This text offers a multidisciplinary perspective on key issues of alternative epistemologies in education, and includes contributions from scholars in family therapy, epistemology, and mathematics, science and language education. The researchers were brought together to develop the theme of constructivism as it applied to many diversified fields. This book examines key distinctions of various contructivist epistemologies, comparing and contrasting the various paradigms. Each section provides both keynote positions on a particular alternative paradigm as well as critical comments by respondents regarding that position. Several chapters also present a synthesis of the alternative epistemological perspectives.
Part 1 Radical Constructivism and Social Constructivism: A Constructivist Approach to Teaching, E. von Glasersfeld; Social Construction and the Educational Process, K.J. Gergen; In Dialogue - Social Constructionism and Radical Constructivism, J. Shotter; Construct[ion/iv]ism - Pick One of the Above, J. Richards. Part 2 Information Processing Constructivism and Cybernetic Systems: From Universing to Conversing - an Ecological Constructionist Approach to Learning and Multiple Description, F. Steier; Cognitive Flexibility, Constructivism and Hypertext - Random Access Instruction for Advanced Knowledge Acquisition in III-Structured Domains, R.J. Spiro et al; Response to Chapters by Spiro et al and Steier, K. Tomm; Constructivism, Cybernetics and Information Processing - Implications for Technologies of Research on Learning, P.W. Thompson. Part 3 Social Constructivism and Sociocultural Approaches: The Structuring of the Structures - Development and Function of Mathematizing as a Social Practice, H. Bauersfeld; Discourse and Learning in the Classroom - a Sociocultural Approach, J.V. Wertsch and C. Toma; Social and Cultural Dimensions of Knowledge and Classroom Teaching, C. Konold; How Compatible Are Radical Constructivism, Sociocultural Approaches and Social Constructivism?, Analysis and Synthesis I - Alternative Epistemologies, J. Confrey; World Mirroring Versus World Making - There's Gotta Be a Better Way, M.H. Bickhard. Part 4 Alternative Epistemologies in Language, Mathematics and Science Education: The Constructivity View - a Fashionable and Fruitful Paradigm for Science Education Research and Practice, R. Duit; From the Field to the Classroom - Studies in Mathematical Understanding, G.B. Saxe; Written Discourse - a Constructivist Perspective, N.N. Spivey; From Alternative Epistemologies to Practice in Education - Rethinking What It Means to Teach and Learn, T. Wood; Construction and Transference of Meaning Through Form, E. Ackerman; Constructivism, Sexual Harassment and Presupposition - a (Very) Loose Response to Duit, Saxe and Spivey, D. Rubin. Part 5 Alternative Epistemologies in Clinical, Mathematics and Science Education; Sensory Experience, Abstraction and Teaching, E. von Glasersfeld; Constructivist Approaches to Science Teaching, R. Driver; Reflections on Learning and Teaching Mathematics in Elementary School, T. Wood et al; The Social Already Inhabits the Epistemic - a Discussion of Driver, Wood et al and von Glasersfeld, P. Lewin; Assisting Construction - the Role of the Teacher in Assisting the Learner's Construction of Preexisting Cultural Knowledge, J. Becker and M. Varelas; Shifting Paradigms - a Self-Reflective Critique, Analysis and Synthesis II - Epistemologies in Education, E.H. Auerswald; The One and the Many - Analysis and Synthesis III - Retrospective Comments and Future Prospects, P. Ernest; Alternative Epistemologies - an Educator's Perspective, L.P. Steffe; Epilogue, J. Gale.