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Behaviorism vs. Constructivism

Behaviorist

Constructivist

Teacher centered

Learner centered

Teacher as expert

Teacher as member of learning community

Teacher as dispenser of information

Teacher as coach, mentor, and facilitator

Learning as a solitary activity

Learning as social, collaborative endeavor

Assessment primarily through testing

Assessment interwoven with teaching

Emphasis on “covering” the material

Emphasis on discovering and constructing knowledge

Emphasis on short-term memorization

Emphasis on application and understanding

Strict adherence to fixed curriculum

Pursuit of student questions highly valued

 

 

 

Source:  Forcier, Richard.  The Computer as an Educational Tool.  Merrill:  Columbus, Ohio, 1999, p. 33.

This page was updated on:  04/10/02