What is the Difference Between Constructivism and Constructionism?

Constructivism and constructionism are two educational and psychological theories that have been influenced by one another, but they have different focuses. Here are the main differences between the two:

1. Founders: Constructivism was founded by Jean Piaget, while constructionism was founded by Seymour Papert.
2. Focus: Constructivism highlights the interests and abilities of children to achieve specific educational goals, emphasizing individual learning and cognitive processes. Constructionism, on the other hand, focuses on the manner of learning, emphasizing the expression of individual feelings and the influence of social interactions on the learning process.
3. Social Aspects: While social constructivism is more focused on individual learning that takes place because of an individual's interaction with others, social constructionism is more focused on the social aspects of learning, such as the creation of artifacts through social interactions.
4. Cognitive vs. Social Processes: Constructivism has a focus on how individuals mentally (cognitively) construct reality, whereas social constructionism is more focused on its social aspects, more than its individual aspects.

In summary, constructivism and constructionism both emphasize the active nature of knowledge construction, but they differ in their focus on individual cognitive processes (constructivism) versus social processes and interactions (constructionism).

Comparative Table: Constructivism vs Constructionism

The main difference between constructivism and constructionism lies in their focus and application. Here is a table highlighting the key differences between the two:

In summary, constructivism is a cognitive theory that emphasizes individual learning and mental constructions, while constructionism is a philosophy that focuses on the social and cultural aspects of knowledge construction and individual learning.