Disadvantages of Constructivism

 One of the biggest disadvantages of constructivism is that the learner may be hampered
by contextualizing learning in that, at least initially, they may not be able to form
abstractions and transfer knowledge and skills in new situations (Merrill, 1991) In other
words, there is often, during the initial stage, confusion. And even frustration.

 Learners will enjoy this new approach of discovering learning, but do not always actively
construct meaning and building an appropriate knowledge structure (Merrill, 1991) [they
simply copy what the better students do]

 Lack of teacher preparation for constructivist classrooms

 Difficult to break the cycle of those who have been taught in a classroom where they
were expected to solely absorb information.

 A shift in learning as this theory challenges traditional beliefs about learning and
knowledge.

 Teachers not taught/trained on this approach. Teachers & pre-service teachers need
training on this learning approach.

 All students have different prior knowledge.

 Lots of pre-planning.

 Requires ample time.

 Technology failures or lack.

Additional Disadvantages of Constructivism

 During initial stages students may experience confusion or frustration

 Difficult to grade / evaluate

 Different students learning at different paces-need to keep track of.

 Need to give up control of the classroom – may be difficult to do.

 Assumptions
Learners must be allowed to construct The educator will contribute towards
their own understanding.
Assessment tools cannot focus on
"right" or "wrong" anymore.
Fellow learners play a major role in
the development of knowledge and
skills of the individual.
Standardized curricula have to
change.
Teaching strategies have to change.
Consequences
the development of the learner’s
higher cognitive skills.
Assessment of the understanding must
therefore focus on the learner’s
reasoning (synthesis and evaluation).
Collaborative ways of teaching must
be developed to allow for towards
discussion, clarification of their own
ideas and evaluation of others’ ideas.
New curricula have to address the
"gap" between the learner’s previous
experience and new learning
experience and should focus on
problem solving models.
The teaching philosophy should be
one of facilitation and interaction in
order to allow for the construction of
own understanding and meaning.
Disadvantages of Constructivism in Teaching
 The training necessary for constructive teaching is extensive and often requires costly
long-term professional development. This may be unreasonable for school budgets as
well as disruptive to the students' learning. With an average number of students in one
classroom, teachers are unable to customize the curriculum to each student, as their prior
knowledge will vary. The constructivism curriculum also eliminates standardized testing
and grades. This eliminates grade-centered goals and rewards as well as the comparisons
of student statewide or district-specific progress.
The Disadvantages of Constructivism in the Classroom
 The application of constructivist theory to classroom models has generally been
successful. However, as educational psychologist David Palmer has noted, constructivist-
based teaching encourages the introduction of discrepant and novel materials and
 methods as a way of capturing students' attention and motivating them to engage. Unless
the teacher remains disciplined in the use of such materials, the classroom experience can
devolve into entertainment. Students exposed to this kind of teaching may be unprepared
for the rigors -- and occasional boredom -- of the lecture-based teaching methods
common in higher education.


SOURCE/S:
http://boylan.it/patrick/courses/construc.htm#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20biggest
%20disadvantages,oftenduringthEinitialstageC
https://classroom.synonym.com/advantages-disadvantages-constructivism-teaching-
8634178.html
https://www.theclassroom.com/advantages-disadvantages-constructivism-classroom-
7966699.html