Constructivism

Constructivism is the view that knowledge is created and shaped by the complex interaction of language, culture, and social practices in a given context. From a constructivist perspective, knowledge does not simply exist out there in the world, waiting to be discovered, but rather comes into existence through one’s engagement with the world and the people in it. Knowledge, then, is said to be constructed, or cobbled together, through interaction. Originating in the field of psychology in the past century, constructivism grew out of attempts to understand and foster human cognitive development. Outside of psychology, many disciplines have adopted similar views of knowledge across the social sciences and humanities, including fields such as sociology, education, communication, applied linguistics, and international relations.

Key to an understanding of ...