Social Constructivist Theory

Social constructivist theory
Measuring the effectiveness of social constructivism in the classroom will take place in two different ways. When working on group projects or when engaging in class discussion, students will be expected to demonstrate the five essential elements that are unique to a cooperative learning classroom: positive interdependence, individual accountability, face-to-face interaction, and social skills (Moreno, 2010). This is very abstract and therefore, will be measured through direct evaluation because it allows the teacher to receive quality information on individual participation and give each student specific feedback. The second measurement will be a criterion-referenced assessment using either an exam or paper
A significant part of the evaluation will occur through direct evaluation. During discussions students will be posed questions that pique their interests which will motivate students to willfully engage the material and as they continue to improve, they will become more comfortable sharing information with their classmates. Throughout these discussions the teacher will model the correct behaviors and guide students as they attempt to reason and weigh available evidence through scaffolding. This approach will enable constant assessment to help recognize where students are struggling versus excelling, aid students in improving their confidence in American history, and in turn help them be more comfortable working in groups. For example, an ideal format to use this approach would be having students prepare for a debate with their groups where they will be required to demonstrate their research, reasoning of the evidence, and construct a logical response. Criterion-referenced assessment will also be used to evaluate students’ development of critical
They will be allowed to choose a topic that relates to the subject material they are currently learning. To write a quality paper the students will need to research their topic thoroughly and determine a position they would like to argue for or against. Then, they will need to understand the counter-arguments of their stance and construct a high-quality defense for their topic while acknowledging where it may be lacking in support. Students will feel a sense of autonomy because they will be allowed to choose what they will write about and simultaneously improve their critical thinking skills in the process. Further, students will be provided with a rubric that will outline what is expected of them but they will have plenty of maneuverability within the parameters of the assignment. Through observation and criterion-referenced assessment, the teacher will receive a clearer understanding of the students’