Complete thesis - Murdoch University

Since constructivism rejects any direct verification of knowledge by comparing the constructedmodel with the outside world, its most important issue is how to choose between differentconstructions. Without such a selection criterion, constructivism would lapse into absoluterelativism: the assumption that any model is as adequate as any other. Constructivism viewscoherence as a criterion of truth. This means that the individual will try to build models thatare coherent with the models already possessed, or which are received through the senses orthrough communication with others. Since models are only compared with other models, thelack of access to exterior reality no longer constitutes an obstacle to further development.Declaration 11 dialogue in the language of the discipline is an important mechanism foracquiring membership within a discipline.3.3 Models of learningLearning should not only take us somewhere; it should allow us later to go furthermore easily(Bruner, 1960, p 17)Models of learning describe a learning environment and address approaches to the managementof aspects of learning. Unlike theories of learning, models are dependent on thediscipline, level (eg post-secondary), age of learner and learning setting. There are severalsources of ideas regarding effective models of learning: the work of cognitive scientists andof educators are the most formal. These are exemplified by the approach subscribed to inmodel curricula and text books (described briefly in Chapter 2) and further discussed in thissection, examining the educator-based perspectives.It is possible to describe learning models as active or non-active. While the former will bediscussed in greater detail later, in summary this addresses learning approaches that are morediscursive and collaborative. Active learning approaches are seen to create situations whichengage students in such higher order thinking tasks as analysis, synthesis and evaluation(Bonwell and Eison, 1991). By contrast, non-active learning are directed to absorption andimprinting (Horvath et al, 2004).In developing a framework for advanced active learning Horvath et al (2004) propose atopography based on the focus of the approaches and the nature of the applied methods (seeFigure 3.3). These are described as a continuum from instructionist through explorative toconstructionist, with the latter assuming that learners construct knowledge for themselves bycreative activities such as planning and design. The orthogonal axis describes the focus of133