[Its.an.education.project] What was your worst school experience? Construccionism could have been the answer?

[forster at ozonline.com.au]

> Is there a construccionist way to learn the "atomic numbers" of all the 
> chemical atoms in the next 48 hours?  Experiments are nice... but that 
> doesnt teach you the whole table of elements!!!

Yes
Remember that constructionism is 75% constructivism. The periodic table is a good example. Rather than rote learning of the table, constructivist learning focuses on the relationships within the table. The table would be taught in the context of orbitals and the need to complete shells, the chemical reactions, ionic and covalent. Multiple representations would be given and the student given the opportunity a mental representation of the table with as many entry points or "hooks" that the teacher could possibly provide. The mental model that the student builds in highly individual. Unless the student is able to construct a robust and detailed understanding of the table with all its relationships, the knowledge is most likely to be inert.

Here are some constructionist projects on atomic physics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aldk-HWESzw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGSrTZMzot8 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRQUM42O7VA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1jtWR_tcX4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc6sz-xT0UY

Question, would these projects be better under Sugar? Why? What are these more important aspects of Sugar? What is really worth fighting for?

Its an Education Project
Tony