Understanding and Implementing Constructivist Strategies
Module Four

Hal Robertson - Course Designer
hfr@northnet.org

Module 4 – WAIT TIME

INTRODUCTION:

In this module we will focus on two points from “Becoming a Constructivist Teacher”.

First, point 10 – Constructivist teachers allow wait time after posing questions.

Second, point 7 - Constructivist teachers encourage student inquiry by asking thoughtful, open-ended questions and encouraging students to ask questions of each other.

PROCESS:

During this module would you please:

a) Complete the reflective questions.
b) Reread the 10th and 7th points in chapter 9 “Becoming a Constructivist Teacher” from In Search of Understanding by Brooks and Brooks.
c) Read the material that follows on wait time and questioning.
d) Complete the January activity.
e) Write in your journal.
f) Read the OPTIONAL READING section if you wish.


REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS:

1) Do you believe you have changed the level of Constructivist activity in your classroom or your definition of Constructivism since the first module? If no, why not? If so, in what ways?
2) Did using the four points from the December activity change the way you would teach a concept in the future? If no, why not? If so, in what ways?

READING:

A - Wait Time – the period of time a teacher remains silent after posing a question. Mary Budd Rowe’s research on teacher questioning found that in a typical class of 25-30 students the teacher routinely received answers from only 4-6 students (mainly students the teacher was sure could answer). Second, the mean time of teacher silence from when a teacher ended a question (Wait Time I) was only 1 second and the time following an initial student’s response (Wait Time II) was only .9 seconds. Dr. Rowe found that lengthening these wait times to 3 to 5 seconds produced answers that improved significantly in the following ways.

The number and length of student responses increased.
The “I don’t know” or failure to respond decreased.
Speculative thinking increased.
Evidence, followed by or preceded by inference statements increased.
The number of student questions increased.
The number of student initiated data gathering activities increased.
Contribution from low-achieving students increased.
Student initiated contributions increased.
As teachers increased wait time, they also increased two aspects of their teaching. Teachers began to ask varied types of questions (not all fact based). They were also more flexible in the range and type of responses accepted to their questions.

READING:

B - Types of Questions Socrates believed questions were the means to inductive thinking and lead to discovery. After students give their responses to your original questions on the content and you still wish the students to carry the topic farther, you can re-energize the students by asking them questions that require them to:

1. Use previously learned material.
2. Use description(s) of procedures.
3. Use evidence as a base of stating relationships.
4. Put together two ideas.
5. Interpret new experiences based on past ideas.
6. Add to their answers.
7. Respond to one another.

JANUARY ACTIVITY:

This month would you:

a) Establish a base mean Wait Time I and II for your teaching. You could do this by taping (video or audio) a lesson and measuring your wait times or having a colleague (or perhaps a student) measure your wait times while you teach a lesson.
b) Practice increasing Wait Time I and II as you teach one or more lessons.
c) Check to see if you have increased Wait Time I and II. You can do this by using the same method you used to establish your mean Wait Time I and II in (a) above. (My experience is that unless you really establish a mean wait time by one of the methods suggested you will never really know if you have improved. This is a good way to practice action research.)

REMINDER - FINAL PRODUCT:

You should be thinking about your final product. The last month’s activity will be to complete your final product.

- BE CREATIVE -

The following is a copy of the suggestions for the final product from the first month’s module. Complete a product for the course by April 28th to be shared April 30th, May 1st, or May 2nd. Remember there are no absolutes in constructivism and work should be student directed. This means that a product you develop, so long as the as it expresses your work during these months and can be presented to the group, is acceptable. The product could address the question(s) you develop or such question(s) as: What have I learned about constructivism? How has my understanding of constructivism changed? How has constructivism helped me relate to the learning standards?

Some suggestions for this product are use your journal as a basis for a story, collage, artwork, etc. to show your growth/change.

Develop a portfolio of constructivist materials, feelings, student changes/works, etc.

Make a collection of teaching ideas, units, or lessons for next year.

A “product” that shows where/how you plan to go with Constructivism.

Additional Resources

provided by: Tara A. Demers - "4" Project

Understanding and Implementing Constructivist Strategies Bevevino, M. M., Dengel, J., & Adams, K. (1999). Constructivist theory in the classroom: Internalizing concepts through inquiry learning. The Clearing House, 72(5), 275-278.

Brooks, J. G., & Brooks, M. G. (1993). Honoring the learning process. In search of understanding: The case for constructivist classrooms (3-14). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Brooks, J. G., & Brooks, M. G. (1993). Structuring learning around primary concepts: The quest for essence. In search of understanding: The case for constructivist classrooms (46-59). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Brooks, J. G., & Brooks, M. G. (1993). Becoming a constructivist teacher. In search of understanding: The case for constructivist classrooms (101-118). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Perkins, D. N. (1999). The many faces of constructivism. Educational Leadership, 57(3), 6-11.