Constructivism

Constructivism is a philosophical statement specifying that individuals’ knowledge systems (in terms of beliefs and perceptions) are not [Page 479]discovered or passively transmitted to them; rather, they are actively constructed based on people’s experiences in the world and how their cognitive operations modify these experiences into a conceptual framework. Individuals construct their knowledge via a process of taking input and actively transforming it to fit their cultural and cognitive perspectives rather than acquiring knowledge as a preformed package of facts or beliefs through the passive reception of sense data. This entry discusses an approach to learning and acquisition of knowledge known as constructivism, including its different types, general principles, and history.