Small Groups and Shared Constructions

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the use of instructional groups within a constructivist framework and considers critical questions regarding the nature of knowledge, the roles of teachers and learners, and the organization of classroom experiences. The cooperative learning movement provided educators with new models that emphasized achievement of objectives while also including the diversity of perspectives and learning strategies that group work provides. The greatest advantage of group work is the role that another individual plays in creating a cognitive conflict or dissonance. The first step in any construction process is contingent upon the blueprint or building plans for construction. In order to participate in the building of a viable structure, the builder must understand the building plan as provided by the architect and have some fundamental idea of how the building task is accomplished. On the most basic level, in order to construct meaning, students must share some common understandings of the words and symbols that are used in the context of the science classroom.