Students’ Perceived Constructivist Learning Environment

Abstract

Abstract. Theoretical classifications suggest three key tenets of the constructivist learning environment: constructivist task, teacher-student interaction, and social activity. This study assessed two scales, measuring the perceptions of high school and college students of their constructivist learning environment. Facet theory (FT) approach with smallest space analysis (SSA) as well as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to confirm the structure of the constructivist learning theory and to test the structural validity of scores on two scales. In the first study, data were gathered by using the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES). In this study, compared with the CFA result, the SSA gave additional information showing the existence of the three theoretical key tenets which were absent from the factor analysis. This facet was derived from the constructivist learning theory, framed in the mapping sentence, purposely designed as part of the FT research strategy. In the second study, students’ perceptions of the occurrence of constructivist practices in higher education learning environments were assessed. The comparison between SSA and CFA showed that the CFA was limited to capture merely one facet at a time and failed to illustrate the correspondence between the content facets of the mapping sentence.