Annotation created for E-Learning Practicum-FA08-900F

Singh, M. "Collaborative Learning and Technology: Moving from Instructionism to Constructionism" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, Sheraton New York, New York City, NY Online <PDF>. 2008-10-10


Mukhbir Singh, PhD, has researched e-learning technology as it relates to collaborative, experiential, and constructivist learning.  Singh is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Weber State University, Ogden, Utah.  He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Punjab University, Chandigarh, India and his Phd from State University of New York at Buffalo in 2003.  

In his paper “Collaborative Learning and Technology:  Moving from Instructionism to Constructionism”, Singh proposes the traditional root of pedagogy is linear or book form and this linear format allowed books to be duplicated enmasse for instructional purposes.  Singh feels this is what is used in f2f classes today and refers to it as “instructionism”.  This linear format allows instruction to be transmitted to learners.  In contrast, in the constructionist approach, knowledge is not transmitted but instead learners create their own knowledge by the construction of artifacts.

Singh conducted a 2-part study in a university communications theory class.  Following methods of instructionism, information was presented to students in a linear fashion with a question asked and answered, followed by feedback.  In the second part of the study, following methods of constructivism, hypertext, the opposite of linear text, was used.  “Hypertext can be browsed in a non-linear way...it does not require the user to follow by the default sequence of words, sentences, paragraphs, and so forth... This allows learners to freely navigate throughout the various resources of the program, according to curiosity, associations, or any other motives they might have” (Singh: pg.5).  Singh added an additional challenge and required students to write their own html web pages.  However, he did not leave them to work alone but instead offered tutoring by instructors and also by students who had taken the course before.  Singh recognized the importance of feedback in linear-based instructionism and offered tutoring as feedback in the constructionism model.

One objective achieved in this study was to reduce instructor control in the learners’ construction of knowledge.  Feedback in instructionism is said to be of a corrective nature and pointing out gaps in knowledge, whereas feedback in constructionism happens often and encourages students to focus more on content than learning objectives – promoting creativity in using technology to organize new knowledge.  The main objective was to improve student writing across curriculum.  “Traditionally there is little time devoted to writing by the student because this was reserved for a language class. Writing across the curriculum believes that writing should not be its own subject; rather writing is a way for students to understand all subjects” (Hill, 1992). 

I found this article related to my practicum experience because of comments by learners about reading in a hypertext environment and troubleshooting technology problems logging in to wikis, etc.  Singh stressed the importance of trying to work out as many technical problems as possible so as not to interfere with the learning.  However, he pointed out that some technical problems may be good for students to experience so they will be prepared for the inevitable challenges faced in the world of work.  This article also includes many student comments at the end of the article.  Click here to view the document Singh Article