Lecture 3: Social Constructivism

This posting is the first of many  - no doubt!
I woke up at 02.30 and unable to return to sleep I thought I would put my weekly blog task to bed instead. Here goes....

Vygotsky's constructivist theory, which is  now(?) called social constructivism. For Vygotsky the culture gives the child the cognitive tools needed for development. The type and quality of those tools determines, to a much greater extent than they do in Piaget's theory, the pattern and rate of development. Adults such as parents and teachers are conduits for the tools of the culture, including language. The tools the culture provides a child include cultural history, social context, and language. Today they also include electronic forms  or technology of information access.

Technology provides essential tools with which to accomplish the goals of a social constructivist classroom. Below are a few examples of the way information technology can support social constructivist teaching and learning:
Tools such as blogs, discussion boards and the Internet provide a means for dialogue, discussion, and debate -- interactivity that leads to the social construction of meaning. Students can talk with other students, teachers, and professionals in communities far from their classroom. Telecommunications tools can also provide students access to many different types of information resources that help them understand both their culture and the culture of others.
Networked writing programs provides a unique platform for collaborative writing. Students can write for real audiences who respond instantly and who participate in a collective writing activity.
Simulations can make learning meaningful by situating something to be learned in the context of a "real world" activity such as running a nuclear power plant, writing up "breaking" stories for a newspaper, or dealing with the pollution problems of local waterways.
Re-reading my post I am surprised that it has taken three hours of thinking and composing and being self-critical I am not convinced I have tackled the topics in step 2.
I think I might be able to go to sleep now!