Conceptualization and appreciation of the meaning of assimilation principle by prospective elementary teachers

Zembat, İ. Ö. (2007) Conceptualization and appreciation of the meaning of assimilation principle by prospective elementary teachers. Hacettepe University Journal of Education(32), pp. 306-318.

Abstract

This study investigated the main tenets of constructivism which is one of the hot topics in education that has recently taken considerable attention in Turkey. It explicated on assimilation principle and offered an instructional design for mental construction of this principle through an application of an action research including the work of 45 prospective elementary teachers. In the article, the designed instructional sequence, its in-class application, and how such instruction affected teachers’ previously gained ideas about teaching and learning were investigated. As a result, helping teachers develop a sense for assimilation principle and its importance in teaching seems to be positively affected by three main activities: (1) Engaging learners in a situation in which they have to feel a need to go back to their prior knowledge and reflect on that situation, (2) Helping learners distinguish between different types of knowledge (social, physical, logicomathematical) and reflection over them, (3) Having learners analyze instructional designs (and their applications) that do not take into consideration the assimilation principle.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Abstract: Turkish and English.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Zembat, Dr Ismail Özgür
• Authors: Zembat, İ. Ö.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Creativity Culture and Faith
• Journal Name: Hacettepe University Journal of Education
• Publisher: Hacettepe University Faculty of Education
• ISSN: 1300-5340
• ISSN (Online): 2536-4758