Theoretical Perspectives in Education Essay - 1289 Words

Theories provide the foundation for educational practices, and many of them exist. While I consider my personal theory or philosophy of education to be one that is something of an ever-changing conglomerate of ideas, I realize that some of my guiding principals are directly attributed to well a well established theory. Three main theories of education exist: behavioral, constructivist, and cognitive. I find myself ideologically aligned most closely with the constructivist approach, yet for reasons to be explored later in this document, find the theory one that can only offer guidance for my actions as a teacher a portion of the time I am working with students. Constructivism means students don’t just absorb information and understand†¦show more content†¦Dewey and Vygotsky both believed that teachers should act as guides for students, helping students through the learning process to make meaning of their world, though Vygotsky with his zone of proximal development t heory was more optimistic than Piaget or Dewey about how much a child’s learning could be helped or encouraged by the social setting of peers and adults (Gallagher). The benefits of constructivism for teachers and learners, in an ideal setting include focusing on students allowing students the time and opportunity to investigate big ideas, and along the way helping them to understand concepts and skills, rather than just memorizing and regurgitating facts or ideas. Constructivism engages students’ natural curiosities to help them find answers to the questions inherent in their minds (Constructivism). Intrinsic motivation would be expected to be high when students are provided the freedom to choose their course of learning and given the time to investigate until questions are answered. The great challenge for constructivism is that the world in which students and teachers interact is not utopian. Students come to class with predetermined ideas about a course, or with personal needs that distract from attention from the classroom experience. Some students are not willing or able to interact with peers due to emotional issues, thusShow MoreRelatedEssay on Theoretical Perspective on Education2216 Words   |  9 PagesTheoretical perspective on education Gender and education: From a sociological viewpoint, refers to the thought that the educational structure does not offer females the equal sort of opportunities for upward mobility, the same as it does for males. 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