INTRODUCTION
In the context of educating 4th grade students, various learning theories exist. Two major theories are known as Constructionism theory and Learning-For-Use (LFU) theory which are discussed in this paper. The main purpose of this paper is to Apply constructionism and LFU theories to teach 4th grade student how to draw a house through using logo program.
CONSTRUCTIONISM
The concept of a learning framework is slightly new in the perspective of instructional drawing. The dynamic involvement of the students in the learning process has turned out to be the foundation for new guidelines for learning theories. According to constructionism learning theory, knowledge is constructed through active involvement and expressive dealings with the environment. 4th Grade students are required to present with such prospects that help to build their self-confidence using guided methods such as LOGO program. This program has a favorable education environment in relation to the technology to create the desired drawing (Harvey, 1997).
The learning environment which includes student's participation is implemented in group dynamics. Furthermore, students are provided with open-ended set of tasks by introducing a student oriented model. The focus of student oriented model is to make available the learning self-sufficiency in the process of learning in order to motivate the 4th grade students to get experience, conceptualize, create ideas, reflect, and evaluate the output through following the set of guidelines mentioned by the teacher. A teacher has the most critical role in this case through putting the instructional responsibility on his/her shoulder and making him/her the facilitator in the theory of constructionism (Clark, Paivio, 1991).
Constructionism theory is the result of motivation that learning process includes for students in order t construct mental frameworks for developing their understanding of the environment they are in. In addition to this, constructionism also holds the idea that learning process may occur more efficiently when students are also playing active role in making physical objects through visual aids. In addition to this, constructionism is closely related with builds on Jean Piaget's epistemological theory of constructivism, and experiential learning (Wittrock, 1990).
Learning-For-Use (LFU)
In contrast to the theory of constructionism, the Learning-For-Use (LFU) learning theory characterizes and develops productive and perceptive concepts of the student through teaching as a process based on three major steps as following:
1. Motivation: This step is the basis of the learning process. A student must be motivated to carry out the tasks through brining his/her interest in the learning. In order to motivate the 4th grade students to draw a house through using LOGO program, they must be briefed on the importance of developing the understanding of LOGO program in enhancing their drawing and orientation skills.
2. Knowledge construction: This step is the pre-requisite of learning process in order to make the learning process understandable, the students’ contextual knowledge on the topic must be developed. In the context of drawing a house through using LOGO program, the 4th grade students will be taught to carry out the task by relating it to the house they are living in.
3. Knowledge refinement: This is the final step of learning process in LFU which directly linked with ‘Cognitive Psychology'. It includes development of student’s skills of drawing through implementing the above two steps to achieve the result. (i-e. drawing a house through using LOGO program)
(Cerpa, Chandler, 1996)
The objective of the Learning-for-Use (LFU) theory is to handle the inert awareness issue through relating the learning activities with effective conceptual knowledge and the available conceptual knowledge. The model of learning for 4th grade students to draw a house through using LOGO program is based on following four basic rules which are also included in any other contemporary theories like constructionism:
1. Cognitive psychology: This is basically learning through developing and modifying the knowledge framework.
2. Intellectual curiosity: It includes knowledge construction guided by a set of conscious as well as unconscious prospective of understanding of task.
3. Implications related to other fields: This is the concept of determining the applicability and effects in the future.
4. Practical Implications: It includes the declared procedural understanding including the construction of knowledge support before final implementation.
Benefits
There are several unique benefits of applying LFU theory in the teaching to 4th grade students about drawing a house through using LOGO program. Some important benefits of it are stated as following:
1. Knowledge is imparted through pictures and verbal modes and therefore students are able to store information in an effective way. LOGO program is used in group discussions in order to facilitate the students.
2. Students grow in such a way that allows them to comprehend the information because of LFU’s in depth classification.
3. Group discussions help students to preserve knowledge for long terms.
4. Students become proactive by being more motivated and enhancing their learning capabilities.
5. Proper set of guidelines helps the student to analyze their intellectual knowledge.
Possible Drawbacks
The shortcoming of applying LFU theory in the teaching to 4th grade students about drawing a house through using LOGO program are stated as following:
1. Ambiguities in the initial guidelines leading the students in a completely wrong direction producing irregular drawings at the end of the session. The role of the teacher becomes more important about realizing the 4th grade students about the link between what they are drawing and the working of LOGO program.
2. Delays caused in terms of developing the understanding of students due to unique level of interest and attitude of each student towards the LOGO program.
3. Added complexities due to integrating the LOGO program drawing techniques with the real world examples.
4. Teacher needs to analyze each student’s learning progress with help of standard indicators which may result in low attention as defined by split-attention hypothesis.
In LFU there may be various types of instructional procedures in the direction of making the problem based learning more effective, which are mentioned as below:
1. Try to develop all the learning procedures for the students by relating them it to their own house. It will allow students to perceive the link of the drawing activities with the applications. Consequently, students will determine the way of completing the task in effective manner.
2. Try to support the students’ feelings of owning the overall responsibility of drawing the house in LOGO program.
3. The task of drawing a house in LOGO program should be formulated in a standardized manner so as to enable the students to develop their understanding in such a way that will help them discuss the task among themselves.
4. Try to keep the reflection of the learned content in the students’ mind by discussing various aspects of the drawing with real life examples i.e. features of the house drawn.
5. Always motivate the students test and implement the skills of drawing using LOGO program on various other real life examples.
(Sweller, 1991)
Conclusion
According to constructionism learning theory, knowledge is constructed through active involvement and expressive dealings with the environment which is not expected from 4th grade students. Therefore, it is concluded that Learner-For-Use (LFU) theory can be applied for developing a good understanding of the 4th grade students about drawing a house through using LOGO program. This theory can be implemented to enhance the students’ knowledge by keeping in view the intellectual level of 4th grade students. The best way of developing the understanding of drawing a house in 4th grade students through using LOGO program is carefully considering the features of LFU theory and exploiting the benefits of applying it while minimizing the drawbacks to least possible level.
Works Cited
Harvey, B. (1997). Computer science Logo style. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.
Wittrock, M. C. (1990). Generative processes of comprehension. Educational Psychologist
Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (1991). Cognitive load theory and the format of instruction. Cognition and Instruction, Vol 8, 293-332.
Cerpa, N., Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (1996). Some conditions under which integrated computer-based training software can facilitate learning. Journal of Educational Computing Research, Vol 15, 345-367.
Clark, J. M., & Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory and education. Educational Psychology Review, Vol 3, 149-210.
Baddeley, A. (1992, January). Working memory. Science, Vol 255, 556-559.
