The History of Constructivism

Although prior to their formal education, many pre-service teachers have probably never heard of the theory, constructivism quickly becomes a staple concept during their university careers. In fact, pre-service teachers have probably, at some point during their formal education, had to write a paper or conduct a mini-lesson on the topic. But do they really know what it is? Ann E. Kajander (1999) doesn’t think so. Her work with pre-service teachers has shown her that teachers still believe there should be a reliance on technical skills in mathematics, and they fail to see how math can be made enjoyable (“Creating Opportunities for Children to Think Mathematically”). Well, let’s change that and get some things straight!

So, what is this “new fangled” idea of constructivism? Well, to start, constructivism and constructivist principles are not new at all. In fact, some proponents trace its roots all the way back to eighteenth century philosophers Emmanuel Kant and Giambattista Vico (Jaworski, 1994, p. 14). Granted, a lot has changed in 400 years, but constructivism has stayed on the forefront largely due to the efforts of one psychologist in particular: Jean Piaget. Piaget’s work with genetic epistemology is credited as the conceptual root for modern constructivism; Jaworski (1994) adds that Piaget, alone, has been perhaps “the greatest single influence on education generally, and mathematics education in particular” (p. 15). However, this should come as no surprise to any university student who has taken a psychology course.

Don’t let “genetic epistemology” slip you up; to see the connection between modern day constructivism and Piaget one need only look in their educational psychology books. Piaget’s “Constructivist Approach” is a staple in every text. Therefore, terms such as schema, accommodation and assimilation should be well known by the majority – if not all – pre-service teachers. Despite the big words, the theory is simple and should not be forgotten. If we break it down to the brass tacks, Piaget believed that “much of our logic comes not from without but from within by the force of our own logic…” (Copeland, 1970, p.12). Currently, constructivism is viewed as “learning [that] rejects the notion that children are blank slates who absorb ideas as teachers present them. Rather, the belief is that children are creators of their own knowledge” (Van de Walle & Folk, 2005, p.28).

One might ask, but has this been enacted in schools? Surely, the majority of people can remember their own childhood education and remark that, no, they most certainly did not participate in any form of constructivist teaching. And sadly, that is usually the case. Constructivism, as a teaching “method” did not become popular until the 1960’s in the United States, and was certainly not legitimized until the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) grounded their mathematical standards in the principles of constructivism in the late 1980’s (Jaworski, 1994, p. 14). Nearly 3 decades later, this has held true and even crossed borders.

The Foundation for the Atlantic Canada Mathematics Curriculum maintains a vision that “fosters the development of mathematically literate students who can extend and apply their learning and who are effective participants in an increasingly technological society.” To accomplish this, the foundation relies on the standards of the NCTM as a “guiding beacon for pursuing this vision.” (Atlantic Canada Mathematics Curriculum – Grade 4, 2003, p. 1). And so it is, that constructivism, with roots in the 1700’s has propelled itself into the twenty-first century so that a small province off the coast of mainland Canada holds it as a “guiding beacon” in their aim to teach mathematics effectively.