1. CONSTRUCTIONISM: THE MAKING OF MEANING Ali H. Raddaoui

2. MAP CONSTRUCTIONISM VS POSITIVISM CONSTRUCTIONISM VS POSITIVISM CONSTRUCTIONISM: GENERALITIES CONSTRUCTIONISM: GENERALITIES TOWARD A DEFINITION OF CONSTRUCTIONISM TOWARD A DEFINITION OF CONSTRUCTIONISM SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM VS CONSTRUCTIVISM SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM VS CONSTRUCTIVISM

3. CONSTRUCTIONISM VS POSITIVISM Two different epistemological stances: Two different epistemological stances: –Positivism: about the discovery of relationships already extant. –Constructionism: meaningful reality is socially constructed. –Constructivism on the march to replace positivism. –Constructivism on the march to replace positivism.

4. CONSTRUCTIONISM VS POSITIVISM Positivism: an object is an object regardless of human consciousness; object exists before we were conscious of it. Objective meaning antedates human interpretation. Positivism: an object is an object regardless of human consciousness; object exists before we were conscious of it. Objective meaning antedates human interpretation. Constructionism: human beings construct the object, give it a name, assign the object the attributes associated with it; properties of objects are assigned by human mind, meaning-making minds. Constructionism: human beings construct the object, give it a name, assign the object the attributes associated with it; properties of objects are assigned by human mind, meaning-making minds.

5. CONSTRUCTIONISM Constructionism is the epistemology that qualitative researchers tend to invoke. Constructionism is the epistemology that qualitative researchers tend to invoke. Constructionism rejects the objectivist view of human knowledge. There is no objective truth waiting for us to discover. Constructionism rejects the objectivist view of human knowledge. There is no objective truth waiting for us to discover. Truth, or meaning, comes into existence in and out of our engagement with the realities of our world. Truth, or meaning, comes into existence in and out of our engagement with the realities of our world. Meaning is not discovered, but constructed. Meaning is not discovered, but constructed. Different people may construct meaning in different ways, even in relation to the same phenomenon. Different people may construct meaning in different ways, even in relation to the same phenomenon. Case in point: this is what happens when we move from one era to another or from one culture to another. Case in point: this is what happens when we move from one era to another or from one culture to another. In this view, subject and object emerge as partners in the generation of meaning. In this view, subject and object emerge as partners in the generation of meaning. There is no meaning without a mind. There is no meaning without a mind.

6. CONSTRUCTIONISM Maquarrie (1973) asserts: 'If there were no human beings, there might still be galaxies, trees, rocks and so on.' There was such a world before homo sapiens may have existed on earth. However, what kind of world is there before human beings engage with it? Not a world of meaning. It becomes a world of meaning only when meaning making beings make sense of it’. Maquarrie (1973) asserts: 'If there were no human beings, there might still be galaxies, trees, rocks and so on.' There was such a world before homo sapiens may have existed on earth. However, what kind of world is there before human beings engage with it? Not a world of meaning. It becomes a world of meaning only when meaning making beings make sense of it’. The existence of a world without a mind is conceivable Meaning without a mind is not conceivable. The existence of a world without a mind is conceivable Meaning without a mind is not conceivable. Constructionism is the view that all knowledge, and therefore all meaningful reality as such, is contingent upon human practices, being constructed in and out of interaction between human beings and their world, and developed and transmitted within an essentially social context. Crotty, 1998. Constructionism is the view that all knowledge, and therefore all meaningful reality as such, is contingent upon human practices, being constructed in and out of interaction between human beings and their world, and developed and transmitted within an essentially social context. Crotty, 1998.

7. TOWARD A DEFINITION OF CONSTRUCTIONISM –The assignment of meanings comes from an interplay between Object Object Human consciousness Human consciousness –Both are partners in the construction of meaning –Humans do the interpretive act –Meaning: objective and subjective –Proof: objects such as a dog do not have universal associations, but have culture-specific associations; diverse associations made by each culture My English landlady’s husband: Jerry; her dog named Jerry My English landlady’s husband: Jerry; her dog named Jerry In our context: there is not much worse than calling someone كلب In our context: there is not much worse than calling someone كلب –No true and valid interpretation, but a multiplicity of interpretations

8. TOWARD A DEFINITION OF CONSTRUCTIONISM Role of researcher in constructionist mode: one of RE-interpretation Role of researcher in constructionist mode: one of RE-interpretation –to divest oneself of the conventional meanings we have been taught; –To approach object in a radical spirit of openness to its potential for new richer meaning. –To approach object in a radical spirit of openness to its potential for new richer meaning.

9. TOWARD A DEFINITION OF CONSTRUCTIONISM - QUOTE ‘The subjective intention is seen to be extinguished and the 'thoughts press close to its object, seek to touch it, smell it, taste it, and so thereby transform it itself'. Adorno (1981) ‘The subjective intention is seen to be extinguished and the 'thoughts press close to its object, seek to touch it, smell it, taste it, and so thereby transform it itself'. Adorno (1981)

10. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM Meaning has a primarily social origin; meaning is socially constructed Meaning has a primarily social origin; meaning is socially constructed Social institutions antedate us; inhabit us; (or other way round); we are born in to them. Social institutions antedate us; inhabit us; (or other way round); we are born in to them. This is how we have access to public and conventional meanings This is how we have access to public and conventional meanings We construct meanings through belonging to the social system of intelligibility that is publicly available. We construct meanings through belonging to the social system of intelligibility that is publicly available. Humans beings are incapable of functioning in the absence of the culture to which they belong. Humans beings are incapable of functioning in the absence of the culture to which they belong. Geertz (1973) defines as culture is 'a set of control mechanisms- plans, recipes, rules, instructions (what computer engineers call "programs") - for the governing behaviour’; culture is seen largely as a given. Geertz (1973) defines as culture is 'a set of control mechanisms- plans, recipes, rules, instructions (what computer engineers call "programs") - for the governing behaviour’; culture is seen largely as a given.

11. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM It is incorrect to say that individuals engage objects in the world and assign them meanings one by one; It is incorrect to say that individuals engage objects in the world and assign them meanings one by one; A more accurate position: We inherit a 'system of significant symbols‘; we view the world through the lenses bestowed upon us by our culture. A more accurate position: We inherit a 'system of significant symbols‘; we view the world through the lenses bestowed upon us by our culture. Our culture permits us to see certain meanings and by the same token blocks other meanings from our view. Our culture permits us to see certain meanings and by the same token blocks other meanings from our view. Notion of relativism: different people; different worlds; different ways of knowing; different realities Notion of relativism: different people; different worlds; different ways of knowing; different realities We are born, each one of us, into an already interpreted world We are born, each one of us, into an already interpreted world

12. S-CONSTRUCTIONISMCONSTRUCTIVISM Centrality of social dimension of meaning Individual mind engaging in meaning making Focus on collective generation and transmission of meaning Individual understanding of constructivist position We are prisoners of our own cultures: culture shapes the way we see and feel things: tyranny of the familiar: very little meaning making Prominence of unique experience for each and every individual Meanings are learnt through the process of enculturation Each individual way of making sense of the world is worthy of study and respect

13. CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING DESIGN Constructivist models of learning are almost exclusively recommended as a guide for the design and delivery of Internet-based courses (e.g., Bonk & Cunningham, 1998; Jonassen, 2000; Partlow & Gibbs, 2003). The constructivist model of learning is premised on the notion that learners actively construct their own meaning and knowledge from their experiences (Svinicki, 1999). This learning paradigm views teaching as a process that involves helping learners to create knowledge through interactive and authentic learning experiences (Partlow & Gibbs, 2003).The teacher’s role is to guide students toward experiences that will facilitate meaningful learning. Direct instructional activities where students passively assimilate knowledge are minimized. Key features of constructivist learning environments include active learning, authentic instructional tasks, collaboration among students, and diverse and multiple learning formats (Partlow & Gibbs, 2003). Bangert, A. W. (2004). The Seven Principles of Good Practice: A framework for evaluating on-line teaching. Internet and Higher Education 7 217–232

14. CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING DESIGN Their research identified 10 major categories of constructivist-compatible teaching principles recognized as essential for effective online course design and delivery. Seven of the 10 categories representing the majority of instructional practices included project-based learning tasks, cooperative group work, infrequent use of direct instruction, tasks that require higher order thinking, interactivity, and learner choice.

15. REFERENCES Bangert, A. W. (2004). The Seven Principles of Good Practice: A framework for evaluating on-line teaching. Internet and Higher Education 7 217–232