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Knowledge is actively constructed by the learner his/herself (Tobin, 1990; von<br />

Glasersfeld, 1995). It c<strong>an</strong> not be tr<strong>an</strong>sferred from the environment of one person into<br />

that of the learner, but needs the process of individual tr<strong>an</strong>sformation. The person has<br />

to have some ideas so as to be able to interact with others.<br />

Because of the previous experiences <strong>an</strong>d interpretations, such remembering<br />

<strong>an</strong>d retrieving experiences <strong>an</strong>d the ability to make judgement c<strong>an</strong> bring about either<br />

desired or undesired results. Also, the scheme or the pattern of actions could be<br />

ch<strong>an</strong>ged after dealing with the different experiential situation. So if too m<strong>an</strong>y unfitted<br />

situations were disregarded by the learner, the shifting based on the equilibrium<br />

process could not happen. Therefore, the knowledge is not passively constructed.<br />

Assimilation <strong>an</strong>d accommodation need active org<strong>an</strong>ization <strong>an</strong>d adaptation.<br />

Von Glaserfeld’s constructivist view seems to be a variation of Piaget’s view<br />

but without empirical evidence (Good, W<strong>an</strong>dersee <strong>an</strong>d Julien, 1993; Geel<strong>an</strong>d, 1997,<br />

Matthews, 1997). The alternative views of personal constructivism brought the<br />

personal constructivist views of learning to point out teaching strategies <strong>an</strong>d<br />

conceptual ch<strong>an</strong>ge focused on the cognitive individual. Students learn only when<br />

they are dissatisfied with their existing ideas <strong>an</strong>d recognise the need to have new or<br />

better ideas (Posner et al., 1982; Hodson <strong>an</strong>d Hodson, 1998).<br />

The limitations of the personal constructivism were argued by Matthews<br />

(1997: 9). At the heart of his criticism is a concern for scientific underst<strong>an</strong>ding.<br />

Scientific knowledge is more th<strong>an</strong> personal belief. Constructivist knowledge<br />

formulation c<strong>an</strong> not represent the realistic knowledge formulation. Knowledge<br />

construction is not only making sense of the world, but also finding out about the<br />

world. Science teachers need to introduce what <strong>an</strong>d how scientists have developed<br />

<strong>an</strong>d accumulated knowledge e.g. the concepts, ideas, underst<strong>an</strong>dings <strong>an</strong>d theories<br />

(Hodson <strong>an</strong>d Hodson, 1998: 34). Learning science, thus, involves the culture of<br />

science which needs both individual <strong>an</strong>d social processes (Driver et al., 1994).<br />

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