BRUNER’S CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY
represented in the muscles and involve motor
responses, or ways to manipulate the environment.
BRUNER’S
CONSTRUCTIVIST
THEORY
Jerome Bruner was one of the first proponents of
constructivism. A major theme in the theory of Bruner is
that learning is an active process in which learners
construct new ideas or concepts based upon their
current/past knowledge.
Advance Organizer:
2. Iconic representation
This second stage is
when learning can be
obtained through using modals and pictures. The
learner can now use mental images to stand for
certain objects or events. Iconic representation allows
one to recognize objects when they are changed in
minor way (e.g. mountains with and without snow at
the top.)
3. Symbolic Representation
In this third stage, the learner has developed the ability
to think in abstract terms. This uses symbol system to
encode knowlegde. The most common symbol
systems are language and mathematical notation.
Bruner advised that teacher utilize and bring together
concrete, pictorial then symbolic activities to facilitate
learning. Before children can comprehend abstract
mathematical operation, teacher can first have the
numbers represented enactively (with blocks) and
then, iconically (in pictures). Children can later on
handle number concept without concrete objects
and only with numbers and number signs (symbolic).
Spiral Curriculum
Bruner stressed that teaching should always lead
to boosting cognitive development. Students will not
understand the concept if teachers plan to teach
using only the teacher’s level of understanding.
In spiral curriculum, teachers must revisit the
curriculum by teaching the same content in different
ways depending on student’s developmental levels.
Representation
Bruner suggested the ability to represent knowledge in
three stages. These three stages also become the
three ways to represent knowledge.
1. Enactive Representation
2. Iconic Representation
3. Symbolic Representation
1. Enactive Representation
At the earliest ages, children learn about the world
through actions on physical objects and the outcomes
of these actions. Children represent objects in terms of
their immediate sensation of them. They are
Discovery Learning
It refers to obtaining knowledge for oneself. The
teacher plan and arranges activities in a such a way
that student search, manipulate, explore, and
investigate. Students learn new knowledge relevant to
the domain and such general problem-solving skills as
formulating rules, testing and gathering information .
BRUNER’S CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY
4. The fourth rule sets acceptance limits on
attributes
Bruner (1966) states that a theory of
instruction should address four major
aspects;
1.Predisposition to learn.
He introduced ideas of “readiness for
learning”. Bruner believed that any subject could be
taught at any stage of development in a way that fits
the child’s cognitive abilities.
2. Structure of Knowlegde.
This refers to the ways in which a body of
knowlegde can be structured so that it can be most
readily grasped by the learner. Bruner viewed
categorization as a fundamental process in the
structuring of knowledge.
3.Effective sequencing .
No one sequencing will fit every learner, but in
general, the lesson can be presented in increasing
difficulty. Sequencing, or lack of it, can make learning
easier or more difficult.
4.Reinforcement.
Rewards and punishment should be selected and
placed appropriately. He investigate motivition of
learning.
Categorization
Bruner gave much attention to categorization
of information in the construction of internal cognitive
maps.
He
believed
that
perception,
conceptualization, learning, decision making and
making inferences all involved categorization.
Categories are “rules” that specify four thing about
objects. The four things are:
1. Criterial Attributes – required characteristics for
inclusion of an object in a category.
2. The second rule prescribes how the criterial
attributes are combined
3. The third rule assigns weight to various
properties
1. Identity categories - categories include objects
based on their attributes or features.
2. Equivalent categories - (provide rules for combing
categories). Equivalence can be determined by
affective criteria, which render objects equivalent by
emotional reaction, functional criteria, based on
related function (for example, “car”, “truck”, “van”
could all be combined in an inclusive category called
“motor vehicle” ) or by formal criteria, for example by
science, law or cultural agreement.
3. Coding system are categories that serve to
recognize sensory input. They are major organizational
variables in higher cognitive functioning. Going
beyond immediate sensory data involves making
inferences on the bais of related categories . Related
categories form a “coding system”. These are
heirachical arrangement of related categories.