Blog post #1- Constructivist learning and the Australian curriculum

“Constructivist learning transforms the student from being a passive recipient to an active participant of the learning process” (O’Connell, 2013). This statement suggests that students are guided by the teacher yet they are responsible for their own learning process. Two examples of constructivist learning are inquiry learning and project-based learning.

My personal understanding of the role of the teacher librarian is that we need to provide opportunities that put students at the forefront of their learning. Inquiry learning is a learning process, often described as a cycle that allows students to formulate questions, investigate and create a solution or an appropriate response to a particular topic (Edutech wiki, 2012). The purpose is to ensure that students are actively engaged, that they examine more complex problems and in turn discover possible answers themselves (Wilson & Murdoch, 2004, p. 1).

Inquiry learning, within the Australian curriculum, is moving towards the use of digital technologies to enhance student learning outcomes. A teacher librarian should be focusing on such resources to accompany their programs to effectively engage students. A great deal of my own teaching incorporates such technologies including iPads, internet-based research, e-books and e-resources on a daily basis whereby students are in control of their learning and I in turn guide them through this process. Inquiry learning must be central to the student and allow them to be a part of the decision making process. This will give them ownership over their work and will impact overall on enjoyment and on-task behaviour (Wilson & Murdoch, 2004, p. 1).

While inquiry learning has many benefits it is also said to have its challenges. Murdoch & Wilson (2004, p. 1) believe that it requires a high level of organisation, flexibility and collaboration. Unless you are at a school where this type of learning is supported, it would be quite difficult, but definitely not impossible, to administer such programs.

Another constructivist learning approach is project-based learning (PBL). This type of learning focuses on the creation of a product or project aimed to develop student learning skills, as well as their knowledge, using digital devices to do so (Boss & Krauss, 2008, p.12). Using such digital technologies allows for learning to be new and exciting and to achieve learning outcomes in a different way that is relevant to the world of the student.

Personally, I have seen programs implemented that would relate to the PBL approach and the way in which students respond is tremendous. Students are actively engaged in the learning process because the learning is relevant to them. “From a student’s perspective, there’s no substitute for the real world when it comes to generating interest in learning” (Boss & Krauss, 2008, p. 6). I find this statement to be entirely relevant to my own teaching as I would much rather see my students engaged in a hands on task in the library than listening to me speak about something they could instead be doing themselves. 

As we begin to integrate the new curriculum into our teaching, we will soon see how important using such digital technologies is in achieving student learning outcomes and wish that they had been around much longer. Using constructivist approaches such as inquiry learning and project-based learning will definitely be worth integrating into our programs as teacher librarians to achieve such success.

Boss, S.  & Krauss, J. (2008). Excerpted from Reinventing Project-Based Learning. Your field guide to real world projects in the digital age. International Society for Technology in Education. 1-24. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/images/excerpts/REINVT-excerpt.pdf

Edutechwiki (2010). Inquiry based learning. A very useful introduction to inquiry based learning. Retrieved from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Inquiry-based_learning

O’Connell, J.  (2013). Teacher Librarian and the Curriculum [ETL401 Module 3.1] Retrieved March, 2013 from Charles Sturt University website: http://interact.csu.edu.au/portal/site/ETL401_201330_W_D

Wilson, J. & Murdoch, K. (2004). What is Inquiry Learning? Adapted from Wilson, J. & Wing Jan, L. (2003). Focus on Inquiry. A practical approach to curriculum planning. 2^ND ed. 1-9. Retrieved from http://resourcebank.sitc.co.uk/Resources/Priority2/2Noumea/NoPr_T006inquiryLearning.pdf