[IAEP] inquiry on constructionism advantages
Yamandu Ploskonka
yamaplos at gmail.com
Mon Sep 28 12:51:36 EDT 2009
I have received an inquiry on implementing constructionism from a high
official in the Bolivian government.
Since my opinion may be biased :-), I request you help us with clear,
simple and please objective answers (no vapor-stuff), if at all possible
1) How do constructionist pupils do on standardized tests, such as
University entrance exams. (please inform about other demographic
situations besides children of highly trained scholars - most Bolivian
kids do not fit THAT bracket, alas)
2) How do they do with usual classroom tests, especially in the
University.
Core question is, are alumni of constructionism better, or at least
competitive there? What evidence do we have to prove this?
3) Is there any evidence (objective, unbiased) as to the impact of
constructionism in education? The big maybe here is further impact on
development, yes ? (I may be mistaken here, please correct)
4) any other solid, statistically valid data supporting constructionism
Please avoid treatises - I will be presenting this this week, and if
anyone would volunteer, it may be possible to put you directly in touch
with this official and/or his staff. It is, or should be widely known
that I see the current conctructionist stance within OLPC and Sugar as a
misguided, feel-good attempt that is bound to do more harm to most kids
than good compared to what could be achieved with a solid
curricular-content approach, but I honestly would be happier I were
mistaken, if determined by solid evidence.
I looooove constructionism, it just doesn't seem to me to be what kids
need, and all in all, I wish it worked, but I cannot prove it does for
most kids. I am certain, but cannot prove either, that it does work
within classrooms with highly trained teachers, or for gifted kids, or
when there is a lot of educated support from home, in any case not a
basis to adopt it for a country like Bolivia.
Yama
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