An Empirical Approach and Implications for Teachers to Begin Constructivist Teaching

Abstract

This paper aims to explore teachers’ perceptions and views about the implementation of constructivist teaching from an empirical research in a vocational college classroom. Constructivism and constructivist teaching pedagogies are visited first to find the requirements as well as barriers for constructivist teachers. Both quantitative and qualitative data are collected from students surveyed with a questionnaire and teachers with interviews addressing the experiences and concerns of their teaching practice. Based on the data gathered, the teachers’ desired teaching model, along with students’ prospective feedback to the implementation of constructivist teaching is fully analyzed. By examining the students’ identified needs and the teachers’ perceptions, it is concluded that students’ learning preferences links to constructivist ideas and teachers’ teaching practice needs reforming and changing in order to undertake constructivist teaching.