. This new approach requires teachers to act as a researcher in class environment and to actively participate in process of development and implementation of teaching program.