Embedding Social constructivism in a First-year Online Economics Module

Abstract

Social constructivism is a theory of education that emphasises the role of social interaction, active learning, social interaction and cultural context in the development of skills and knowledge . Closely associated with social constructivism is the concept of scaffolding which allows the facilitators support to be gradually removed as leaners become more competent, allowing them to perform tasks independently . This paper aims to illustrate and evaluate digital tools which support the integration of social constructivism principles into learning and teaching. The research strategy is a case study approach and the data collection instrument is a survey with first year business students. Its findings suggest that online tools can facilitate the tenets of social constructivism effectively and that leaners benefitted from these interventions to promote their knowledge construction, active learning, social interaction and scaffolding.