Rational Reflection On The Upsurge Of Constructivism

Constructivism is the further development of the learning theory from behaviorism to cognitivism, which is known as a revolutionary in contemporary pedagogic psychology. It is that constructivism lays stress on constructiveness of knowledge learning and the initiative of cognitive subject that makes itself a mainstream theory in international educational reform.Since the middle of the 1990's, constructivism has gradually been accepted as the theoretical basis of the new curriculum reform of basic education in China. However, it cannot be avoided that constructivism will have an impact on educational concept, educational mode as well as evaluation mechanism of traditional Chinese education.It is certain that constructivism will be rejected and resisted by traditional Chinese education, after it was brought in, since there are great differences between the west and east in cultural tradition, thinking mode and material conditions. Besides, constructivism has formidable limitations in theory and practice. As a result, rational countermeasures are necessary so that being radical and conservative should be avoided while positive sublation, skilled learning and courageous transcendence should be adoptedTheorists and practitioners of Chinese education should try to seek new combination points between constructivism and Chinese education and create new theories in accordance with the objective reality and rules. Only in this way can constructivism really make contributions to Chinese education. There are three basic theoretical problems needed to be solved in the process of constructing constructivism with Chinese characteristics, which are necessity, possibility and practicality of constructing constructivism with Chinese characteristics. Therefore, there is much necessity that we should construct constructivism with Chinese characteristics so that we can make sense of constructivism in Chinese education.