In a message dated 12/16/2002 1:02:21 AM Central Standard Time,
mryder@carbon.cudenver.edu writes:
> Those of us who call ourselves constructivists (probably everyone
> subscribed to this list) have difficulty applying such a model to our
> idealized conception of learning. Learner agency is at the cornerstone of
> a constructivist model. What makes Lave and McDermott so provocative here
> is that they effectively remind us that our learning institutions are
> clearly not constructivist and it is a mistake for us to pretend
> otherwise. Pockets of constructivism may exist within our educational
> structures. But Modern Education as it has evolved over two hundred years
> can neither recognize, tolerate, acommodate, or function with learners as
> agentive subjects.
>
>
This piggybacks a bit on what Mike has recently said regarding school as
enculturation center. Agentive subjects have too much freedom in a setting
that has a goal regarding student behaviors. There is a place for alternative
settings, open campuses, community based environments but I have a tough time
placing all of my educational eggs on the student as constructive agent and I
speak as the anti-control voice of the programming team I work with. I want
students to become active agents but I do need to control the outcome of
their choices to some degree because of a fear the student will make
catostrophic choices [i.e. harm to self, harm to others]
eric
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