Constructivism-Based Teaching and Learning in Indonesian Education

Abstract

In recent years, constructivism has emerged as the dominant paradigm in education and has made a major intellectual impact on pedagogical development in Indonesia, rooted in Piaget’s cognitive development, and in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. Applying constructivism in the classroom is basically rooted from Vygotsky’s psychological theory in which knowledge is not transferred from teachers to students but is constructed in the students’ minds. In this case, the focus of knowledge does not come from teacher to students but from how the students can construct by their own selves. Constructivism has also had a positive impact on the development of science in general in Indonesia. The application of global micro-technology and linguistic research to literacy and the development of constructivist learning narratives has been developed as a substantial approach to teaching in Indonesia. Constructivism is the foundation of teachers because this method represents a shift from behaviorism-based education to cognitive theory-based education. In addition, in recent years, language pedagogy has integrated a variety of instructional approaches that underline the centrality and diversity of learners and their active involvement in authentic and meaningful pursuits as individuals and in the community of learners. This study aimed to reveal the roles of constructivism-based teaching and learning in Indonesian education. In this research, Dewey’s theory of constructivism is the main theory used, in which Dewey states that constructivism can build individual and social knowledge. This study applies a case study approach to ensure the validity of the results of the research conducted as proposed by Kothari (2004). The results showed that constructivism is a promising method and has a positive impact on the progress of education in Indonesia because it can improve students’ abilities. This method also builds students’ knowledge to be creative, and is designed according to their needs.
 Keywords: constructivism, teaching and learning, Indonesian education, Vygotsky’s psychological theory