Constructivist learning systems: a new paradigm

The educational enterprise is in the midst of a philosophical shift from a behaviorist to a constructivist paradigm. If constructivism is to be taken seriously as a new educational paradigm in the information age, learning technology R&D must pay more attention to learners instead of teachers. A constructivist learning environment (CLE) is a technology-rich, open place where a learner can use a variety of tools and information resources in his pursuit of learning goals and problem-solving activities. Wherein the learner can draw upon information resources and tools to actively construct knowledge, generate a diverse array of ideas, develop multiple modes of representation, engage in social interaction, and solve authentic problems. Four major elements are bound together by their roles in the establishment of a CLE: public knowledge system; distributed instructional system; learning community; constructivist learning system