Constructivism (Piaget)

When to use Constructivism (Piaget)

Use it when participants hold strong existing beliefs or misconceptions, or when you want deep conceptual change rather than new information.

How Constructivism (Piaget) works

Activities challenge existing mental models and guide learners to construct new understanding through discovery.

Phases of Constructivism (Piaget)

1. Assimilation: Participants interpret new information through their existing ideas and mental models. Start by surfacing what they already think about the topic.
2. Disequilibrium: Present a case, experiment or question that does not fit those existing ideas, creating productive puzzlement. This is the trigger for real learning.
3. Accommodation: Participants revise or build new mental models to make sense of the mismatch, through exploration, discussion and reflection.
4. Equilibration: The new understanding settles and is checked against further examples until it feels coherent again. Consolidate it with application and summary.

Key principles

• Learners construct knowledge actively
• Build on prior understanding
• Productive conflict drives learning
• Learning through experience and reflection

Best for

• Conceptual change
• Inquiry and discovery learning
• Challenging assumptions
• Education settings

Considerations

• Piaget studied children's cognitive development; applying it to adult workshops is an extension.
• Disequilibrium must be manageable; too much confusion leads to frustration.
• Stage aspects of Piaget's theory have been criticised for underestimating what learners can do; those are not used here.

Attribution & sources

Developed by Jean Piaget, 1936

Primary source

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