Blog Prompt: What concept did you find difficult to understand? How did you approach learning the concept? What is one idea from the readings or videos that you disagree with, and why?

Although the theories of behaviorism and cognitivism are relatively straightforward, constructivism has left me feeling a bit puzzled. This theory emphasizes that learning is an active process of constructing knowledge, closely tied to each learner’s background and social environment. This focus on “personal experience” made it difficult for me to grasp its core concepts at first. To better understand it, I started focusing on finding practical applications of constructivism, such as problem-based learning and training through simulation activities. By observing these real-life examples, I realized that constructivism is not entirely without structure but rather provides a framework that encourages learners to actively participate, explore, and reflect. A key point of this learning model is that students’ understanding is not directly imparted by teachers but is constructed through interaction and hands-on practice.

However, I have some reservations about one argument in the article. The author claims that constructivism may be the best choice for solving complex problems because it allows for personalized learning and enables learners to fully exercise their initiative. Yet, I believe this theory might not always be applicable in practice. If students lack sufficient foundational knowledge or self-management skills, they could easily lose their way in a classroom entirely based on constructivism. In such cases, I feel that structured teaching might be more effective.