Constructivist & Behaviorist

Teaching Methods

Frost, N., Arnold, K., Leider, M.

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Presentation prepared for EDUC 517
 Today we will:
▶ Co-create learning with a partner
▶ Experience a lesson from multiple
perspectives
▶ Support my classmates’ efforts to become
expert teachers
▶ Advance my understanding of constructivist
and behaviorist teaching methods
Round One (1 min)

Your “Kid Card”

• Keep your individual prompts secret
• Find your partner – match card numbers
• Choose who plays the student/teacher first

Teacher Role Student Role

▶ Determine the issue ▶ Interpret and act out the role
▶ Engage the “student” to determined by your “kid
address and attempt to card” prompt
solve the issue ▶ Act as a fifth grade student
Round One: Feedback and Discussion (2 min)

Student Role Teacher Role

▶ Reveal your prompt
▶ What could the teacher
have done better from
the student’s
perspective?
▶ What did you think the issue
was?
▶ What was a challenge of
addressing the issue?

Collaborative feedback
• Think of helpful techniques/interventions that were used or
could have been used in the scenario
Round Two: SWITCH! (1 min)

Your “Kid Card”

• Switch roles
• Person that played student first round now plays the teacher role
• Person that played teacher first round now plays the student role

Teacher Role Student Role

▶ Determine the issue ▶ Interpret and act out the role
▶ Engage the “student” to determined by your “kid
address and attempt to card” prompt
solve the issue ▶ Act as a fifth grade student
Round Two: Feedback and Discussion (2 min)

Student Role Teacher Role

▶ Reveal your prompt ▶ What did you think the issue
▶ What did you notice was?
approaching a similar ▶ What was easier/more
situation from a difficult as the teacher than
different perspective? as the student?

Collaborative feedback
• Where were some opportunities for problems in the scenario,
and how might we be able to avoid them?
 Let’s Debrief

▶ Constructivist teaching ▶ Behaviorist teaching is…

is….
▶ Examples of ▶ Examples of behaviorism in
constructivism in today’s today’s activity include…
activity include…