EDPD 5025 Taking a Constructivist Approach
As educators, we expect students our students to "solve problems, think critically, communicate effectively, and collaborate well." (Gagnon & Collay, 2006) Participants will analyze the effects of effective teaching upon student performance in relation to the criterion above. This weekend will enable participants to develop instructional activities to actively engage students in the learning process and assist students in the development of self-assessment or "metacognition." Participants will learn how to incorporate research-based methods and techniques in order to achieve a balance between conceptual understanding and procedural knowledge. Participants will develop the tools necessary to create this "balanced approach" to teaching all content areas. Teachers will develop strategies to assist students in "constructing" content knowledge as part of a "meaning-making" process.