The humanistic approach and constructivist point of views on

learning, and their application in the classroom

# What is Humanistic approach?

# Objectives of T.H.A

# Principles of T.H.A

# Applications in the classroom

# Contributors to the growth of humanistic education

# Constructivists

# Constructivist point of view on learning

# What is constructivism?

# Constructivist theories

DEFINITION

• HUMANISM - a method of beliefs concerned with the needs of people and not with the religious ideas

• APPROACH - a method of doing something or dealing with the problem

• HUMANISTIC APPROACH –

A method of doing something that concerned with the needs of people

The basic objectives of humanistic approach in education are to encourage students to :

• Be self-directed and independent

• Take responsibility for their learning

• Be creative and interested in the arts

• Be curious about the world around them

There are 5 principles of Humanistic Approach in

education :

(i) Self-direction

(ii) Wanting and knowing how to learn

(iii)Self –evaluation

(iv)The importance of feelings

(v) Freedom from threat

# Students can choose what they want to learn

# The teachers should not interfere or determining

students’ decision

# Let the students to initiate the activity they want

and then ask teachers simply to provide information

and equipments for them to use in their activity.

how to learn

# Learning how to learn is more important than

acquiring factual knowledge

# Teachers can play their role by helping the students

learn how to learn

# Should emphasize more on thinking process rather

than teaching determination

# Humanistic educators believe that grading systems

are irrelevant

# The students will not achieve their personal

satisfaction

# According to Holt (1964),

“Comparisons and grades are seen as humiliating

the child”

# Humanistic educators believe that both feelings and

knowledge are important to the learning process

# As teachers, we should concern about our students’

feelings

# The learning can be easiest and meaningful if it takes

place in a non-threatening situation

# Non-threatening situation is when the students feel

unstressed and able to overcome their pressure

in the classroom

(1) Teacher as a facilitator

# teacher guides the activity which has been done by the students

(2) Enhance critical thinking

# the whole class will take part in the activity by having critical thinking process

# by practicing critical thinking system, we’ll produce students who are able to express their views and able to think deep beyond

(3) Establish privacy files

# privacy files so that the students will know their level

# can only be opened by the individual itself

(4) Fair learning

# teachers should apply a fair learning process which every student is given chance to show

their ability and free to express their view

# everything being taught by us must be explain to all and not to particular person only

(5) Provide non-threatening environment

# instead of giving the task individuality, the teacher can set the task in group but evaluate individually

To the growth of

Humanistic Education

(1) CARL ROGERS

5 learning theories (i) Personal experience

(ii) Perfect self-esteem

(iii) The reality of self-esteem

(iv) Build one-self

(v) The choice of behaviour

that not against one’s belief

(2) ABRAHAM MASLOW

Hierarchy of human needs

There are 5 learning theories by Carl Rogers :

(1) Personal Experience

# Each individual has their own experience which depends on one’s surrounding

# One’s experience and thought can’t be perceived by others

(2) Perfect Self-Esteem

# Every person has desired to be successful and happy

# ‘Intrinsic motivation’ is important in order to encourage students to excel

(3) Realization of Self-Esteem

# as teachers, we must try to understand the students’ behaviour

# the best way to understand a person is through communication

(4) Self-development

# we know ourselves based on our experience, ability and strength

# if the experience that have been faced is negative, so his individual concept will be negative too

(5) The choice of behaviour that is not against one’s belief

# we should show behaviour that based on our belief

Hunger / thirstTo feel secure and safe

To be with others

To achieve / compete

HIERARCHY OF HUMAN NEEDS

CONSTRUCTIVIST POINT OF VIEW ON LEARNING

CONSTRUCTIVISM

WHAT IS CONSTRUCTIVISM?

THEORIES

FORMSTHE

CONSTRUCTIVIST CLASSROOM

COGNITIVE

SOCIALVYGOTSKY’SPIAGET’S APPLICATION

What is constructivism?- a view of learning based on the belief that knowledge is not a thing that can be simply given by teacher.- knowledge is constructed by learners through an active, mental process of development- learners are the builders and the creators of meaning and knowledge.

is important…..

- as the educational curricula are changing

TRANSMISSIONCURRICULUM

TRANSACTIONALCURRICULUM

Traditional curriculum - students are passively listen, acquire facts

Students are actively involve - to reach new information

Students do not simply memorise or take on other’s conceptions of reality – students create their own meaning and understanding.

Learning as the result of mental construction; fitting new information + present information = construct own understanding

Learning affected by the context and beliefs and attitudes of the leaner – is encouraged to invent own solutions, hypotheses, and try out ideas.

PIAGET VYGOTSKY

Learning occurs by an active construction of meaning, rather than by passive recipience.

Students make sense of the new information

Personal construct- which propose about the look at around the world through patterns which we create.

Students create their own ways of seeing the world in which they live

It is based on Piaget’s work

Focus on individual, internal constructions of knowledge

Emphasizes on individual’s search for meaning as they interact with the environment

-E.g: the learner’s background knowledge, where more knowledge provided by parents, thus - better understanding for learners.

COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTIVISM & SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM

i) COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTIVISM:

ii) SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISMIt is influenced by Vygotsky’s work

It suggests that knowledge is 1st constructed in a social context

Emphasizes the process of sharing individual perspectives; collaborative elaboration – learners constructed understanding wouldn’t be alone

Emphasizes on teacher’s role – in encouraging collaborative work among students

Social interaction – students-teacher, students-students – both will gain benefits

CONSTRUCTIVIST CLASSROOM

STUDENT-CENTERED

TEACHERSLEARNERSMore focus on students learning than a teachers

teaching

Focus on speaking and listening

Active, independent learners

Researchers/ supporters only

STUDENT-CENTEREDLEARNERS TEACHERS

Interactive nature

Sharing responsibility among teachers and

students

Demonstrate mutual respect

Active/meaningful learning

Provide students with experiences

Promotes communication

Creates flexibility

In a central position

Are perceived as meaning-maker

The Teachers should: Listening to students’ ideas and encouraging them

Encouraging students to actively participate in doing, discussing and creating

Providing more than one source of information so students can see different perspectives and have many inputs

Encouraging students to compare and contrast ideas

Including writing, so that students can think through their ideas

APPLICATION IN THE CLASSROOM• 1) Inquiry and Problem-based Learning

– Problem launches students’ inquiry– The problem presented – has ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.

• 2) Group Work and Cooperation in learning

– Several students working together– All members in group must be cooperative– Evolving constructivist perspectives on learning

• 3) Making Cooperatives Learning Work

– 5 elements that define true cooperative learning group (David & Johnson, 1999) :

i) face-t-face interactionii) positive interdependenceiii) individual accountabilityiv) collaborative skillsv) Group processing

e.g.: Jigsaw – an early format for cooperative learning that emphasizes high interdependence

• 4) Dialogue and Instructional Conversations– instructional conversations because they are

designed to promote learning but it includes conversations not lectures

– Teacher’s goal – to keep everyone cognitively engaged in a substantive discussion