Brunner's Theory of Learing

A major theme in the theoretical framework of Bruner is that learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge. The learner selects and transforms information, constructs hypotheses, and makes decisions, relying on a cognitive structure to do so. Cognitive structure (i.e., schema, mental models) provides meaning and organization to experiences and allows the individual to "go beyond the information given".

Retrieved from: http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/constructivist.html A major theme in the theoretical framework of Bruner is that learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge. The learner selects and transforms information, constructs hypotheses, and makes decisions, relying on a cognitive structure to do so. Cognitive structure (i.e., schema, mental models) provides meaning and organization to experiences and allows the individual to "go beyond the information given".

This paper describes some of Jerome Bruner’s big ideas. His learning theory posits that learning is an active process in which learners construct new knowledge based on their current knowledge. A closer look at some of the basic elements of Bruner’s ideas related to teaching and learning are included.

International journal of science and research, 2023

Constructivism is an important learning theory that educators employ to help students acquire knowledge. Constructivism is based on the concept that individuals actively construct or create their own knowledge and that their learning experiences determine the nature of reality. Learners use their prior knowledge as a foundation and build upon it as they acquire new information. The teacher acts as a guide in the learning process; therefore, constructivism supports student-centred learning. In a constructivist classroom, learning is viewed as constructed, active, reflective, collaborative, inquiry-based, and evolving. The psychological theory of constructivism originates from the rapidly expanding field of cognitive science, primarily from the constructivist perspectives of Jean Piaget, the socio-historical work of Lev Vygotsky, and the constructivist account of discovery learning by Jerome Bruner. This article discusses constructivism and the contributions of Piaget, Bruner, and Vygotsky to its development.

An instructional unit on the "Structure of Knowledge", was designed to help students learn to think Iike Bruner and Ausubel rather than merely acquire knowledge about them, while simultaneously improving students' thinking skills. The unit used Sternberg's triarchic theory to identify thinking skills and to plan instructional activities intended to help students think more intelligently about their academic work. There were three primary learning activities in this unit: representation preference essays, handout analysis and handout design. The goals of the instructional unit were for students to: a) use their knowledge about Bruner and Ausubel, b) gain experience in assessing and preparing instructional materials, and c) improve their intellectual skills within the contexts of both learning and teaching. Unit evaluation data show that students found all three instructional activities worthwhile and that the unit succeeded in helping students think like the theorists.

Springer Texts in Education, 2020

This chapter considers the similarities between Constructivism and Social Constructivism, seen as two learning theories sharing a multitude of underlying assumptions. Major aspects, more specific to Social Constructivism, such as an emphasis on the collaborative nature of learning and the importance of a cultural and social context, are elaborated within the frame of an ‘education through science’ paradigm. Bruner’s ideas are introduced, especially emphasising the role of the teacher and instruction, plus different processes used by learners in undertaking problem-solving and socio-scientific decision-making. The need and constraints for curriculum change, initiated by Bruner, based on the notion that learning is a social process in which students construct new ideas, are discussed from different stakeholder viewpoints, building on students’ current knowledge and experiences. A theoretically justified case study, carried out under the framework of a research project, funded by the E...

Constructivism is a theory of learning which posits that students learn by actively constructing their own knowledge (von Glasersfeld 1996; Fosnot 1996; Duffy and Cunningham 1996). According to von Glasersfeld (1995, 5), "Concepts cannot simply be transferred from teachers to students -they have to be conceived." Learning is a process that involves active construction and not passive acquisition (Duffy and Cunningham 1996). In constructivism, the familiar and inaccurate metaphor of the mind as a container waiting to be filled is replaced by the metaphor of the mind as an agent actively seeking to satisfy its curiosity and resolve troubling issues. Knowledge under constructivism is not seen as a commodity to be transferred from expert to learner, but rather as a construct to be pieced together through an active process of involvement and interaction with the environment.

Constructivism involves learner's activation of several cognitive processes such as paying attention and selecting relevant information, organizing information and integrating incoming information with existing knowledge. Cognitive constructivism is a system of exploration of how learners, as individuals, adapt and refine knowledge. In contrast to cognitive constructivism, social constructivism views knowledge as primarily a cultural product. Cognitive constructivism focuses on the internal structure of concepts, whereas social constructivism focuses on the context of their acquisition. Constructivist learning pose four dilemmas (1) Conceptual, (2) Pedagogical, (3) Cultural and (4) Political. There is another fundamental issue relavent in constructivism that the understanding of students emerging from constructivist instruction is not compatible with the evaluation system in place. However, Goodlad reported an extraordinary sameness of learning environment that is prevalent in most of the schools. Thus, the constructivist classroom transactions and evaluation procedures are far more complicated than proposed by educationists.