CONSTRUCTIVISM

The Day I met Lev and Jean

I was sitting by my computer desperately trying to remember how to do a Tuxpainting and how to save it in a file in order to be able to bring it to my weblog through editing and posting and all sorts of little maneuvers that my teacher Kathryn so patiently had tried to instill in me, when, suddenly, lo and behold!!! Who should appear but Piaget and Vygotsky behind my chair!

Me, groaning: This is like navigating the seven seas!

Lev: Nyet!! My dear, why don't we enter the ZONE OF APROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT. I am really good at Tuxpaint and I would like to help you.

After the initial shock of finding Lev and Jean in my study, I exclaimed:

Yes, please, help me.

Jean: Excusez-moi! Hang on a minute! She is now in the FORMAL OPERATIONAL STAGE and has been given the information she needs for this task. Let her use her ability to think it all through by herself in a logical manner and draw conclusions from her search and she will own her knowledge. She is not a vessel to be filled! !

Lev: Izvini! You don't know what you are talking about. I am not filling any vessel. She is going to construct her knowledge in a social context with me. Haven't you read any Marx? (getting agitated)

Me: Dear Piaget, I am embarrassed to admit that I am still in the CONCRETE OPERATIONAL STAGE. Not everyone reaches the last of your stages you know.

Lev: Don't worry, we keep learning till the day we die.

Me: Look gentlemen, you are both right, of course I want to construct my knowledge out of my individuality but without the social context and the support of SCAFFOLDING as Lev calls it, my progress will be very slow.

Jean: Lev and I have a lot of catching up to do. You'll be fine on your own.

Lev: Yes, up to a point, seek out your friends and work together.

Me: Before you go, did you know that your theories are being used to support the teaching of little children using computers?

Lev and Jean: Really!!! We'll have to look into that.

Me (as they leave): Good bye.

Jean: Au revoir!

Lev: Poka!