Making sense of Constructivism

2021-09-25

Reflections week 2

It was insightful to reflect on Eckermann's evaluation of the three major constructivist's main tenets: Piaget's theorization of self-organizing intelligence, which is coherent and robust on its own to meet children's needs and possibilities, that continually evolves and modifies over time as children mature; Papert's idea of learner's externalization of thoughts/ideas/views that both shape and influence internalization of ideas to explain the need for interaction/socialization and creative output in learning contexts; and Vygotsky's insights into the role of cultural tools in the learning process and the role of how more knowledgeable others in helping new entrants navigate cultural landscape provide a useful tip for designing learning opportunities.

How have the articles changed my perception/views?

Besides gaining a more nuanced understanding of the three theorists, I have been able to see how they complement each other. I am also more alert to the danger of fixating on one particular conception of 'how learning happens'. The conversation between Foerster and Poersken was an absolute delight to read; having read this conversation, I will approach any observational account (and interpretation of observed 'facts') with caution because Foerster reminds 1) the account suffers from inescapable prejudices and blind spots of the human observer approaching his apparently independent object of inquiry and 2) "observers in action primarily look *into* themselves. What they are describing is *their* view of how the world appears to *them*".

Some useful quotes from the articles

- "Due to the recursive nature of their interactions, stabilities arise; they generate observers and their worlds, who recursively create other human being is a human being together with another human being; that is what a human being is. I exist through another I, I see myself through the eyes of the other, and shall not tolerate that this relationship is destroyed by the idea of the objective knowledge of an independent reality, which tears us apart and makes the Other an object which is distinct from other stable worlds through interacting in language. p.12

- "Draw a distinction and a universe comes into being." The act of distinction is taken to be the fundamental operation of cognition; it generates realities that are assumed to reside in external space separated from the person of the distinguisher. (Foerster in Lang, 2005, p.15

- The observer is the component that cannot be eliminated from a process of knowing. p.3

- Designers should acknowledge that their products will survive after them, and that it is ultimately the built artifact, rather than the builder’s intentions, that becomes part of other people’s cultural heritage. It is ‘its’ qualities that will persist and signal potential uses to newcomers who encounter it for the first time(Ackermann, p.6).

- In The Evolving Self, Kegan defines human development as a lifelong attempt to resolve the unsolvable tension between being embedded in situations and emerging from embeddedness (Kegan, 1982). Kegan, R. (1982) The Evolving Self. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Elaboration

If an observer cannot be detached from the process of knowing, and if intrinsic quality of an object (if there are any that exist beyond our distinguishing through the use of language?) does not get captured in an observer's account, what can we make of the claims of 'truths'? It can be very unsettling for those with privileged access and keepers/definers/possessors of 'truth' and 'Knowledge'.

This makes for a strong case for continuous renegotiation - which lends well to diversity. Forums where diversity is a norm, it is not enough to simply pass on traditional values and standards. Perhaps, this makes it possible for construction of new worlds, stable yet fluid worlds, through reinterpretation, recreation and renegotiation. This is very much similar to how learners in a learning community learn through a) externalizations of their ideas to shape and influence their own internalizations [[Papert]] which b) - through, as [[Piaget]] reminds us, demands continuous accommodation, assimilation, organization of intelligence c) happening within a cultural landscape and more knowledgeable others [[Vygotsky]]

Distinctiveness

Conversation between Poersken and Foerster is distinctive in its conversational tone to explore deeper ontological and epistemological position as it relates to the triad - observer, observed, and object - both collectively and separately. Poersken's probing of the foundations of what is knowable receives an apt reply from Foerster, besides some interesting asides which I enjoyed from the sideline.

[[Ackermann]] synthesizes the three theorists' contribution, and in doing so highlights how they share some features and how they are distinctive in their approach as they relate to the agency of the learner and role of objects/tools. I found the casual authoritativeness of Ackermann's voice appealing.

Personalization

What I could discern with Vygotskian and Russial school's social constructivism was how learner agency was conceptualized. Vygotsky provides a greater role to culture and I wonder if exigencies of socio-economic-historical factors of the time influenced his research. Well Poersken provides counter thesis to an individual freedom and choice by saying: "In the act of observing, we reproduce either old orders or systems of distinctions, or we develop new ones from or against them. Therefore, the freedom and arbitrariness of constructions is massively reduced. p.19

Application

While designing online learning opportunities or fostering group learning, I will borrow Papert's suggestion of how worlds can be created and negotiated. As a designer/facilitator I'll be open to the possibility that the artifacts that I chose will be appropriated by learners in ways that I previously did not anticipate. Most importantly, Papert's suggestion of providing opportunities for externalization really resonated with me.

Significance:

Foerster is influential in challenging the perceived 'objectivity' or neutrality or value-freeness' of any observations. His work also provides centrality to language, specifically its dialogic nature. Foerester notes "Anything said is said *to* an observer". In my philosophy of teaching and learning, we say something out and it exists for others to interact with and make meaning of - sometimes very different from what I intended it to be.

Ackermann's article is significant in suggesting how the three constructivists can influence learning design; I found Papert's discussion of the New Media and creation of micro-worlds insightful while designing online learning communities.

References

Ackermann, E. K. (2010). Constructivism(s): Shared roots, crossed paths, multiple legacies. Constructionism 2010 Paris, 9.

Kincheloe, J. L. (2005). At each and every moment, I can decide who I am. In J. L. Kincheloe (Ed.), Critical constructivism primer. P. Lang.