What is ConstructivismAs we watch a young child grow from infancy to toddlerhood, we marvel at the amount of learning that has enabled him to understand its expanding environment. These early years provide the foundation for language, physical dexterity, social understanding, and emotional development that she will use for the rest of her life. All this knowledge is acquired before she even sets foot in school! This child learned on her own by gathering information and discovering the world around her. This is an example of constructivism. Constructivism emphasizes the importance of the knowledge, beliefs, and skills that an individual brings to the learning experience. It recognizes the construction of new understanding as a combination of previous learning, new information and a willingness to learn. Individuals make choices about which new ideas to accept and how to integrate them into their established worldview (Brooks & Brooks, 1995). If you are a parent or planning to become one, do you want your child to sit in an office all day while the teacher lectures them on the information they need to know for life or would you prefer for your child to learn constructively? Constructivism has been characterized as a philosophy of learning that suggests learners construct their own understanding of new ideas (Constructivism and the Five Es, 2001). Learning something new or trying to understand something familiar in more depth is not a linear process. The purpose of this research paper is to explain the theoretical foundations of the constructivist approach to teaching and learning, and to provide concrete examples to show the effectiveness of the constructivist approach with regard to 'student learning.The latest ...... middle of paper ......Received September 13, 2002 on the Internet. http://www.artsined.com/teachingarts/Pedag/Constructivist.html.Jerome Bruner. (2002). Received September 13, 2002 on the Internet. http://oaks.nvg.org/wm1ra2.html.Brooks, JG and Brooks, MG (1995). Build knowledge in the classroom. Retrieved September 13, 2002 for the Internet. http://www.sedl.org/scimath/compass/v01n03/1.html.Chen, Irene. Constructivist cognitive theories. Received September 13, 2002 from the Internet http://pdts.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/ET-IT/cognitiv.htm.Chen, Irene. Social constructivist theories. Received September 13, 2002 on the Internet. http://pdts.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/ET-IT/social.htm.Martin, K. (2000). Alternative modes of teaching and learning. Received September 13, 2002 on the Internet. http://www.csd.uwa.edu.au/atmodes/to_delivery/discovery_learing.html.