Constructivism is based on the prem

Constructivism is based on the premise that knowledge
cannot be transmitted but has to be constructed by the
individual. Therefore, learning is an active process of integrating
information with pre-existing knowledge.
Cognitively oriented constructivist theories such as discovery
learning [13] and microworlds [31] emphasize exploration
and discovery. Socially oriented constructivist theories,
such as social constructivism [41] and cognitive apprenticeships
[12] stress the collaborative eorts of groups
of learners as sources of learning.
In constructivism, the control over the learning process
shifts from the teacher to student, with the learner playing
an active role in the learning process. Learning takes
place in context and in collaboration and provides opportunities
to solve realistic and meaningful problems. In contrast,
the teachers focus mainly on preparatory activities
and provide support in case assistance is needed. Consequently,
the teacher is an initiator of and an adviser in the
learning process.
The last years have seen an increasing research in and
appliance of constructivist approaches. Pure constructivist
approaches, however, are not unchallenged: instructions and
drill still need to play a part in the classroom [24]. Hence, the
moderate constructivist theory has developed as a pragmatic
approach which integrates instructions into a theory that has
a clear constructivist tendency.