Constructivism Essay -- Philosophy, Piaget, Vygotsky

What is Constructivism? Constructivism has been a popular term used in education since the 1990s but can be traced back to a much earlier time than that (Maddux & Cummings, 1999, p.8). Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are the two theorists who are closely linked to the development of constructivism. Over the past decade, education has seen an alarming increase in the number of students who are qualifying for special education services as well as students who are being labeled as â€Å"at risk† students. Having such an increase in special education the demand to find a teaching style that works best for students with disabilities has become extremely popular. An increase in popular terms and trendy forms of teaching instruction has developed in education. A popular â€Å"buzz† word that has invaded the educational world is Constructivism; even though constructivism is not a new term it does lack a concrete definition. The term constructivism has been used to explain everything from school reform to teaching styles, and most importantly related to a learning theory. As you can imagine the term Constructivism has the potential to develop many misconceptions since it lacks a universal definition. â€Å"Constructivism is an important theory of learning that is used to guide the development of new teaching methods†(Baviskar, Hartle & Whitney, 2009, p.541). The framework of constructivism is built upon the understanding that â€Å"learning is an active process that is student centered in the sense that, with the teachers help, learners select and transform information, construct hypothesis’, and make decisions†(Chrenka, 2001, p.694). It is important to understand that when speaking about constructivism we are referring to a learning theory not teach... ...dent-centered classroom, which allows students to act upon their prior knowledge and learn through hands on experience. If you have ever been involved with or around students with disabilities you may be extremely hesitant to adopt a constructivist view on education. Students with disabilities require a much more structured learning environment in order to be successful. Many education professionals feel that the appropriate learning experience and learning environment for students with disabilities would be one of a more teacher-directed or explicit teaching style. It would not be fair to assume that a constructivist approach to special education would be a complete failure. However, combining multiple constructivist strategies with some explicit teaching strategies you could quite possibly be able to achieve success when teaching students with disabilities.

Good Communicator Hca

Are you a good communicator? HCA 230 Are you a good communicator? Effective communication is vital in the healthcare workplace. The welfare of others is the fundamental focus and effective communication between colleagues can make the difference  in the quality and consistency of care that is delivered to patients. Many people to consider themselves to be good communicators; Identifying what the effective communication process is helps to make that determination. According to Cheesebro, O'Conner, ; Rios,  2010, effective communication is â€Å"the process of sending and receiving messages. This means that a good communicator would be effective in both listening and responding appropriately. So, in order to establish a successful exchange of information is helpful to distinguish between the various types of communication. Focusing on verbal and non verbal communication we will examine communication and how it relates to the medical field. In the health care industry interpersonal relationships with patients and coworkers are essential in the quality of service that is provided.Communication is vital to the development as well as the maintenance of all interpersonal relationships. In health care, the constant interaction with the patients, their families and co-workers of different race, ethnic background, gender, and religious beliefs require diversity from its employees. Using communication to build interpersonal relationships builds a trust and understanding between co-workers and patients. Thus patients feel more at ease discussing their ailments and receiving professional feedback.Effective communication results in more positive outcomes,  such as increased productivity and proficiency,  better relationships, as well as improved workplace morale. On the other hand, poor and ineffective communication  causes conflict, takes up time and additional resources. Eventually, it will negatively  affect organization overall. Supportive communication is a ble to express further understanding and encourage communication with those around you. Defensive communication on he other hand, can cause the other person to be on edge, feeling threatened, and anxious. When the communication between two parties turn into a defensive situation they are less likely to see the value in the message. The use of empathy is a vital tool when attempting to establish rapport  with a patient or co-worker and building trust. The key to demonstrating empathy is to use active listening. In this method, the receiver checks message with the sender to make sure they understand what is begin said as a way to clarify the information given.In the medical filed assertiveness is expressed through communication by being expressive of thoughts,  feelings, and needs  without being aggressive and having presence on another person. The purpose is to improve the communication process  instead of allowing aggression to create conflict and a hostile environment. In t he medical field some of this can be avoided by refraining from using aggressive or sarcastic tones and body language which could give the receiver the wrong impression of the sender and the message being sent. The use of â€Å"I† statements and good body language can assist in the process.Films Media Group. (2007). Communicating with aged care colleagues [H. 264] By including yourself and explaining way that can be helpful, the environment for open dialog is developed. Upon a self assessment of my own interpersonal relationships and skills, I discovered I am in need of some improvement. One element that particularly stood out to me was the inconsistence of verbal and nonverbal communication. When speaking to new people or on a topic in which I may not be as well informed on I have the tendency to fidget and use little eye contact.Although I may be paying full attention or taking notes my nonverbal communication can be misinterpreted into lack of interest, boredom, or in some cultures just plain disrespect. As a result of knowing this I can make sure that I am prepared by doing some extra research on the topic if possible to increase my comfort lever when speaking on it. I can also make sure that my personal appearance,  posture, gestures, and mannerisms,  facial expression, eye contact and personal space is appropriate and consistent for the delivery of the message I am trying to send.Just as many others I considered self to be a good communicator and saw where I could make the improvements o that I can be more effective in my professional and personal life. References 1. Cheesebro, T. , O'Conner, L. , & Rios, F. (2010). Communicating in the Workplace  . : Prentice Hall. 2. Films Media Group. (2007). Communicating with aged care colleagues [H. 264] * Taken From: http://digital. films. com/PortalPlaylists. aspx? aid=7967&xtid=40257

Into The Wild By Jon Krakauer - 1330 Words

â€Å"Happiness is only real, when shared.† - Jon Krakauer Into the wild. Jon Krakauer, the author of Into the Wild told the story of Chris McCandless. Chris escaped reality and went to go live off the land in Alaska, hoping to live a simpler life. In the novel, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless shared a similar philosophy with Jack London, as they both have a strong passion for Alaska, they both appreciated they beauty of nature, and both wanted to be reborn. In the novel, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless and Jack London both appreciated the beauty of nature. London said in a biography once, â€Å" ‘When I first came here, tired of cities and people, I settled down on a little farm†¦130 acres of the most beautiful, primitive land to be found in California.’ † Just like London, Chris had a great appreciation for the beauty of nature, and wanted to experience it himself. In Chris’s letter to Wayne he said, â€Å"If t his adventure proves fatal, and you don’t ever hear from me again, I want you to know that you’re a great man. I know walk into the wild.† London and Chris both left their normal lives and escaped reality to go live among the wild. They both had a great appreciation for nature and wanted to experience it themselves. Chris decides to go into the wild to escape reality. In the authors note in Into the Wild Jon tells Chris’s reason for leaving, â€Å"And then he invented a new life for himself, taking up residence at the ragged margin of our society,Show MoreRelatedInto the Wild by Jon Krakauer563 Words   |  2 PagesJon Krakauer presents Into The Wild a tragic tale of a young ambitious man who is motivated to go into the wilderness and discover his true identity.Jon krakauer conveys many messages to his readers through Chris McCandless, and his messages often offer a warning to society.we will furture idenitfy how the author delievers the warning to socie ty and what effect it can have upon society today.Three of the very important messages he empatizes on are the societies influence on people,the essence ofRead MoreThe Wild By Jon Krakauer1096 Words   |  5 PagesAllyssa Mikes July 2012 Into the Wild Mr. Fertmann Throughout the non-fictional novel Into the Wild, the author Jon Krakauer catches the reader’s interest early on in the book. Krakauer takes us on a journey, telling the story of young Chris McCandless’ adventures after abandoning everything he owned. Krakauer fully emerged himself into the study of McCandless’ life’s adventures and soon developed a deep understanding of who he was and how he impacted to world. Krakauer connected with McCandless in anRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer946 Words   |  4 Pagescompelling novel â€Å"Into The Wild† by Jon Krakauer the character and intelligence of the youth in men is questioned. Through the pieced together 200 page novel we are introduced to Christopher Johnson McCandless also known as â€Å"Alex Supertramp†. A ripe 24 years of age he chose to question our reality and his meaning of life that is given to us by hitchhiking across America to the Alaskan wilderness, where after four months in the last frontier he is found dead. Krakauer throughout the novel shows thatRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer1349 Words   |  6 PagesSummary Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer is a true story about Chris McCandless who is found dead in the Alaskan wild during September 1992. After discovering that his father had a secret secondary family when Chris was young, Chris pushes away his friends and family and eventually isolates himself. He obtains $25,000 from his parents by lying about attending law school and drives away from home, deserting his real name. He later leaves his car in Georgia after an engine breakdown due to rain damageRead MoreThe Wild By Jon Krakauer1522 Words   |  7 Pagesvictories.† (Richard M. Nixon). In his investigative biography, Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer, expresses that even though young people can be ignorant and take treacherous risks, these can be used as knowledge enhancers and can be life changers. Krakauer gives us insight by giving examples of what risk really are, how people take them, and how it actually affects those people. Throughout the whole book there are instances where krakauer uses real life examples of things that have happened where people haveRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer Essay1237 Words   |  5 Pages Jon Krakauer s novel â€Å"Into the wild†, Is a story about a young man named Christopher McCandless or â€Å"Alex Supertramp† who went on a self discovering odyssey in which he had traveled around the U.S. The story surrounds Chris and his travels and what he had done at the time, leading to his death in August 1992. Thus the story takes a direction in the viewpoints of the people Alex has come across through in his travels. It speaks about what he had done at the time of his journey before he hadRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer1013 Words   |  5 Pages Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, narrates the life of adventurer and free spirit Christopher McCandless, who died August 1992 in the Alaskan wilderness; however, his journey still remains relevant in today’s pop culture due to the unresolved controversy of whether he is a saintly role model or hubristic fool. Krakauer openly states that he â€Å"won’t claim to be an impartial biographer† (Author’s Note) due to the parallels he struck with McCandless, and provides a more idealistic approach to the biographyRead MoreInto the Wild by Jon Krakauer1516 Words   |  7 PagesRosselini, John Waterman and Carl McCunn. They all went to Alaska, just like Chris and died. After that Chris continued to canoe and got caught by the US officers when he was trying to get back into the US from Mexico. So he spent a night in jail. Krakauer then compared Chris to Everett Reuss. They both changed their names and they both disappeared. Chris applied for an ID as Alex Supertramp and found a job in Los Angeles. New York Times published about Alex’s death. Jim Gallien and Wayne WesterbergRead MoreInto the Wild: by Jon Krakauer1186 Words   |  5 Pagessense Krakauers natural liking for McCandless. He was sympathetic to McCandless, based on Krakauers sense of a shared experience in their youth and up until McCandless eventual death and Krakauers perceived near death experience on the Devils Thumb. I believe the author’s main point and perspective was formed from his own experience and relationship with his father. While the situations were basically reversed with Chris not approving of his father and Lewis Krakauer disappointed in Jon for notRead MoreThe Wild By Jon Krakauer990 Words   |  4 PagesWould choose a new car, a good job position and a high quality life or would you choose to give up all for a journey into the wild to discover the truth? Christopher Johnson McCandless choose ultimate freedom and truth rather than choosing security and material excess. The story into the wild is written by Jon Krakauer and it covers how Christopher lived for two years without the need of society and material excess. Chris journey enlightened him to the truth and made him feel the raw throb of existence