I believe that the following list of skills are necessary for the mastery of content regarding teaching through a constructivist approach. I have taken many classes that focus heavily on this approach, along with implementing these steps in a preschool classroom. I highly support/recommend using this approach to really make learning meaningful!
Engagement of prior knowledge (pre assessment) - I take this to mean, asking children what they already know or can explain. Either verbally or through activities or classroom discussion and dialogue with peers (depending on the age).
Observation, Experience and Discovery - These components and skills are necessary, in my opinion, for a constructivism lesson plan to be successful. You must allow children to observe, experience through activities and experiments and discovery what they are learning. Instead of the standard wrong/right answer from a teacher, they are finding out themselves and constructing this knowledge as they define it within their cognitive processes. This can be done through authentic examples (key in constructivism!), and relating topics to real-world problems or problems they can apply to their immediate surroundings/environment/pre-existing experiences. The bulk of constructivism leans on the support of the activities and knowledges gained in these skills.
Organizing Knowledge - Meaning, when the children have observed, experienced, and discovered the knowledge gained throughout the activities or dialogue, they must now organize it to further make meaning and master it. You can help children do this by modeling the thought processes to organize knowledge. Also, you can present expert perspectives on the specific areas you are investigating.
Engagement of "post" knowledge - This is much like pre assessment but you are looking for what has been learned through the process (post assessment). Mastery of content can be seen through reflections exercises and connecting the knowledge to other domains within their education. Also, end product that have been made to represent the children's mastered content is a great way to see their connections in their learning.
Which of these learning activities/skills lend themselves to student’s individual or group construction?
I believe that all of these skills attend and lend themselves to the whole group and individual construction. Since constructivism focuses on the social aspect of the children's lives, this will obviously be a great facilitator in group construction. Within group construction, I think that in turn helps the individual to further organize their construction of knowledge. There are so many positives with this approach!
How might you structure learning activities that lead students to discover these skills/these principles?
I would allow time for students to be able to engage, learn, and implement these skills through artistic, writing, acting/movement, observational, verbal, and game-like activities. I think this will be somewhat hard for me to do, to allow the freedom that children will need to use with "trial and error" learning. However, I know that this will help make learning more meaningful and, again in my opinion, more concrete!
